Sir, - It seems puzzling and contradictory for Sheldon Schreter, who left his native Canada in 1976 to make aliya to Israel and bemoans the loss in the 'belief in God's promise of this Land to Abraham,' to speak disparagingly of 'messianist ideologies' and vigorously advocate the removal of all post-'67 settlements ('For the cause, the settlements must go,' January 30). Even more bewildering is his haste to uncritically accept the defamation of settler behavior and repeat horrid accusations concerning abominations committed in the West Bank in the name of the Jewish people.
As someone who came on aliya before Schreter, my belief in the rightness of our cause has grown in strength, accompanied by a feeling of inspiration almost entirely due to witnessing the settlers' idealism, courage and dedication to the original values of our Zionist founding fathers.
I find myself dumbfounded by Schreter's naive and distorted ideas regarding the cures for our internal strife, and his panacea for bringing about peace with our enemies. He insists that our dismantling the settlements will gain us both security and respect in the international community. Surely the tragedy that resulted from the abandonment of Gush Katif should convince Schreter that he is barking up the wrong messianic tree.
ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petah Tikva
