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Letters to the Editor

Clancy, Sousan, both miss the point on Israel-Palestine conflict

To the editor:

On some level I agree with both Kris Clancy and Sousan Hammad in their opinions about reaching peace in the Middle East (Forum, July 5). What both of them fail to mention, though, are concrete facts that are invaluable to seeing through the current mess in the region.

Clancy said "Israel must pull back to the 1967 lines and allow Palestinians to create their own state." What he fails to mention is that Palestinians had many opportunities to create their own state and chose not to.

In 2000 at Camp David, Israel put forth the most generous offer for peace that included 97 percent withdrawal from the West Bank. Arafat did not compromise. In fact, he outright rejected it and instigated years of terror.

A withdrawal under current conditions will only lead to an increase in terrorism as was proven by the withdrawal from Gaza.

Hammad writes, "It is obvious the West does not want Hamas to have any power."

The West says this for good reason. Hamas supports the complete and total destruction of Israel. It teaches Palestinian kids hatred against Jews. In fact, Palestinian school textbooks don’t even have Israel on their maps.

What does this say about a desire of peace and negotiations for a two-state solution? If children are our future, we can clearly see the future of Israel.

Leon Trakhtenberg business junior

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