From: Ismail Zayid

To: Globe & Mail

Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2000 11:27 PM

Subject: Letter to Editor

The Editor
The Globe and Mail
Toronto

12 October, 2000

Dear Editor:

Zionist re-writing of the history of the Palestine- Israel Conflict is a longstanding practice, and Mr. Edward Luttwack { "Yasser Arafat: Shooting himself in the foot", Oct. 12} does a good job at that.

Regardless of Arafat’s chequered diplomatic and military career, culminating in his final sell-out of his people in the Oslo agreement, there are facts and principles that Mr. Luttwack chose to omit. The essential undisputed fact is that the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem are illegally occupied territories, and Israel remains in defiance of international law and Security Council resolutions. Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem as well as the expropriation of property and the creation of illegal settlements are in violation of Security Council resolutions and the Fourth Geneva Convention.

For peace to be secured in the Middle East, it is essential that Israel must comply with international law. It is time that the U.S., which claims to be an honest broker, and other nations which claim to uphold international legitimacy and the U.N Charter, should practice what they preach. The implementation of Security Council resolutions should not be the subject for negotiation and bargaining.

Yours sincerely

Ismail Zayid, M.D.