To the Editor:

Roger Cohen views the Middle East conflict through a one-way mirror (Hard Mideast Truths, Feb. 12), unfairly casting Israel as the villain.

Cohen’s premise is so fatally flawed that I only have space to address some of his most egregious errors.

Where is Cohen’s rebuke of terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah which continue to re-arm? How can he ignore Palestinian Authority leader Abu Mazen's own Fatah faction, which recently re-endorsed armed struggle and support for the terrorist Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades?

In his one-sidedness, Cohen doesn’t mention the myriad anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations, which work against the peace process by raising Palestinian expectations to undeliverable levels. No wonder Israel didn't "cooperate" with the Goldstone Commission.

As a result of the Oslo agreement in 1993, the Palestinians were asked to do three things: Shutter terrorist organizations, arrest the terrorists, and end incitement. None has been achieved. Until a Palestinian leader tells his people that a peace deal will entail not getting everything, and that the armed struggle is inimical to achieving statehood, it is doubtful the process will move forward. Like the Palestinians, Cohen unfortunately doesn’t see that.

Daniel S. Mariaschin
B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President