In her Sept. 2 column, Laila El-Haddad calls Israel's policies "flawed," but these policies are enforced in order to protect the interests of all Israeli citizens, Jews and Palestines alike. These strict but necessary laws provide security in a place that has been an unstable battleground since Biblical times.
El-Haddad failed to mention that if it had not been for the Israeli government, Palestinians would not possess the territories in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and the unnecessary violence which has plagued Israel since 1948 would still be at its most horrific stage.
Patience and understanding-rather than excessive and pointless criticism-are needed during this long peace process so that residents of Israel may soon travel freely, and more importantly, travel without fear.
For the time being, if the best way to prevent random acts of violence is to restrict traveling, then support for this short-term Band-Aid solution is needed from both sides, so that a long-term settlement may hopefully be readied in the near future, and the first promise of the new "Promised Land," may be that of peace.
David Nefouse
Trinity '02
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