Letters to the editor
Readers respond
Abraham Accords envoy could help expand peace in Middle East
It takes a particularly high level of animus to vote against peace. That’s what Rep. Summer Lee, 10 “Squad” members and two out-of-step Republicans did, in opposing bipartisan legislation establishing a special envoy for the Abraham Accords (“House passes bill to create special envoy for Abraham Accords; Summer Lee votes no,” June 23).
The Abraham Accords was an astounding breakthrough, pointing the way toward possible eventual peace between Israel and its former enemy neighbors. An envoy would seek to widen and strengthen those agreements. Blind hatred for Israel and her supporters clearly is the bond binding those opposing that.
An Abraham Accords envoy will face many other obstacles. The Biden administration entered office lukewarm toward those bilateral agreements, only belatedly seeing their great value. The administration’s obsessive pursuit of a new nuclear deal with Iran, demonizing of Saudi Arabia, and frosty relationship with the current Israeli government, has led Gulf state partners to seek outside intervention from China and Russia for protection from Iran. An insane no-deal deal with Iran, bypassing any Congressional oversight, further financing Iran’s aggressive aims — while not hindering in the least its nuclear state ambitions — would only further alienate those Gulf states.
While short-term prospects for such an Abraham Accords envoy thus are limited, in the long-run this development should hold great promise for an expanding peace that may eventually convince even the Palestinians finally to abandon their intransigent stance toward Israel and embrace peace as well.
Richard D. Wilkins
Syracuse, New York
Chronicle editorial resonates with reader
Last weekend I was in Toronto at the summer meeting of a very special group I was invited to join years ago, the American Board of Criminal Lawyers. How ironic that it was there that I finally got a chance to read your editorial “The end of Phase 1” (June 23). Well done! I love your point about the importance of the trial and am glad the prosecution didn’t agree to waive the death penalty so that we now have a historic record of this abominable massacre. Quite frankly, that point hadn’t occurred to me. You are, of course right: The rule of law must be followed. However, I remain unalterably opposed to the death penalty. But, it is the law.
Thank you for this excellent editorial.
Stan Levenson
Shadyside
‘Respect and admiration’ following verdicts
The guilty verdicts in the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, of course, were a foregone conclusion.
There are so many individuals for whom I have the greatest respect and admiration: the courageous survivors who were at the synagogue that day (many of whom testified); the survivors of those who were slain; the heroic law enforcement officers who risked their lives and endured grievous wounds as they confronted the very face of evil; and the jurors who sat through harrowing testimony and saw as evidence what no one should ever have to see.
God bless all of these extraordinary people.
Eleven precious human beings surely did not die in vain. They shall never be forgotten.
Oren Spiegler
Peters Township
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