Letter: Palestinians stand between rock, hard place

Wednesday, July 3, 2002 | 9:02 a.m.

On one hand, President Bush deserves to be commended for his firm stand that the Palestinian people deserve to have their own state side by side with Israel, in peace, justice, and prosperity.

On the other hand, some of his statements in supporting Israel and placing the blame for violence entirely on the Palestinian people are shameless. At last week's G-8 meeting, according to U.S. newspapers, the president stated that he did not rule out using military force against the Palestinian "people."

He also threatened to cut all aid to the Palestinian people. In a previous address regarding the Middle East, the president demanded that the Palestinian people change their leadership and carry out some serious reforms before a state is established. A legitimate request that many Palestinians would like to see happen, but not dictated to by foreign powers, and not under foreign military occupation.

It seems that the president is carrying out the Middle East affairs as dictated to him by Israel's Ariel Sharon, including supporting a Palestinian state. It is totally ridiculous and virtually impossible for the Palestinians to conduct appropriate reforms, elections, or control "hardliners" while still under military occupation and while Israel systematically annihilates any Palestinian police or military force.

At the same time the president was making his anti-Palestinian remarks at the G-8 meeting, Israel killed more than six children, two mothers and a schoolteacher in less than a week, all unreported on CNN.

KHALIL AMRIKANI