The Living Church

Year Article Type Limit by Author

The Living ChurchAugust 23, 1998Life Is Hideous by Virginia Myers 217(8) p. 5

Thank you for publishing "Faces of Anger in Jerusalem" [TLC, June 28] by Mary Page Jones. Life for Palestinians in occupied areas is even more hideous, not ruled by the Israeli government but by the Israeli military. Comparison with the Nazis is unavoidable.

Example: Eggplant and tomato have always been staples of the Palestinian diet, but no Palestinian homeowner is allowed to grow these in his own garden without a permit (Permit #1039 for Eggplant) from the Israeli military, which it often takes a year to get. This has nothing to do with Israel's "security," of course; it has to do with Israel's relentless persecution of a helpless population - even as the Nazis invented special torments for German Jews. It was sick then. It is sick now. The Gestapo is alive and well in Palestine.

Example: A young Lutheran acquaintance of mine learned Arabic and, sponsored by her parish church, went to Gaza to teach. Hoping to give her little Palestinian pupils some sense of "future," she assigned an essay. "What I want to do in 20 years." About one-third of the children, puzzled, said, "But I will be dead." They were probably right, because the civilian body count in Gaza averages 19 a month, from trigger-happy Israeli soldiers - who are never disciplined for these random killings.

Virginia Myers

Seattle, Wash.