Fostering friendship

Flipping through several programs on private television stations, I caught sight of a program titled Messages from American Muslims Institution for Friendship, which was probably intended to foster friendship among Muslims in America and Indonesia, or which, perhaps, depicts harmonious relationships and understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims in the U.S.

Conceptually, this seems challenging to us: "Strong efforts toward creating harmony among religious societies, and perhaps America is making efforts to create peace in the world."

With regard to the U.S., this country, the world's only super power and the world's police officer, should, logically or sensibly -- and also with super speed-- put pressure on Israel to give the Palestinians their rights by having UN forces deployed to prevent the Jews and Palestinians from killing, slaughtering and hating each other.

In line with these efforts, the American Muslims Institution should ideally air programs non-stop to Israelis and Palestinians on Israeli, Kuwaiti and Turkish TV stations. These non-stop messages would be sure to create friendship among them and would help the Americans in general create peace and stability in the Middle East.

Enough is enough, lots of innocent lives have been lost. To the majority of the civilized world, perpetuating the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is akin to bringing shame on the existence of the world's police officer.

Many people underestimate the irrational capabilities of suicide bombers and many perhaps cannot help but think why they carry out suicidal attacks. Palestinians, American Muslims and Israelis are all God's children -- they are all human beings who believe in their Holy Books. All of these books teach about friendship and brotherhood. The use of force in eradicating terrorism without giving the Palestinians their rights will not wipe out terrorists.

SUNGKOWO SOKAWERA, Bandung