May the Light of Peace Shine Upon the Mideast

“Crack of Light in the Mideast” (editorial, Jan. 3) needs to become a reality. It’s evident from the signs appearing in the West Bank and Israel that it’s better to have pains of peace than agonies of war, and that Arabs and Jews are now ready to heed these words. Also recall what Gandhi said: An eye for an eye can blind the world. The time has come in the cycle of life for us to accept peace.

Two peoples inhabit the land in dispute, over which we’ve engaged in war too long. Former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin cried out: Enough killing! And he died for it. Conflict breeds hate and acts of war. Peace will have us live in harmony and build a society that is mindful of our mutual needs as neighbors. Peace in the region can also help us find peace in the other areas where we engage in war.

Better these millions for people’s needs rather than for instruments of destruction.

Hyman H. Haves

Pacific Palisades

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You try to impart to your readers the impression that the credit for the “crack of light” (i.e., current curtailment of hostilities) is due to recent public declarations of peace by Yasser Arafat and Hamas. However, the real and painfully obvious reason for the calmer waters is the tightening of screws by the Israelis with overt American support.

It is unfortunate that peace and calm could presently be achieved only by targeted killings of terrorist leaders, a strong military posture and tight restrictions on travel and other activities of Palestinians. This will continue until the Palestinians abandon their prejudice and hatred and learn to peacefully coexist with Israel as a neighbor.

Carl H. Fromm

Altadena