After Greg Jerrett’s Friday column and Carmen Cerra’s cartoons, letters attacking and mocking their opinions showered the Daily.

In response to the Oct. 17 letter from Benjamin Rittgers, he is either lying or he is completely ignorant of the historical and political facts connected to Middle East issues.

“Israel is surrounded by those who hate it. Israel is an independent state surrounded by people who wish it was wiped off the face of the Earth.”

Egypt and Jordan have peace agreements and diplomatic relations so perhaps it is the fish in the Mediterranean who plan to invade Israel.

“Palestinians claim the land, but only the Jews lived there 5,000 years ago. Jerusalem is a city built by Jews for Jews.” Jews (Yahouds) came after Yahouda (Judah), one of Jacob’s sons. Jacob was born in 1750 B.C. Abraham went to Palestine from Iraq in 1900 B.C. That was 3900 years ago so no Jews built Jerusalem.

Canaanities (Arabs) built Jerusalem and named it Hierosolyma (City of Peace) in 2500 B.C. Before Jerusalem, they built Jericho in 8000 BC. This is in any history book. Look it up. So who has a prior claim to that land?

“Why should the Palestinians be upset if Sharon wanted to pray at the Wailing Wall? Wasn’t that built by Jews for Jews?” Who told you Sharon wanted to pray at the Wailing Wall? Sharon attempted to enter the Holy Sanctuary of the Aqsa Mosque with 1,500 security guards!

When the worshippers refused to allow him in, his guards opened fire killing four and wounding 10.

The Israeli government knows the consequences of Sharon’s actions. Arafat appealed to Barak not to allow Sharon to enter the mosque. In order to make a coalition with Likud, Barak refused Arafat’s appeal.

The Wailing Wall is the west wall of the Holy Sanctuary that was built in 705 C.E. during the Islamic Ummayah Dynasty. Are the Muslims who built the wall holy to the Jews?

As for comparing Palestinians to the KKK, it is the other way around. Who is oppressing whom? The killings occur in Palestinian territories in Palestinian towns and cities, so who is attacking who?

“Ninety percent of Israelis are in the military or the reserves” This is true if Israeli military service starts at age 3!

“Israel belongs to the Jews.” Palestine is not the land of the Jews. Jews came from all over the world and forced Palestinians out. Whether you like it or not, this is a fact.

“The Palestinians wanted the Golan Heights in the 1970s when it was owned by Syria.” The Golan Heights were occupied in 1967 when the Six-Day War was started by Israel against its “neighbors.”

Marjory Eisenman’s accusations that Palestinian authorities organized the violence are absurd. The protests were a spontaneous reflection of the anger and disappointment Palestinians feel when they and their holy places are humiliated, their people killed. No one waited for Arafat to give the signal and no one will.

As for her claim that Arafat offers money to families whose children are killed fighting the Israelis, would you accept $1000 for your loved ones? How about $100,000? Our children and brothers are priceless to us and there loss cannot be compensated.

Oguz Damirgi

Resident

Ames