Hamdan Azhar Yousuf's letter ("Defeated mentality harms all humanity," Jan. 12) is a one sided, almost anti- Semitic, screed against the "Zionist regime." For one who wonders, "what has happened to the light of democracy?" he seems oblivious to the fact that the "Zionists" are the only democracy in the Middle East. In the Middle East, the "Zionists" are the most successful and the most free, despite being constantly under attack from the Arab states surrounding it that are most certainly racist. Israel is not perfect, but when Mr. Yousuf purports to shoulder all of the blame on the "Zionists" he absolves Mr. Arafat and the Palestinians of all responsibility in the conflict. The vast majority of the blame for this conflict, and the inability to solve it, rests on the Palestinians and their corrupt leadership.

A culture has been created that worships death, celebrates martyrs, places little or no value on individual life; in short everything that is repugnant to people who love freedom. A two-state solution may solve this conflict, but from Oslo to the Infitada they have shown repeatedly that they are interested in anything but peace.