I’d like to thank David Kohn for his detailed and illuminating response (“Letter on two-state solution got the facts all wrong,” AJP 2/3/17) to Joel Heller’s original letter on the “two state solution” (“Two-state solution could have happened decades ago,” AJP 1/20/17).
Educational as it was, I don’t think he could have missed the point of Mr. Heller’s letter by any farther if he tried. While Mr. Heller discussed the multiple attempts to wipe the Jews and the Jewish state off the face of the earth, Mr. Kohn discussed U.N. rhetoric that did not respond nor acknowledge Mr. Heller’s original statements. The title of the first letter suggested it was about the “two state solution” but if Mr. Kohn had bothered to read it, he would know that it is more about the fight for survival that we continue to fight to this day.
The fact remains as Mr. Heller said, “Palestine” was partitioned with parcels to the Jewish state. Israel’s enemies seek to “partition” Israel again and again, until there is no Israel left to partition. Jordan occupied Judea and Samaria while the world willingly looked the other way; Egypt occupied Gaza from 1959 to 1967 under martial law and truly closed borders. Unsurprisingly, no one batted an eye.
Far from getting his facts “all wrong,” Mr. Heller’s condensed history simply went into less unnecessary detail that would have distracted from the main point.
— Joel Klinger
