Letters to the editor

Divestment would punish wrong side

As a UCLA alumnus, I read with great concern the July 8 Daily
Bruin editorial “UC must respect human rights, divest”
and the “Special Letter from the Editor” that followed
on July 15.

As a congressman, I supported sanctions against South Africa,
which helped bring down apartheid, and the law which pressured the
Soviet Union to allow freedom of emigration. But the idea,
supported by The Bruin, to sanction Israel for the failure to
achieve peace in the Middle East would punish the only democratic
country in the region which respects human rights and has been
willing to do everything it can for peace (except commit suicide).
The sad fact is the Palestinian and Arab leaders have rejected
peace, resorted to terrorism and the murder of innocent civilians
because they are unwilling to live alongside a Jewish state of
Israel. The United States should not punish Israel but continue to
pressure the Arab world toward democracy and to accept a secure
Israel living alongside a peaceful Palestine.

Henry Waxman United States congressman

Ignore critics, divestment justified

Your July 8 editorial “UC must respect human rights,
divest,” is a brave and progressive step toward peace and
justice in the battered Middle East. This is just a reminder that
if you take into account the per capita population of pro-Israel
Jews versus Palestinians and progressives, you have an overwhelming
majority in favor of divestment. As in all areas of public debate
when it comes to the Middle East, a vociferous few scuttle debate
and free expression. It would be comforting to know you can
withstand intimidation. Should you choose to do so, be prepared to
contend with the label of anti-Semites.

Hani Bawardi Ann Arbor, MI

Hold true to beliefs through
opposition

I found the necessity for your Special Letter to be a very
depressing reflection on the pressures placed on you if you fail to
conform to many of your readers’ “opinions.”
Similar pressures have been put on major media companies, CNN, the
New York Times, the Washington Post, etc. There seems to be a
frightening impression that U.S. media will be prepared to distort
reality if enough pressure is placed on it.

It is a result of this pressure, in my opinion, that Americans
are about as ignorant as it is possible to be, from Bush and Powell
downward, on the facts relating to Palestine. The problem has
nothing to do with suicide bombings, violence or Arafat. The
problem is entirely due to Israel’s continuing failure to
comply with International Law on Occupation, Settlements and
Refugees.

The media in Europe is not subjected to such abuse, or, if it
is, it does not succumb.      

Christopher Leadbeater Hailey, England

Investments in Israel protect U.S.

Not too long ago some 3,000 individuals were murdered in the
United States, and while Israel mourned with the United States,
Palestinians celebrated in the streets. I still remember it
clearly.

Where should U.S. taxpayers invest (“UC must respect human
rights, divest,” July 8) if not in the allies who mourn with
them and strive to protect a democracy founded upon the same free
ideas and institutions as our own? I can think of no better way to
protect ourselves and our beliefs (and those of the University of
California, by the way) than by continuing to invest in democracies
such as Israel. In fact, I am more concerned by my tax dollars
supporting your publication and your unfair opinions.

Frankly, your lip service claiming divestment from Israel
“doesn’t imply Israelis are the sole bearers of blame
for the human rights violations,” and “if the
Palestinians had their own state, the University of California
would have an obligation to withdraw its investments from there as
well,” lacks any sincerity, since you have no response to the
“egregious acts” of Palestinian homicide bombers who
direct their attacks on Israeli civilians.

Equating the government of Israel with the apartheid regime of
South Africa is morally repugnant and proves your ignorance of the
history of the struggle in South Africa. Moreover, it says nothing
at all of the Israeli victims of human rights abuses by Palestinian
terrorists. But, unfortunately, you are not alone in your
misconceptions ““ somehow the media does not seem to take a
great deal of interest in attacks against Jews and Israelis in
Israel, France, Tunisia, Belgium, LAX, etc. Better than divesting
in Israel, is finding a way for the students of the public
university education system in California to divest themselves of
anti-semitism.

Fred Ebrahemi University of California, Berkeley Class
of 1995

Palestinians live in terror

The editorial, “UC must respect human rights,
divest” published July 8 was right on target. It’s
about time we realize who the real terrorists are and end the
financial support. The media and its sensationalism never miss the
opportunity to broadcast suicide bombers, but they fail to mention
the daily terror Palestinians live under. Palestinians die
everyday, lose their homes everyday, feel hunger everyday, and are
humiliated everyday. These inhumane conditions should not be
accepted or tolerated by anyone. Tuition money should not be used
to oppress a nation. Divest from Israel and end apartheid and the
occupation!

Dr. Sonia Ibrahim Chicago

Others worse than Israel

As a Bruin alumnus and a proud supporter of the state of Israel,
I am absolutely outraged that your editorial staff has endorsed
such a hypocritical and offensive stance as the divestiture from
Israel (“UC must respect human rights, divest,” July
8).

The innocent citizens of Israel suffer from severe,
repeated and maniacal terror from their Arab and Palestinian
neighbors. Where is the humanitarian offense to them? The
Israeli electorate and leaders have continuously made
efforts and commitments to create peace, which the Palestinian
leadership in their infinite ineptitude has rejected without
negotiations ““ the 2000 Camp David Accords are hard facts
that can not be denied. 

These are facts confirmed by former President Bill Clinton and
Assistant Secretary of State Dennis Ross. Israel’s commitment
to compromise and withdraw is confirmed by recent history: Israel
withdrew from Sinai in exchange for peace in 1978. The
Palestinian leadership’s unwillingness to compromise or
negotiate in good faith ““ not the Israeli’s ““
causes the horrible situation innocent Palestinians must
endure.

Apparently, the editors at The Bruin also don’t think it
is important to scrutinize the true humanitarian offenses and
crises perpetrated by the Saudi Arabian, Syrian or other Arab
governments. 

Don’t readers also have concerns over the absence of
democratic rights, freedom of religion, judicial due process, and
women being forced to live like second or third class citizens in
these nations?

I am shocked and concerned my former campus of UCLA has become a
place for extremist or radical views.

Jason Matlof Class of 1991

Israelis not terrorists

In the wake of near constant terror attacks against Israelis,
including two last week, your call to financially ruin and isolate
Israel (hey, isn’t that what “divestment” really
means?), is cruel and immoral. While you claim to find terror
reprehensible, you seem to think self-defense is equally egregious.
Sure, checkpoints to find terrorists and to protect civilians from
further attacks are as reprehensible as blowing open the brain of a
toddler in Tel Aviv and blasting her grandma full of screws,
right?

Tell me, what do you want Israel to do that it hasn’t
already done? Show restraint? That led to an increase in terror and
bomb factories. Give the Palestinians a state? That was offered by
Barak and rejected by Arafat. Endure endless terror quietly to
atone for the sin of occupation and thank The Bruin for its
courageous stand?

You want to do something helpful? Visit some of the victims of
terror learning to walk, talk or laugh again. Visit the bereaved
who have lost friends and loved ones. Look the mothers in the eye
who lost their kids and husbands in an instant and tell them of
your heroic moral stand against Israel.

Visit an Israeli funeral and tell the mourners they deserve
international isolation, and you, safe and comfy in Los Angeles,
have the right to make moral judgments impacting their lives.

Lauren Sanchez Santa Barbara

Israeli products needed

Bigger and better than you have called for divestment and
boycott of Israel, but to no avail.

The technological, scientific and medical advancements coming
from the tiny, only democratic country in the entire region are too
numerous to mention, and all but impossible for the world to do
without.

Before you equate Israel’s “occupation” with
Palestinian suicide bombings, as your reason for calling for
divestment from Israel, you should really think ““ now try
hard ““ of what any Arab country has exported to the world
outside of oil and terror.

Come on college kids, you can do it. Think hard. Can’t
come up with anything, can you?

And if you can’t get the University of California to
divest from Burma, how can you expect them to take your call
seriously about divesting from Israel?

Stick to your homework. It’s tough being a liberal in the
real world.

Elliot Horowitz New York City

Editorial on target

I was impressed that the Daily Bruin wrote an article
encouraging divestment.

I found the article accurate and right on target. We need more
people who are willing to speak the truth. What is right is not
always popular, and what is popular is not always right.

Fatima Begum

Israel deserves apology

The Palestinians often complain only their side is ever required
to denounce terror. Predictably, after a terrorist attack,
Palestinian leaders declare they “deplore the murder of
civilians on both sides,” thereby implying Israel also
conducts terrorist attacks.

Perhaps the Palestinians have a point, and so to set the record
straight, allow me to hereby denounce the following in the name of
the Jewish People:

1. All Jewish suicide bombers who have ever acted against
Arabs.

2. All Arab buses blown up by Jews.

3. All Arab pizza parlors, malls, discotheques and restaurants
destroyed by Jewish terrorists.

4. All international airplanes hijacked by Jews since 1963.

5. All Moslem feasts targeted by Jewish suicide bombers.

6. All Arabs lynched in Israeli cities.

7. All Arab Olympic athletes murdered by Jews.

8. All Arab embassies bombed by Jews.

9. All Muslim mosques, cemeteries and religious schools fire
bombed or desecrated by Jews in North Africa, France, Belgium,
Germany and England.

10. All claims that Arabs poison wells, use Christian blood to
bake pita, control world finance, or that Arab elders meet secretly
to plot a world takeover.

11. Any and all high-rise skyscrapers attacked by Jewish suicide
high-jackers flying civilian aircraft on September 11, and

12. All Jewish street-dances and gun-fire celebrating the
mass-murder of Arabs.

Mark Alan Los Angeles

Editorial board’s portrayal of Middle East
unfair

Your “special letter from the editor” published in
the July 15 Bruin demonstrates you have failed to grasp a
fundamental point: the anger about your editorial position has
nothing to do with donations to the university, degrees awarded to
alumni or the decision whether to send my children to UCLA. It does
have to do with a fundamental act of fairness and your one-sided
castigation of Israel in calling for UC divestment.

As an alumnus, I was disheartened by the opinion of the
editorial board because it represents a fundamentally unfair
portrayal of the entire Middle East situation. Israel is not
South Africa, divestment is not a fundamentally fair approach to
the crises, and no reciprocal calls for a cessation of violence on
the part of the Palestinians were evident in your piece.

The onus for 22 months of violence since the July 2002 Camp
David meetings can and should rightfully be placed in the laps of
the Palestinians who have violated no less than 22 agreements,
treaties and other understandings since Oslo and walked away from a
true chance to address the outstanding issues at that summit.

Hundreds of needless deaths and a spate of 120 Palestinian
homicide attacks directed specifically at Israeli civilians is not
a way for a partner to behave.  Blaming Israel for the
problem is not responsible journalism but mere pandering to a
simplistic world view that will do nothing to serve the cause of
peace.

The only way the Palestinians will address their legitimate aims
is through peaceful negotiations over the bargaining
table. 

Steve Lipman Class of 1984

Self defense does not deserve divestment

Your editors have short memories. Do you not recall in 2000 Ehud
Barak, then prime Minister of Israel, offered Arafat and the
Palestinian people a state?

They walked away from the offer, launching instead this current
intifada. The “occupied territories” were fully under
the contol of the Palestinian Authority who used their autonomy to
build a government of unparalleled corruption, in which terrorist
groups ran free to build bombs and indoctrinate children, in which
hatred and anti-semitism were promoted, and in which money meant
for the people was funnelled into the private coffers of PA
officials. Arafat’s own wife lives like a queen in Paris.

Divestment operates by the false assumption Israelis need to be
forced to make peace. Israelis want peace. They gambled hard on
Oslo and offered the Palestinians nearly everything they say they
want, including a shared Jerusalem, but they were slapped in the
face.

Listen carefully to the words of Arafat, of Hamas leaders, and
of Faisal Husseni who called the Peace Process a “Trojan
Horse.” They don’t want a state in Gaza and the West
Bank. They want their state in Israel, on Israel, instead of
Israel. That is why Palestinian school textbooks still don’t
have Israel on their maps, why the PLO flag has a map of Israel
covered by two grenades.

If you were Israeli wouldn’t you be fighting too? How is
it you recognize suicide bombing as egregious crimes against
humanity, yet you deny Israelis the right to defend themselves?
Hundreds dead, thousands maimed. What will divestment do that
Israel has not already done? Divestment will only lend de facto
support to the terrorists who seek to economically destroy Israel
and isolate her. If you want to stop what you call Israeli crimes,
then fight to stop terror. When suicide attacks stop, the
Palestinians will get their state. Hopefully it won’t be a
terror sanctioning state. And it will be next to, not replacing,
the state of Israel.

Theresa Oates Canoga Park