How NOT to Make Peace With Palestinians

Sir, - When Gershon Baskin declares "We know how to make peace" it becomes immediately apparent that he is attempting to use the royal "We" to serve as a cover for the load emanating from his pedestrian boastful "I." Without any hesitation he informs us that the imaginary agreements that he is comfortable with regarding borders, divided Jerusalem, refugees, security, prisoner exchange, etc.  must be the ones that the State of Israel adopt in order that peace can come to our region.

I personally beg to differ with Gershon, and also unhesitatingly declare that most of Israel's citizens, as clearly established by the results of Israel's recent democratic elections, do not accept his quite obvious pro-Palestinian positions and the one-sided concessions that he is prepared to make.

I would like to challenge Baskin on two most important issues. Despite the ease with which he divides Jerusalem, I would like him to address the absurdity of the reality that prevails today on the Temple Mount. After a costly war to liberate Jerusalem and the declaration that "Har habayit b'yadenu," Israel with super magnanimity granted the Muslim Wakf supervision over that sacred area. This magnanimity has resulted with the arrest by the Muslim Wakf of any Jew who dares move his lips even in silent prayer on the Temple Mount. Has this travesty ever troubled Baskin, and how would he in his superior wisdom deal with it?

The second issue is that of releasing Palestinian terrorist prisoners. I noticed that Gershon in the short biographical sketch beneath his article now includes "Initiator and negotiator of the behind-the-scenes that led to the release of Gilad Schalit." I would like to enlist Baskin's boasted negotiating skills so that Israel can release one Palestinian terrorist prisoner in exchange for 1,000 terrorists that they hand over to us, made up of 500 Hamas's Izz al-Din al-Qassam and the remainder from the PA's al-Aksa Martyrs Brigade, and only then may he rightfully gain our respect.

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva