Letter to the Editor

Shame on Sharon

To the Editor:

The events of Sept. 11 have brought about stunning changes in the international community. While we hope for the support of all nations in these times, it is inevitable that some nations will neither help nor support international actions that seek to curtail terrorist activity. However, one would not suspect that one of our close allies would make this situation worse. Israel, a country that has a unique impact on peace and conflict in the Middle East, is doing just that.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the leader of a country that has traditionally received tremendous support from the United States, has acted in a manner that we might expect from an enemy of our nation. In the wake of Yasser Arafat's daring action to quell protests by his own people, Sharon and the Israeli people took it upon themselves to enact a misguided revenge through a series of attacks on the Palestinian people. These actions have been selfish, purposeless, untimely and downright cruel.

Sharon has made many similar moves that have similarly aggravated the situation, as well as aggravated perhaps Israel's greatest ally, the United States. He has had the nerve to charge President Bush's administration with "appeasing" many Arab countries by not targeting anti-Israeli groups, a sentiment that was backed by Malcolm Hoenlein, the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Both men have continued to affirm that the attacks on the United States of Sept. 11 had nothing to do with U.S. support of Israel, all the while demanding greater action from the United States to suppress Arab anti-Israeli groups.

Both the supporters and citizens of Israel should recognize and respect all that the United States has thus far done for them. They should understand that this is not a time to take advantage of the world political situation to further their goals.

They should stand by the United States, just as we have done for them for many decades.

Timothy Swain

College '02

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.