The praiseworthy donation of a kidney by a Jewish victim to a Palestinian girl is rightly praised by Dr. Daniel Kollek { "Selfless healing" Sept. 25}. He,regrettably, omits to note that this humane act has also been made, more than once, by Palestinian victims of Israeli terror, where heart donation and other organs were given to Israeli Jewish patients.

Dr. Kollek, quite rightly, is full of praise for the Israeli provision of medical care for Palestinian patients, by Israeli physicians, a natural practice in conformity with the Hippocratic Oath. He omits to comment about the continuing denial, by the Israeli forces, of access to medical care for Palestinians under continuing attack by Israeli forces, let alone shooting at ambulances and killing physicians and medical care workers. This practice has been condemned by Human Rights Watch and Israeli human rights group,B'Tselem, as a war crime.

Dr. Kollek has no illusion that Mr. Barghouti or the Palestinian Authority will change their ways. Do we understand that he is confident that Israel will change its ways and bring to an end its illegal occupation, of Palestinian territories, that has been allowed to stand for 35 years, in defiance of international law and repeated Security Council resolutions? This occupation is subjecting the Palestinians to killing, demolition of thousands of their homes and daily humiliation and human degradation. The termination of this illegal occupation and Israeli compliance with UN resolutions is the only way to bring peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians in this tortured land.