Mocking Justice

To the Editors of the Crimson:

George Bisharat (Questioning Israel's Morality, March 5) writes from a stance of moral irreproschability while suggesting that justice in Israel has been "mocked rather than vindicated. "I would suggest that suggest that justice is "mocked" when in the same week that Israel declares her guilt before the nations of the world, the PLO, meeting in Algiers, pledges itself to the continued pursuit of terrorism against Israel I would suggest that justice is "mocked" when Israel is accused of "looting and vandalism" against the citizens of Lebanon without even a cursory glance at the record.

While Israeli soldiers, raised on the doctrine of "tohar haneshek" (morality of arms), time and time again risked their own lives to prevent civilian injuries and were received by the Southern Lebanese villagers as "liberators," the PLO unabashedly ensconced themselves in noncombatant areas, turning schools, parks and private residences into war zones. And curiously while PLO fire has continually rained upon Israel's northern towns, Israel's military bases were never seen as fit targets of war. I would suggest that justice is "mocked" when one-fourth of Israel's population takes to the streets in the name of morality, while the Palestinians have yet to recognize that such a people have a right to statehood. Where, after all, is the Arab "Peace Now" party?

Israel does not claim to have sanctioned "crimes against humanity" through the resignation of its top military officers any more than murder is sanctioned through the incarceration of its perpetrator. Rather, Israel has recognized and accepted its own responsibility and admitted freely its burden of guilt, a courageous and unique historical event. Despite the lengthy list of Arab violations of human rights, of massacres against their own people, of the uprooting of their own citizens as well as Israelis, we have yet to hear one word of self-reproach. Is this how Mr. Bisharat understands justice? Rona G. Shapiro '83-3   Chair, H-R Zionist Alliance