Sir, - The title of Thomas Friedman's op-ed column in the N.Y. Times, "End of Mideast Wholesale" purports to introduce a seriously thoughtful essay but instead presents us with a rather malodorous retail sampling of non-natural gas.
None of the arguments by this liberal guru enjoy substantiation but they do emit a distinct sense of 'wishful thinking' by Friedman, that the smart alecky Israelis are about to get their comeuppance.
The peace agreements at Camp David were signed not by Mubarak but by Sadat, representing not himself but the government of Egypt, and by Begin, representing the government of Israel, in the presence of the president of the U.S. The signers were awarded Nobel Peace prizes. In international law a treaty between governments is binding on those governments irrespective of who happens to head them after the treaty is signed.
The cost to Israel was terribly high in terms of fallen soldiers, the strategic depth of the Sinai Peninsula, and the Sinai oil fields that were given up to Egypt. All this was done for the purpose of "No more War." The fact that the extremist Moslem Brotherhood is most likely to win control of Egypt's parliament seems to appeal to Friedman who will then be able to gloat that the Jews will be forced to buy retail.
ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva
