Yesterday's letters about the Middle East by Andreas Phelps and Assistant Professor Julie Belz were disturbing. Check the Britannica, World Book and other encyclopedias and almanacs at Pattee Library for verification of the truth below.

On November 29, 1947, the United Nations voted 33-13 to divide the British mandate into a Palestinian Jewish state and a larger Palestinian Arab state. The Arabs lost a democratic vote at the UN. The Jews accepted the result, but seven Arab states sent armies to destroy the Jews: Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Israel survived, and Jordan annexed most of the planned Palestinian Arab state.

From 1948 to 1967, Jordan and Egypt ruled over the Palestinians. In 1967, Israel was strangled, and the UN peacekeepers along the Suez Canal left immediately following Egyptian orders. Israel won territory in a defensive war against Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. The Camp David and Oslo Accords never called for immediate withdrawal from this territory.

As for occupation, the Palestinian Authority (PA) occupies Palestinians' lives 24-7. The PA rules more than 90 percent of the Palestinians, and its 40,000 armed troops regularly murder Israelis and politically dissenting Palestinians.

In 1982, Israel's military did not fire into Sabra and Shatila. The Phalange -- a Lebanese Christian militia led by Eli Hobeika -- murdered Palestinians in response to Palestinians' murder of Lebanon's President, Bashir Gemayel.

It is concerning that students like Phelps deny the truth.

An assistant professor such as Belz lying to 42,000 students about easily accessible information is dangerous and shames the university.