In "Palestinian Education in Disarray" (Commentary, Bulletin, May 2002), Professor Elia Zureik describes the challenges faced by schools and universities in the Palestinian territories. The Palestinians are "painstakingly pursuing the project of nation building, with education at its core," in a heroic struggle to "maintain their grip on their land, livelihood and drive for self-determination."

Does Professor Zureik accept that Israel also has a right to self-determination? Do Israelis even have a right to life itself? Surely, at a time when, almost daily, fanatical terrorists murder innocent Israelis - both Jewish and Arab - this question cannot be shrugged aside.

If the Palestinian Authority, "which assumed responsibility for education in 1995," has left its "teachers and administrative staff (unpaid) for three or four months," who should we blame? According to Professor Zureik, we must blame Israel, certainly not the Palestinian Authority which signs the cheques!

The Israeli-Palestinian crisis is a tragic and difficult problem with ancient historical roots and worldwide implications. There has been unacceptable behaviour by all parties to the conflict. An academic journal should not distribute one-sided political diatribes such as Professor Zureik's.

David Josephy
Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Guelph