FRUIT & GIFT BASKETS LETTERS PUBLIC! For all occasions Nation-Wide Delivery Radio Commentary Facts Not Refuted In your report of the human rights commentary which I gave on station WDET on July 16 ("Radio Commentary Irks JCCouncil," Aug. 29), you in- cluded a quote from Mr. Alvin Kushner, executive director of the Jewish Community Coun- cil, which stated that he had refuted my facts. Your readers should know that such a "refu- tation" never took place. In a letter dated July 17, Mr. Kushner questioned the per- centage of land on the West Bank that has been confiscated by Israeli authorities. As soon as I received a copy of his letter upon my return from Israel, I provided him with the sources of my statements (Meron Ben- veniste and Sara Roy of the West Bank Data Project; Amnon Zichroni, an Israeli jurist; Robert Zelnick, the ABC correspondent in Israel; plus others). Since Mr. Kushner seemed unfamiliar with the question, I Xeroxed large chunks of several works so that Mr. Kushner could read the full context. In my response I also stated: "If you wish any further references for any of the information I cited, please let me know. I would be happy to share material with you. You have termed my state- ments 'lies,' but you have not as yet done me the courtesy of sharing with me your sources." To this date I have had no reply from Mr. Kushner. I would really like to know what information he has. What are his sources? Why won't he cite them? Are they reliable? I have been told by Bishop McGehee and the Rev. Hugh White at the diocese of Michigan that, although Mr. Kushner has ob- jected strenuously to the com- mentary, he has offered them no shred of evidence to con- tradict the statements made in the commentary or sources provided to him in my letter of Aug. 7. He contents himself with asserting that my state- ments are "lies." I am always looking for new or better in- formation. One expects to be challenged on sources. That is how scholarship proceeds. But Mr. Kushner doesn't really help the process. Just assrting that a statement is wrong is not sufficient to make it wrong. That is just about as effective as insisting that the world is flat. Mr. Kushner's vehement personal attacks on me, com- bined with his unwillingness or inability to discuss the facts at issue, are surprising in view of his post as a representative of a distinguished Jewish organization. The matter of land confisca- tion in the West Bank and Gaza is of more than esoteric concern. As I stated in my let- ter to Mr. Kushner: "As more and more land is taken from these Palestinians, and more Jewish settlers build on the land in what was desig- nated to be the Arab state, the possibility of a two-state solu- tion becomes most problema- tic. If there is only to be one FORMER WHOLESALER NOW SELLING TO THE state — Israel — in the area that used to be known as Pales- tine, what happens to the two million Palestinians? If they are given the franchise and the full rights of citizenship, Israel may lose its Jewish character. If they are allowed to remain in their homes and not given the full rights of citizens, what happens to Israeli democracy? If the; are not allowed to re- main in their homes, but are harassed and hounded till they leave or die, what happens to the ethical integrity of the state? These are questions of great concern that require thought and discussion. We as Americans cannot escape re- sponsibility for allowing our money to be used in ways that undercut our announced policy and create an obstacle to peace. ". .. let me say that I am not surprised that you and - your community are aroused and irate. I was too when I learned more about the situation. However, I believe that the di- rection of your anger is mis- placed — it should be directed at the situation_ itself, rather than at the person who notices and comments." I hope that this information will help to clarify matters for your readers. Betsy Barlow Ann Arbor I write in follow up to your story on the Jewish community reaction to the strongly ex- pressed anti-Israel comments of Betsy Barlow, substituting on WDET for Bishop McGehee of the Episcopal Diocese. Please know that our con- ' terns were not directed at WDET. Nor did we choose to engage in a dialogue, written or otherwise, with Betsy Bar- low. From the transcript of Betsy Barlow's comments, "sub- stituting" for Bishop McGehee, we know of her position. We directed a letter to Bishop McGehee (July 24) stressing our request that at the least, a disclaimer be made which would note that not only were the Barlow views not those of WDET but that they were not the views of the good Bishop or the Episcopal Dio- cese. To this date, a response from Bishop McGehee has not been forthcoming. Alvin L. Kushner Executive Director, Jewish Community Council On August 29, you reported on an attack made by Alvin Kushner, the executive direc- tor of the Jewish Community Council, upon Betsy Barlow, for comments made as a guest commentator on WDET earlier this summer. I know Betsy Barlow personally and am glad to call her a friend. She is not in any way anti-Israel. Indeed, she has frequently initiated joint statements by religious groups and people of faith re- garding the political and moral unacceptability of terrorism RODNICK BROS. 772-4350 RODNICK & UNGER 7 G .' law offices 771-7800 Ernest F. Lush, Inc. 28801 Southfield Rd. CIRSSIPIEDS ET RE ARTS . OFFICIAL -", Just S. of 12 Mile 559-2150 lij Aittlklit ,4 1144p1k40,61Raliteftliplka.401W4ttriiitAlt, AGENCY OMEGA /s"./ .‘\ ';:e,>\:/' • v/, `4\AUTHORIZED SALES & SERVICE ,z ,\•;/// t; • 4\;,/ Ir7 1, ) *poly dusldnacr, I . 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