To the editor:
The Israel described by Steven Erlanger in "Who are the true heirs of Zionism?" bears little resemblance to the Israel known to those of us who live here.
Sure, we have what Erlanger disparagingly and misleadingly calls "the new Zionists," just as America has the Tea Party and Al Sharpton, but I haven't seen an article by Erlanger asking "Who are the true heirs of Jeffersonian democracy?"
It is truly remarkable that, surrounded by enemies still intent on its destruction and without the luxury of a single moment of peace since its reestablishment in 1948, Israel has built a thriving, liberal, vibrant and stable democracy which compares favorably with those whose leaders are so unfairly critical of Israel for not doing the impossible, the impossible being making peace with the Palestinian Arabs, a people whose leader, the so called but hardly "moderate" Mahmoud Abbas, has boasted he will never compromise on any core issue.
The true heirs of Zionism are the amazing people who live here and continue to dream the impossible dream that, some day, their neighbors will be willing to live together in peace.
Sincerely,
Alan Stein