No security without justice

After I read Chris Mizzi's letter Going Israel's Way (July21) I thought it better to select only four points from Ehud Gol's interview and comment very briefly thereon.

1. "Arab countries are so undemocratic."

The Palestinians, to their credit, followed President George W. Bush's desire to see democracy introduced in the Middle East. They elected, no less democratically than in the US, and rather unexpectedly, a government determined to win freedom and independence with the much longed-for justice added. But the overwhelming democratic result was not to the liking of Israel, the US and the obliging EU.

2. "Nobody will uproot me from my homeland."

Should not this also apply, with much greater force, to the Palestinians? What has Israel not done, since 1967 to the present day, to be rid of the Palestinians?

"And if they try we will destroy them."

No doubt ''we will'' with ''our more than 200 atom bombs and missiles with nuclear warheads''. No doubt also, so long as Israel is left with its monopoly of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. It is no surprise then that Israel and the US, year in year out, vote against UN resolutions calling for the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.

3. "Every time we take a positive step they (Palestinians) try to sabotage any chance of peaceful coexistence.''

When, if ever, had Israel taken a positive step? Hamas had strictly followed a truce for 13 months which Israel deliberately ignored. What was its response in this regard? What does Mr Gol mean by "peaceful coexistence"? That the Palestinians stop struggling for freedom and independence and continue to accept living under Israel's inhumane military occupation? The undeniable fact is that Israel is against the establishment of a truly sovereign Palestinian state.

4. "It's very easy for people to pass judgment on us when they don't go through our experience."

People rightly pass judgment on you, Israelis - not on the Jewish people - because of what the Palestinians experience daily under a most despicable and outrageously inhuman military occupation, which makes the South African apartheid of yesteryear a paradise in comparison.

This undiplomatic diplomat never ceased astonishing me because of his blatant arrogance and the way he passed judgment on us.

There can be no peace in the Middle East in the absence of the full implementation of the mandatory UN Security Council resolution 242 of 1967.

Only implementation in full of this resolution can ensure security for Israel and justice for the Palestinians, which, after all, means that Israel keeps 78 per cent and the Palestinians 22 per cent of mandated Palestine.