To the Editor:

Re: “The New Berlin Wall,” Opinion, Sep. 28

The author’s comments concerning the Israeli-Arab conflict were divisive and showed little knowledge of the Jewish people or Israelis. Concerning skin color, if you had a group of Israeli Jews and Palestinian Muslims all dressed the same, it would be impossible to tell the difference between the two because both range from white to black. It would be easier to interview them and tell the difference by their accents. While polygamy has been outlawed in Judaism, there are Jewish women who cover their hair like Arab women as a sign of personal and familial respect. And in terms of religion, Islam is the largest undisputedly monotheistic world religion according to Jewish law. That’s saying a lot, because monotheism is a huge deal in Judaism, Jewish law is picky and Islam is not the world’s largest religion.

Furthermore, the author refers to the borders that were “drawn.” The borders that were drawn by the UN in 1947 actually made Jerusalem an international city surrounded by a Palestinian Territory like the oval that the author recommended. While any borders are practical during peacetime, when the Arabs attacked Israel on its (and the Palestinians’) Independence Day, Israelis knew the impracticality of defending a country divided into three cantons and had to consolidate as much territory as they could, including the Jewish communities within Jerusalem. The current borders were fought over, not drawn, and they, as well as the walls that surround them, are essential to Israeli security.

Joseph Stein ’10