Self-inflicted status

The letter describing alleged mistreatment of Arab children by the Israeli military (“Protect Palestinian children,” May 18) requires a response because it’s this type of slander which perpetuates anti-Semitism and the lack of peace in the region.

Critics of Israel and our supportive American policy for the Mideast’s only democracy always fail to acknowledge that the conditions of Arabs living in Israel and surrounding countries are based on self-inflicted wounds. In 1948, Arabs rejected creation of an Arab Palestinian state alongside a Jewish country, and embarked on a persistent strategy of vilifying and trying to annihilate Israel via wars, terrorism and boycotts. All of these ill-conceived, immoral efforts have fortunately failed. Only one Arab leader (Sadat of Egypt) publicly accepted Israel’s existence and he was assassinated by the Muslim Brotherhood in 1981.

What Palestinian Arabs and their supporters should focus on is creation of a just and civil society with responsible governance based on the needs of their people and not hinged on eradication of Jews (and Christians, as well). Look at the developments of Taiwan and South Korea in the past 70 years and ask yourself, Why hasn’t this occurred in any Middle East country, other than Israel, since the collapse of the British and Ottoman Empires?

Israel is for real and imperfect, just like the U.S., but there is no better alternative, period.

Joseph Harari

Spokane