Settlements and the Mideast divide

Re “The lie beneath Israel’s settlements,” Current, Nov. 26

The current Palestinian position is not about settlements but the denial of Israel’s right to exist. After that position is reversed, then Gershom Gorenberg’s ideas would fit into the scheme of things. Gorenberg should support the Ehud Barak/Bill Clinton plan as a lever to gain Muslims’ acceptance of Israel as a Jewish state. If Israel’s existence is ever accepted, then Gorenberg’s article becomes more than just legalistic diatribe.

ART CALICK

Huntington Beach

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Perhaps the U.S. should consider buying out the Israeli settlements and giving the land back to Palestinians. This might save us some foreign aid to Israel by eliminating a major Palestinian reason for hating Israel and us. Of course, Israel would not be allowed to destroy the homes on the way out.

JAKE POLDER

Whittier

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Re “Get real, Hamas,” editorial, Nov. 28

The Times’ heady embrace of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s initiative is unwarranted. Olmert’s vague offer to evacuate unspecified “territories and communities” is underwhelming, especially when viewed against the backdrop of his reference to the West Bank as Judea and Samaria and given Israel’s numerous reservations attached to its acceptance of the U.S.-led “road map.”

The Times also failed to point out Olmert’s demand that Palestinian refugees relinquish their right of return, a right guaranteed by international law. Peace will come about only when the international community holds Israel accountable for meeting all its obligations to Palestinians, who have been mistreated by Israel for decades.

KHALED GALAL

San Francisco

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How sad, but not surprising, that The Times issued arrogant edicts to the Palestinians. While telling Hamas to “get real,” The Times once again ignores the racist origins of Zionism in Palestine. It also ignores that Palestinians had their land stolen by colonialist Zionists and that Palestinians have for half a century been denied the right to return to their homeland.

The one who needs to “get real” is the so-called free press in the Western media, which for years has stuck its head in the sand and ignored the racist and neofascist nature of the Zionist entity.

RONALD O. RICHARDS

Los Angeles