Response to Sam Liron

Editor, Sam Liron makes several comments on Mr. Kreitman's column which deserve a response ("Historical Lessons" in the April 10 edition of the Daily Journal). 1). The United States does provide cover by exercising its veto over any security council resolutions that criticize Israel. 2). It is Israel that constantly threatens to attack neighboring countries, such as Iran and Lebanon (which it has attacked in 1982 and 2006). 3).Joan Peters' book claiming there was no indigenous Palestinian people has been debunked by serious scholars. It was well received only in the US, while even in Israel it was panned when it came out. 4). The Palestinians were not responsible for the expulsion of 900,000 Jews from Arab and North African countries any more than France and other countries owed reparations for the crimes of Germany simply because they are all Europeans. Arabs are not 1 country any more than Europe is. 5). Israel does not have to assert its desire to annex the West Bank. By placing 500,000 settlers it is actually doing so. 6). What is the offer Israel has made to the Palestinians for a state? It plans to maintain control of the Jordan Valley, 60 percent of the West Bank, indefinitely. It plans to keep the settlements where 80 percent of the settlers live. It continues to "Judaize" so called East Jerusalem (actually a chunk of the West Bank taken with Israel's expansion of Jerusalem's borders). The Palestinians will not control their borders, their water acquifer, their airspace, or their communications frequencies. The right of return under UN resolution 194 is not on the table. Some offer, some deal. Why don't they jump at it? Alfred Lerner San Carlos