Jimmy Carter is fully aware of the historical facts in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, however, he chooses to support the Palestinians based on his personal observations and feelings.
There are numerous distortions and inaccuracies in his book Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. One of the most egregious is his statement that Palestinians have long supported a two-state solution while Israel opposed it. The facts are that the Palestinians have rejected all peace plans. Had they accepted the peace plan(s) instead of terrorism they would have had their own state for the past 60 years.
Peace will only come when the Palestinians agree to accept the legitimate state of Israel. Until then Israel has a right to defend itself from Palestinian terrorist attacks including the building of the “wall” to stop the suicide bombers and occupation of the Golan Heights and the West Bank to provide a buffer zone against Arab attacks.
Fred Alexander
Santa Monica
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What a joy it is to read that three chimpanzees used by a Hollywood animal trainer are to be relinquished to a sanctuary. They’ll finally know what it is to live without fear.
In order to be trained to “perform” in ads, movies and television shows, chimpanzees are removed from their mothers at birth – a profoundly traumatic event for both. The stress of separation can leave lifetime emotional scars and impede normal development. Eyewitnesses at facilities that train (i.e., break) great apes have reported seeing baby chimpanzees and orangutans severely beaten with fists, rocks and broom handles. Beatings are routine to ensure that the animals remain fearful and obedient. Once they reach eight years of age, these animals are too strong to be controlled. As a result, older animals are often discarded at shabby roadside zoos where they may live in squalor for decades.
Animals do not belong on the set. Readers can learn more at www.nomoremonkeybusiness.com.
Jennifer O’Connor
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
