The Wall Street Journal-20080212-Real Palestinian Change Is Necessary for Peace

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Real Palestinian Change Is Necessary for Peace

Full Text (143  words)

Bassem Eid and Natan Sharansky are 100% correct ("Bush's Mideast U- Turn," op-ed, Feb. 11). Peace will never be secured with current policies that allow Mahmoud Abbas the "moderate" to be another Arafat. The Palistinian condition has not changed under Mr. Abbas.

The blame, of course, is put on Israel. Gaza is an example of true Palestinian society as it exists today. What Mr. Abbas tells President Bush and the rest of the world is taken as reality. What is promoted to the Palestinians, and actions taken like the targeting of civilians and children are ignored. If the Palestinians had an open, fair, democratic society, like Israel, peace as both sides desire would quickly be achieved. Clearly the current acceptance of Mr. Abbas has achieved nothing. The time to change, as Messrs. Eid and Sharansky propose, is now.

Ted Kahn

West Bloomfield, Mich.