Letter to the Editor in the LAT Regarding Sunday Editorial: "Israel's Identity Crisis"

Congratulations Samir, your FANTASTIC letter appeared in today's LA Time's "Letters to the Editor" section in response to the LA Time's editorial "Israel's Identity Crisis" published Sunday, February 15, 2009. Alf MABRUK! You hit the nail on the head. Below is Samir's letter:

Congratulations! The Times finally offers a solution to failed Israeli-Palestinian coexistence. I agree that "Israel should expand, not rescind, the basic democratic rights of its Arab minority if it wants to ensure loyalty and good citizenship."

Israel cannot be a Jewish and a democratic state at the same time. If it is to survive in today's world, it has to be either an exclusively Jewish state or a democratic state. If it opts for the former, it will become fascist. If it chooses democracy for all its citizens -- including the occupied West Bank and Gaza -- then it strengthens its chances for legitimacy and survival.

Samir Twair

Los Angeles

The writer is president of the Arab-American Press Guild.

(Samir and his wife Pat are long time writers for WRMEA as well as many other publications)