Tragically for all, even our news and opinion coverage of the conflict in the Middle East is far too "pro-Israel" to do anyone much good. It is utterly foolish to keep ignoring and/or excusing Israel's racist refusal to fully respect U.N. Resolution 194 from 1948, the Palestinian refugees' inalienable right of return to live in peace. It is not evenhanded to forget to mention the fact that Israel's occupation has been horrifically cruel and absolutely illegal according to international law — and is 36 years old.

Leaning heavily on Israeli propaganda to translate the situation for us, we only end up arming and empowering Israel's many crimes against humanity and the slow but sure ethnic cleansing of the Holy Land. Israel's aggressive Jewish-only settlement policies, combined with its extensive state-sponsored terrorism against the Palestinians, combined with its many blatantly racist laws and walls, have inspired a great deal of poverty, despair and, yes, even unmitigated rage. The impoverished and persecuted Palestinians have already learned not to trust racist Israel. We should too.

Anne Selden Annab

Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Letter by Anne Annab published in the LA Times on December 28, 2003.