Israel at 60 [2]

Well said. There are two compelling narratives. In the year 2008, any person who doesn’t acknowledge that is either ignorant or can’t escape his or her own prejudices. Compromise is painful, in this case wrenching. The future ought not be. Much time has been devoted to seeking a conclusion to this conflict. There are too many other problem areas to attend to in the world.

Anyone who, in discussing this conflict, doesn’t at least make mention of “a peaceful and just accommodation between the two peoples” is part of the problem and needs to be identified as such.

Bern Mass, United States published 10 May 2008

Mafia Thugs

On reading the report “King Faisal Stood Firm on Oil Embargo” (May 4), I was saddened to hear that the United States, my homeland, acted like a common Mafia thug in threatening Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing Gulf states to end the 1973 oil embargo.

But I can’t say that I am surprised. In fact, I believe that the same base methods are currently in use by the good old US against any Arab or Muslim country that dares to speak the truth about the unprecedented corrupt relationship between Israel and the US politicians and officials that Israel bribes to ensure that it maintains a stranglehold on US foreign policy in the Middle East.

Rather than end our relationship with the evil Zionist empire, we continue our subservient groveling, even increasing our financial and military support. It seems hard to claim the moral high ground when our Middle East policy is such.

Mario Caldarone, United States published 10 May 2008

Compliment With Agenda

The insincerity of a compliment when used as a device to sneak in one’s personal opinions was illustrated by Francis Andrew in his clumsily composed letter “Top of the Pops” (May 4). Andrew went on at some sycophantic length extolling the virtues of and lavishing praise upon “Arab News” only to use that praise as a springboard to go into yet another one of his global-warming-is-a-myth routines. First, Andrew strongly implied that “Arab News” agrees with his opinions and condescends to print rebuttals to him only for the sake of comic relief. Then, Andrew, satisfied that he has debunked “global warming” (at least in his own mind), proposed that the earth is trembling on the brink of an ice age! How we can be at the beginning of an ice age when the polar ice caps are melting is simply amazing, to put it diplomatically. Perhaps Andrew is confused about the concepts governing heat and cold. I hope a competent and reliable authority will rise to the occasion and explain these two primary scientific concepts to Andrew. Until then, I leave Andrew to consider that when the temperature decreases ice invariably forms. And, when the temperature increases, that very same ice will most certainly melt.

Steve Corcoran, Alkhobar published 10 May 2008

Arab News on Top

I was happy to learn that Arab News, my favorite newspaper, was voted the most favored English daily in the region. I congratulate all of those behind this achievement. That journey to the top must have been quite a strenuous one. However, since there is no such thing as perfection, let me point out a few areas where there is room for improvement.

While I appreciate the need for advertisements to keep newspapers afloat, it is only fair that this should not be done at the cost of their readers. That is why newspapers across the world have separate classified sections. But Arab News does that at the cost of the print space earmarked for its South Asian readers. That leaves me, a reader of the South Asia page, with a feeling of having been taken for a ride.

Secondly, there is a huge expatriate community of Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis living and working here in the Kingdom. However, Arab News rarely covers social and literary events concerning these communities. This is very disappointing. In order to address such complaints, Arab News should dedicate a special supplement on Fridays to cover local news items from South Asian communities. Arab News should also consider dedicating a page or two in its Friday issue for new and budding writers to encourage young talent to blossom.

Faiz Al-Najdi, Riyadh published 10 May 2008

Targeting Hospitals

This refers to your report, “US Rockets Target Iraq Hospital” (May 4). As in almost all cases of US military action in Iraq, I have seen different versions of the incident. Arab News quoted an international agency reporter at the scene who said that the district’s main Al-Sadr Hospital was badly damaged and a fleet of ambulances was destroyed.

Dr. Wiam Al-Jawahri, director of the General Hospital in Sadr City, told the BBC that four rockets were fired from helicopters into a neighboring building, damaging it, and destroying 11 ambulances and several staff cars parked nearby. He also said that many of the windows in his hospital had been broken and patients had been moved to other wards. CBS news stated that windows were blown out of cars in the hospital’s parking lot, but there did not appear to be any damage to the hospital itself. I think the BBC was likely to be correct.

Fred Pierzchala, Dammam published 10 May 2008

Attack on Karzai

The recent attack by extremists on Afghan President Hamid Karzai has proved that foreign powers can no longer rule Afghanistan. Those foreign powers with ambitions to build new empires should understand that colonialism has ended for good. Military power is not everything. Moral principles, commitment to a cause and the courage to risk lives in defense of one’s own country are the qualities that matter in conflicts. The Afghans who are defending their motherland from foreign occupation have these qualities. In contrast, the soldiers and officers who ran from the scene of attack clearly proved their lack of courage and moral strength. They were fighting for money.

Incidents such as this should open the eyes of the big powers that occupy small countries. They are losing the lives of their soldiers and officers just to satisfy their satanic lust for power.

A.H. Maqdoom, Jeddah published 10 May 2008

Israel at 60

This refers to Ziad Asli’s article “Need for a New Perspective” (May 5). One does not “move on” by ignoring the past. In fact, unless and until past wrongs are made right, nothing changes. Unresolved “pasts” tend to morph into future conflicts. To say the “Israelis and Palestinians live in the same land with divergent national narratives” is an understatement. It’s like saying Jews in 1930s’ Germany had a different worldview than Aryans. The question is, who has the power? The sides are not equal. Did anyone realistically expect the Wehrmacht to talk peace with Warsaw’s Jews? It didn’t have to because it had all the power.

There is a difference between right and wrong, victim and perpetrator. To say “both” Palestinians and Israelis are guilty of violence is to ignore the initial cause of the problem: the stealing of Arab land by Jews. To say a person fighting to regain stolen property is as guilty as the thief is to talk gibberish. It’s also hypocritical to condemn Arab resistance while lauding Jewish terror groups — such as Irgun, Palmach, Haganah, etc., which were used to create Israel.

Israel is a militaristic state whose economy is subsidized by America. Palestinians have no similar support or strength. The “conflict” is one-sided, like Mike Tyson fighting Woody Allen. America feeds and trains Mike. It starves Woody, ties his hands behind him, then pays the referee to make sure Tyson is the winner. And we all act like it’s a fair fight.

“The two-state solution” will not work. It’s too late. Too little land is left for the Palestinians, and Israel has been unmasked as a socialist bully with no constitution, no borders, and, increasingly, no conscience. It’s a racist regime, little different from World War II Germany. It has devolved into a theocracy of mad hatters.

The difference between Nazis and the Ashkenazis is the former only had a few years to implement a “solution” and no mass media. Today, the Internet precludes Israel from using similar tactics. Instead, it patiently takes 60 years to slow-cook the Palestinian goose. At 60, Israel is an apartheid state that oppresses others. Why celebrate that? Do we laud the Third Reich for creating autobahns, color film, tape recorders and other advancements? Or do we hold it accountable for having lost its soul?

Israel, alas, has become blight onto other nations.

Shlomo Shunn, United States published 10 May 2008