The editorial published in the Jan. 2 issue that states that the incoming Trump administration should pressure Israel to negotiate with the Palestinians needs fact checking (”View from Away: Trump should press Israel for two-state plan,” The Washington Post). The Israeli government has repeatedly offered to engage in direct negotiations with the Palestinians. To date, all of these offers have been refused by the Palestinians.

The writer of the editorial needs a history lesson. During the Clinton administration, in a joint meeting between the Palestinians and the Israelis at Camp David, the Palestinians were offered over 95 percent of their demands, including East Jerusalem. They turned down the offer. Then came the Oslo Accords, which did not succeed because the Accords were violated by the Palestinians.

Israel voluntarily evacuated the Gaza Strip and removed all settlements. Their reward was a takeover by the terrorist organization, Hamas, and the firing of tens of thousands of rockets against civilian targets in Israel. Children in several Israeli cities had to go to school and play in air raid shelters.

Israel has offered to directly negotiate with the Palestinians, but it takes two to tango.

Yale Marienhoff

Hallowell