Sir, - After several repetitive articles by Gershon Baskin, I get the distinct but unfortunate impression that he is far more interested in informing us about his personal conversations and meetings with Abbas and Netanyahu than in the promotion of an equitable solution to our very real conflict. He also sees himself as the 'grand mediator' whose assessments of Abbas's character and statements bear no scrutiny or questions. He unhesitatingly confers sainthood on Mahmoud Abbas and with equal zeal bestows 'villainhood' on Netanyahu.
Most troublesome is Baskin's facile description of the Arab's rejection of the U.N. Partition plan as a "mistake". With gross naivete, he feels that they deserve some prize for their error. What he conveniently chooses to forget is the fact that they joined 5 Arab armies, bent then on wiping out the Zionist entity, and all objective evidence points to that goal as their continuing intent.
Abbas remains as one of the world's leading Holocaust deniers and as deputy to Arafat he participated quite purposely in every 'Intifada' program of that arch terrorist. Baskin would have us believe that he graciously accepts whatever Baskin agrees to concede, and he forswears terror. Can Baskin explain the fact that all PA maps of Palestine do not include a place called Israel? Can he explain the paying of salaries to terrorists and the naming of plazas in their honor? Can he explain the hate filled classrooms and mosques that denounce the satan Israel?
Lastly, can Baskin really understand Abbas's rejection of negotiations because of Netanyahu's refusal to release pre-Oslo terrorists? Let him sit down at the table without preconditions where I fear that he will find the Jewish State far too forgiving.
ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva
[Image credit: Al-Jazeera English]
