Letter to The Washington Post

Dear Editor,

Israeli play attendee Tova Na'aman, in Gaza Debate Whets Israeli Appetite for Theater [10/2/05], is asked for her documents before entering a current Israeli play, to simulate an Israeli checkpoint. She says that she had “never been at a checkpoint before” and that the experience “was unpleasant.” Never been to a checkpoint? How about every time she goes to an Israeli shopping mall, airport, restaurant, grocery store, museum, sporting event, bus station, etc.? Most people would consider being frisked, having to spread your arms and legs, having someone dig through your bags as "going through a checkpoint." This is life in today's Israel, made necessary because of Palestinian suicide bombers.

The play also mocked Israel’s separation barrier, which has reduced Palestinian suicide bombings by 90% and saved countless Israelis from being killed or maimed for life. Why mock something that saves lives? If the playwrights were interested in making valid and significant points to help alleviate the conflict, they might have pointed out that there would be no need for security barriers or checkpoints if Palestinians would just teach their children that if you have a grievance, you don’t strap explosives to your body, loaded with nuts, bolts, and nails laced in rat poison, to blow up children playing in school yards, dancing in discos, or eating pizza at a restaurant. You sit down and discuss it like civilized human beings.