Israel’s occupation unlike America

To the Editor:

Mr. McAllister in his article writes many non-truths that need to be addressed.

First and foremost, Israel’s “occupation” is not illegal. The West Bank and Gaza Strip is land that was never officially part of any nation-state and therefore it can not be considered occupied. It was captured after 19 years of terrorist attacks launched from those territories under the watchful eyes of the previous “occupiers” namely Jordan and Egypt.Under the Fourth Genevea Convention, Israel has the responsibility to administer these territories but not to grant the residents citizenship.

This brings us to the next falsehood that “the United States is a secular nation that grants equal rights and freedom of movement to all of its citizens, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. Israel does not, particularly in the occupied sections of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.” The comparision is a meanless one considering that those residents of the West Bank and Gaza are not citizens and do not deserve all rights and privledges afforded to all Israeli citizens (including 1 million Israeli Arabs). In fact those residents of Guam, the Virgin Islands and other US territories do not enjoy full rights and privledges including representation in the Congress and Senate.

Mr. McAllister also fails to state that under the Oslo Accords Israel had withdrawn from 99% of Palestinian population centers in affect ending the “occupation” in the year 2000. Then Prime Minister Ehud Barak offered the Palestinians a 98% withdrawal plus an additional 2% inside Israel, a divided Jerusalem and sovergnty over all Moslem and Cristian holy sites in exchange for a final end to the conflict. What was the Palestinian response to this offer? Nothing but terror aimed at babies, children, pregnant women, senior citizens and other civilians.

Sincerly,

Joe Yudin B.A. in History CAS Class of 1990 Moshav Nir Yafe, Israel