The Israeli-Egyptian Rift

In the article "In Israel and Egypt, a Chilly Peace," Aug. 7, much of the burden for the cool relations is placed, unfairly, on Israel. Shouldn't the Egyptian government shoulder the burden of responsibility for either discouraging or making it difficult for Egyptian citizens to participate in tourism, trade relations, cultural relations, and other elements that characterize normal relations between nations? Until the 1990 terrorist attack on an Israeli tourist bus, close to 100,000 Israelis were visiting Egypt, compared to 3,000 Egyptians traveling to Israel. Non-oil trade between the two nations is equally dismal, totaling just $7 million in 1990. And what about attitudes? The author notes the discontent of Egyptian young people over the peace with Israel. How can attitudes change when even the establishment press has been guilty of using classical anti-Semitic terminology? Peace has persevered; but for Israel, which gave up the Sinai, air bases, oil fields, and settlements, the hoped-for "normalization" has been anything but. Cheryl Cutler, Boston Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith

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