Article neglects Israeli extremism
To the Editor:
Yoni Cohen’s article “Palestine, the ‘final solution'” is misleading because it is so one-sided. Cohen cites numerous examples of extremist Arab and/or Muslim statements but completely avoids mentioning any examples of Israeli extremism. It is important to point out that right-wing members of the Knesset have in the past referred to Palestinians as “snakes” and “lice” and continue to support policies of deporting (“transferring”) non-Jewish Israelis to other countries. Extremist Israelis are no less guilty of racist actions than extremist Palestinians and neither side in this conflict has consistently treated the other side humanely or respectfully.
Nor, as Cohen suggests, have Israel’s actions over the past 50 years of its existence been purely defensive. During the 1948 war, Jewish militias massacred the civilian Palestinian population of the village of Deir Yassin in order to persuade other Palestinians to flee their homes. After the creation of the state, Israeli leaders like David Ben Gurion admitted that they hoped to expand Israel’s territory into neighboring Arab countries. For decades Israel has engaged in assassinations and commando raids in other countries. But the most egregious example of the Israeli government’s expansionist and aggressive policies is its continued sponsorship of settlement building in the West Bank and Gaza, a policy which has confiscated hundreds of acres of land from Palestinian inhabitants to construct luxury communities for 300,000 Jewish settlers, in violation of International Law and in violation of Israel’s commitment in the Oslo Accords to preserve the integrity of the Palestinian territories.
In his discussion of the viability of various solutions, Cohen fails to point out that there are more than 3 million people living in the West Bank and Gaza who are denied civil and political rights because they are not Jewish. As long as Zionists insist on maintaining the existence of a Jewish state, they must be willing to recognize the need for an equally viable Palestinian state. This is the only solution that treats Palestinians and Israelis equally and respects everyone’s right to security.
The author’s logic that the benefits of peace should have to be proven while scattered extremist statements should be given consideration is as questionable as his comparison of Palestinians to Nazis, which serves only to trivialize the terrible events of the Holocaust. Perhaps it would be better to spend less time looking for examples of extremist Arab (or Jewish) statements and more time working on a humanitarian solution to the conflict from which the majority of Arabs and Jews who are not extremists continue to suffer.
Mayya Kawar
Arts & Sciences
Class of 2004
A thank you to those in Diwali
To the Editor:
I attended last Friday’s Diwali, and I want to congratulate all who put on the excellent show. I thought it was a stellar performance, and since I was not very familiar with Indian music or dance, I thought it was both entertaining and enlightening. To all the performers: Thanks for an enjoyable night.
Matt Emerson
Saint Louis University
Consistency in US foreign policy
To the editor:
With the distance of two months since the September 11th tragedy, I would like to express my thoughts about the war in Afghanistan. War has been and will always be a part of human life, and each side will always believe they are the “good” side. I do not think there is an absolute “good” in war; “good” and “evil” do not grasp the complexities of war. For example, In 1996, the US sympathized with the Taliban because of the group’s anti-Iran stance. (Please see Alexandra Poolos’ article, “Afghanistan: the Taliban” on the Radio Free Europe website for more information). If the Taliban is “evil,” and “evil” is not “good,” then the Taliban “is not “good.” Yet the Taliban seemed “good” to us when the US used them to balance the Middle East!
Charles Lin
Arts & Sciences
Poltical Science & Film/Media Studies
Class of 2001
Sorority rush strives for inclusiveness
To the editor:
As members of sororities, we acknowledge the fact that Greek life on this campus is not as diverse as it could be. We understand the biases that people have towards sororities, and the stigma that is attached to them. The sorority system appears to be an exclusive and discriminating community. We would like to challenge this stereotype and make a concerted effort to extend ourselves to all women on this campus, embracing individuals of all races, ethnicities, social backgrounds, etc. As Rush Counselors it is our mission this year to make Rush 2002 an environment of acceptance and inclusiveness for all women. As it stands, the Greek system at WU is a clear source of segregation, which is a fact that we deeply regret. However, past legacies of prejudice do not need to determine the future. We hope if nothing else that this editorial opens up discussion about Greek life on this campus and how it can be changed. It is within our power as students to break down these stereotypes and make this year’s rush a positive community building experience that will bring together all the exceptional women on this campus.
-The Rho Chis and Panhel, 2002