I read with interest the Washington Post column by Jackson Diehl in the Sept. 4 edition of our local paper.

As a student of the Israel Palestine issues there are stark contrasts between the Obama Democrat platform and the Romney Republican platform on where the conflict is headed.

Obama came out as the first U.S. president to tackle the thorny issue of Israel and Palestine in his first year in office. He appointed George Mitchell as a special enjoy to study the issue and help shape policy for conflict resolution, as he had done in Ireland. Unfortunately Mitchell gave up but be assured Obama has not. This is a key issue for him and you will see tough negotiations occurring with the Israelis as soon as he is re-elected. Settlements are being built on Palestinian owned land. I have personally witnessed this land grabbing act. It is a violation of UN resolutions too numerous to mention. Obama does not tolerate such violations of international law, including human rights violations.

As to Romney, he has made one recent visit to Jerusalem, on the coattails of the London Olympics. While in Jerusalem he referred to the Israelis as being successful as they are a superior culture (to the Palestinians). His rhetoric totally ignored comments about the occupation. So does he even understand what is going on in Israel and Palestine, or care? With comments like those (or lack of comments) how can we expect him to serve as president and attempt to broker peace in that area? And who organized his trip to Jerusalem but a Las Vegas casino magnate, Sheldon Adelson who supported Gingrich until that horse caved. Adelson’s wife is of Israeli birth, they own a home there and purportedly are behind the development of settlements, stealing land from Palestinians and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu worked with Romney at the Boston Consulting group in the 70s. So will Palestine even get invited to a “negotiation” table? Of course after Romney’s recent secretly taped video at a fundraiser he says ‘The Palestinians have no interest in peace.’ But has he stated that publicly?

Watch Obama in his second term on this topic!

Peter Mann

Lake Shore