To the editor: Reading Roger Cohen's article, "Why Israel Still Refuses to Choose," I wonder where Cohen was when Israel repeatedly chose to offer the Palestinian Arabs an independent state on virtually all - and in 2008 the equivalent of all - the disputed territories. I wonder where he was when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chose to freeze Jewish - but not Arab - construction in the disputed territories in an unsuccessful attempt to get Mahmoud Abbas to negotiate peace. I wonder where he was when Netanyahu chose to free dozens of Palestinian terrorists in another vain attempt to induce Abbas to seriously sit down and talk peace. Cohen seems unaware that almost all of Israel's building in the disputed territories has been in existing communities which will certainly remain with Israel in any agreement, if and when the Palestinians ever choose peace. One also wonders whether Cohen, along with others, including President Obama, has such a low opinion of the humanity of the Palestinian Arabs that he believes they will never countenance the presence of a single Jew in a (so far hypothetical) state of their own, making the ethnic cleansing of any Jewish presence a prerequisite for peace. Here in Israel, we've chosen peace, time and time again. But, ayn breira, we have no alternative but to persevere until our dreams come true and our Palestinian Arab neighbors finally make the same choice. Sincerely, Alan Stein

The Comedian: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Speaking to a reporter at the United Nations headquarters, Ban Ki-moon, apparently with a straight face, said: "I don't think there is discrimination against Israel at the United Nations."