Published in the Baltimore Sun

Friends,

They published it. I am somewhat surprised – even though they said they would it is by no means guaranteed – and it is pretty much word for word (though I didn’t call it a “right” of return). To my knowledge, many of these truths have rarely been published or uttered in the American media.

I am off to Israel for a few weeks for a charity bicycle race (for an Israeli children’s hospital) from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and meetings with journalists.

My best,

Michael


www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/letters/bal-ed.le.23ooct23,0,1012018.story
Letters to the Editor
October 23, 2007

Arab intransigence caused 'catastrophe'

Instead of viewing the 1947 U.N. partition agreement as an opportunity for their first state, Palestinians coveted the other half - the lands granted to the Jews. So they, along with neighboring Arab states, attacked the Jewish part to try to win control of all the territory.

The Palestinians failed miserably. They lost everything, mostly to their land-grabbing Arab brethren: Egypt took Gaza, while Jordan took the West Bank.

But the fact that the Palestinians didn't accept their half of the U.N. partition is the cause of their "catastrophe," not the "founding of Israel" ("Winds of change in Holocaust Museum," Opinion • Commentary, Oct. 16).

For peace to ensue now, the Palestinian camp must stop this coveting of the Jewish side of the partition - Israel.

It must give up its claim to a right to return of Palestinians and their millions of offspring to Israel - which would give Palestinians control of the Jewish side of the territory because of their sheer numbers.

Never in history has the losing side of a conflict been so demanding with preconditions and claims in negotiations, especially when, given its aggression, that side should feel fortunate to be getting a second chance to get anything.

Michael Berenhaus
Potomac

Copyright © 2007, The Baltimore Sun