27 Oct. 2001

 

The Editor

The Globe & Mail

 

Dear Editor:

 

Marcus Gee, in his article {" My friend Tahir and the battle for the soul of Islam" Oct. 27}, applauds, quite rightly, Tahir's appropriate criticism of Taliban's oppressive policies against women. He goes on to say : " Will the Arab and wider Islamic world learn to embrace modern values such as democracy......and tolerance of minorities?"

 

Strangely, I have never heard of Mr. Gee's criticism of Israeli racist policies against it own Arab minority. Perhaps he should be more consistent and support the honorable stands taken by some Israelis, like the late Professor Israel Shahak, a Holocaust survivor and chair of The Israeli League forHuman and Civil Rights, who wrote: " It is my considered opinion that the state of Israel is a racist state in the full meaning of this term. In this state people are discriminated against in the most permanent and legal way and in the most important areas of life, only because of their origin."

 

Yours sincerely

 

Ismail Zayid, MD.