Sir, - It appears that Gershon Baskin makes an attempt at impartiality when discussing the lack of any progress in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. He uses very broad terminology such as the lack of trust by the leaders of both sides for each other, and thus seemingly attributes blame equally to each party.
Baskin's nonpartisanship however, after a careful reading of his article, proves to be a deception. In describing his formula for progress toward an agreement, he includes as one of the essential demands of the P.A., that its state 'contains the parameters of a peace deal based on prior negotiations'. It should be noted that those parameters were rejected by Abbas when offered by Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert. It is also worthy of note, that while the P.A.'s demands are set forth by Baskin, he requires no concessions from them.
When however, Baskin refers to the Israeli side, he describes only what Israel must offer, and there again we read about 'the parameters of accepted concessions from previous negotiations'. I rest my case.
ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva
