I well remember the years growing up under Nazi occupation. Was only one of the Nazis killed by the resistance organization? Ten and sometimes more civilians were shot in retaliation. How can the resistance acts of an occupied people be described as by Israel’s prime minister as “instigating violence” and the occupied people being branded terrorists (“Barak defends policies as Mideast toll hits 294,” news story, Dec. 3)?
I certainly can identify with and understand the Palestinians whose tragedy seems even greater than what was ours. The retaliatory killing rate 10-to-1 is about the same but they additionally have their families and homes destroyed and their land taken.
A people who suffers these indignities at the hands of a superior occupying force has the natural right to defend itself, its families, homes and land with any and all means available to it. These peoples know, as did we, that no one can defeat a people willing to die for a just cause.
The former secretary of state, James Baker once said: “The Israelis ought to shelve their imperialistic dreams if a just peace in the region is what they want”. I think he said it very succinctly.
Everett
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