Arafat Chose War

Two and a half years ago, the Palestinian Arabs had a golden opportunity to establish a state of their own on virtually all of the disputed territories. Unfortunately, they found the price too high—they would have had to make peace with Israel. So they launched a terrorist war instead.

In a war, people suffer. The Palestinian Arabs have been targeting Israeli civilians, but that doesn't seem to concern William Carlotti, who, to use his own words, is "oblivious to the realities of the situation" and is only concerned with the suffering the Palestinian Arabs have brought on themselves as he wrongly blames Israel for it. [The Roses Smell, January 24]

It takes two parties to make peace but only one to make war. Since Yasser Arafat chose war, Israel has no choice but to defend itself until the Palestinian Arabs reverse course and join it in choosing peace.