The Editor,

San Francisco Chronicle.

 

Dear Editor:

 

The article by David Akov, the Israeli Consul General, {“Bumps on the ‘road’” April 12} is laden with fallacies. The violence he blames the Palestinians for is a direct outcome of the brutal illegal occupation that Israel continues to inflict upon the Palestinian people for 38 years in defiance of international law and repeated Security Council resolutions. The Israeli practices throughout this occupation, include detention of thousands without charge or trial, torture, extra-judicial assassination, daily humiliation, demolition of thousands of homes, expropriation of territory for the creation of illegal Jewish settlements. All these practices are in clear violation of virtually every article of the Fourth Geneva Convention and are defined by international law as war crimes.He speaks of the “thousands of Israelis built their homes and lives in these areas, which they have to leave behind.” These homes are built on stolen Palestinian lands, in violation of international law.

 

To quote Mr. Akov, partly, Let there be no illusion of what is required to end this conflict: Israel must comply with international law, terminate completely its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and observe UN resolutions related to this conflict. Israel must not be allowed to remain above international law.

 

Yours truly,

 

 

Ismail Zayid, M.D.