Israel

In Kenneth Lasson's commentary, "Freeing Pollard benefits all" (Feb. 27), who is "all?" Jonathan Pollard passed classified information to Israel to circumvent U.S. policy. Is "all" the thousands of Americans with security clearance who do not betray that confidence, or does it refer to the country Mr. Pollard betrayed? He is serving a life sentence because of a plea bargain. His cooperation was in no way exculpatory. Mr. Lasson writes, "It is now more clear than ever that he is being severely punished for deeds he never did. " Mr. Pollard confessed, and Israel acknowledged his espionage years later.

Pikesville resident Debra Attman is well known as a local philanthropist, providing the driving energy behind several events, including the Chocolate Affair, the annual event benefiting Health Care for the Homeless. But it was her work with The Associated, the Baltimore branch of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), and its women's giving group that brought a recent revelation: Attman had never been to Israel. That changed earlier this month, when she was one of 54 women, including 13 from the Baltimore area, who signed on for a six-day trip to Israel.

Regarding Ramzi and Noura Hemady's recent commentary on Syria's Golan Heights, the authors ignore three critical facts when it comes to the ultimate possession of that disputed territory ("Let people of the Golan decide their fate," Feb. 8). First, based on biblical and current history, the presence of Israel is justified in that strategic region. Second, there are now over 20,000 Israelis living on the Golan Heights with extensive agricultural development. Third, Syria has refused to negotiate for the return of the Golan Heights in exchange for making peace with Israel.

Straddling the divide between the chaos in Syria and the calm of the Galilee in northern Israel is a pastoral plateau known as the Golan Heights. Famous for its world-class vineyards, wandering cattle, and lush nature trails, the Golan has served as the disputed frontier between the two long-time adversaries since the aftermath of the Six-Day War in 1967. This small but strategic piece of land - negligible in size next to the vast territory of the entire Middle East - has been a point of contention on the Levant for over four decades.

College basketball Terps ' Thomas repeats as ACC Player of the Week Junior forward Alyssa Thomas of the 10th-ranked Maryland women's basketball team was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week for the second straight week, third time this season and seventh in her career. Thomas averaged 23 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in the Terps ' wins over North Carolina State and at Georgia Tech. Thomas played positions 1-4 for the Terps (15-3, 6-1 ACC)

The Israel Lacrosse Association has announced that Lauren Paul Norris, a McDonogh alumna and four-time Jewish All-American at Franklin & Marshall, has been named coach of the Israel national lacrosse team that will compete in the 2013 Federal of International Lacrosse Women's World Cup. “Lauren's resume really speaks for itself,” said Scott Neiss, director of the association. “We're extremely confident in Lauren's coaching ability, her passion for the sport and her commitment to developing the game in Israel.

Carol Benjamin didn't like having the bull's-eye on her back. Competing in the seventh Maccabiah Games in 1965, she despised the pressure that came with being one of the most highly regarded athletes in fencing. And she didn't like the idea that if she didn't come away with a gold medal, she had failed to meet expectations. It was an unpleasant feeling for the then-19-year-old New York native, but it didn't stop her from finishing first and continuing her success in the sport by winning the NCAA championship in 1966.

As Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen Jr. eyes a run for the U.S. Senate in 2014, readers deserve to know the truth about his record on Israel and Iran. Some readers seem to believe that democracy ends on Election Day, and that afterward citizens give up the right to criticize their elected officials. I disagree. As an investigative reporter - and as Congressman Van Hollen's Republican opponent in the last election - I closely examined his record. It is true Mr. Van Hollen was a co-sponsor of legislation to authorize U.S. support for Iron Dome, the missile defense system that helped shield Israeli citizens from terrorist rockets fired from Gaza.

Your editorial suggesting that United Nations recognition of Palestine will put pressure on Israel to resume peace talks is a naive repetition of the myth that Palestinians actually want peace with Israel ("Pressure on Israel to negotiate," Nov. 30). The Palestinian charter calls for the destruction of Israel, not "living side by side in peace" with it as you state. The charter of Hamas is even more explicit. How can you negotiate with an entity that has sworn your destruction?

It is troubling that neither The Sun's news coverage nor its editorial regarding the United Nations' recognition of Palestine as a non-member observer state bothered to mention what Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas actually said in his speech to the General Assembly preceding the vote. President Abbas could have used the U.N. forum to confirm Palestine's commitment to peaceful coexistence with Israel and to underscore how its enhanced U.N. status will further that goal. Instead, Mr. Abbas defamed Israel by repeating the scurrilous lies and distortions that are common parlance in the Arab world.