Your editorial regarding Donald Trump and Israel ignores history and repeats failed assumptions to the detriment of your readers and all parties to any potential Mideast peace ("Trump and Israel," Jan. 24). It also continues to promote a narrative which is equally destructive, if not more so, by claiming that settlements remain the only obstacle to peace. U.S. leadership with the help of messengers such as your paper has repeated that the only "practical alternative to perpetual conflict" is a two-state solution. But no one has ever considered another solution, so how do we know two states are the only way to go? And when was the last time anyone heard the PLO offering a solution? They only reject Israeli offers.
It is irresponsible to omit historical facts. Yasser Arafat turned down the chance for peace and a two-state solution when he was offered 95 percent of what he wanted. Mahmoud Abbas was offered 97 percent by Ehud Barak and turned it down.
For peace with Egypt, Israel returned all of the Sinai Peninsula, a land mass more than twice the size of Israel, and removed the citizens of the Israeli town of Yamit. Israel unilaterally pulled out from Gaza leaving infrastructure which was destroyed by Hamas. The rest of the Strip has been turned into a wasteland by the terrorist organization — schools and hospitals into terrorist strongholds and weapons stations.
There is only one reason that peace has failed, and it's quite simply the fact that the PLO and all of its factions refuse to recognize Israel. Stop the settlements today, even destroy them all, and it would not be enough for Israel's enemies. It would not bring peace.
As Golda Meir said: "We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us."
Jack Zager, Baltimore