To the editors:
The cartoon on last Friday's editorial page (12/4), depicting Benjamin Netanyahu next to the Wye Peace Accord signed with invisible ink, is unduly cynical in light of recent events in the Middle East. The cartoon implies that the Peace Process is about to collapse and that Israel alone is to blame for this imminent collapse. We disagree with both propositions.
Why such pessimism? In the past month Israel has released 250 Palestinian prisoners, the Palestinian Authority has opened its airport in Gaza, and Israeli troops have begun to withdraw from selected areas of the West Bank. While it is true that Prime Minister Netanyahu has threatened a halt to additional withdrawals, he has done so in response to Chairman Arafat's promise to unilaterally declare a Palestinian state in May 1999 (before the conclusion of the delicate final status peace talks), in direct violation of the Wye Agreement.
We hope that both leaders will move beyond this latest obstacle and resume the difficult business of making peace. Considering that the agreement at Wye has not been derailed by two recent terrorist attempts by Palestinian suicide bombers, we see that there is hope for the accord and, eventually, a lasting peace between Israel and the future Palestinian state. BEN LEBWOHL '99 ALEXIS OFFEN '00 Dec. 6, 1998 The writers are co-chairs of Harvard Students for Israel.
Read more in Opinion
Sociobiology: A Positive ViewRecommended Articles
-
Faculty Not Hopeful About Wye AgreementSeveral Harvard professors are pessimistic about the chance for peace in the Middle East--despite the signing of the Wye River
-
How Wye Failed the PalestiniansT he Interim Agreement signed Oct. 23 at the Wye Plantation represents a crystallization of the asymmetries of the rights
-
Closer to PeaceThe Wye Summit will likely be studied by diplomatic historians for years to come. After nine days of tense negotiations
-
Salvage the Mideast Peace ProcessOne man, one gun. That may be all that is needed to throw the long sought Mideast peace agreement off
-
Peace Plan Remains FlawedThe peace accord ignores the basic right of the Palestinians to their own state. M y mother stared at the