Dear Editor:

Regarding the article "At Al Aqsa Mosque, Shards of Stained Glass Tell a Story of Conflict," it's unfortunate that the story told by The New York Times is a travesty.

The story is really one of broken glass caused by Palestinian Arabs rioting on the Temple Mount - which the article perversely insists on calling "tha Aqsa Mosque complex - and using the Al Aqsa Mosque as a base for attacking Jews.

If there were no riots and no terror attacks, the only broken glass would be caused by Arab children using the Temple Mount as a soccer field.

It would also be refreshing if The New York Times would stop hiding the fact that the heavy restrictions on visits by Jews to their holiest site and the prohibition on their praying there is a gross violation of the provisions of the Jordan-Israel peace treaty calling on the parties to "provide freedom of access" and work towards "freedom of religious worship."

Sincerely,

Alan Stein