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: Editorial Give peace a chance Gaza, a small strip of land with a beautt- ful beach on the Mediterranean Sea at the southern tip of Israel, has in the last few weeks been the scene of a remarkable initia- tive by Israelis toward peace with the Palestinians. After the United Nations, in 1947, voted to partition the British protectorate, Palestine, into two parts, one for the Arabs and the other for the Jews, some of the Palestinians left the Jewish section to become the first Palestinian refugees. In May of 1948, when the British withdrew and the state of Israel was declared in the Jewish portion, the neighboring Arab armies attacked the new Israel, and war broke out. To avoid the fight- ing, more Palestinians left and went to Gaza,. the coastal plain that was saved for the Arabs at the time by the Egyptian army, according to an op-ed in The New York Fimes by husto- nan Benny Morris. This created more Palestinian refugees in Gaza. Today these Palestinians number 1 3 mul- hon, and they watched on television or in person as the Israeh army and police forcibly evacuated some 8,000 Jewish settlers from their fields and homes in Gaza, effectively turning over control to the Arabs who live there. Israel has controlled Gaza for 38 years. since the war of 1967, and until the recent political sea change. Israel's government had encouraged settlements there. By unilaterally deciding now to remove themselves, the Israelis are providing the location for a Palestinian state. Why did Sharon and the Israeh govern- ment undertake this highly debated and. for themselves, dangerous tack? After all. an Isracli dissident killed Rabin for less. Who knows better than the Jewish people about homelessness? Jews, an ancient peo- ple, have wandered the earth without a homeland since their defeat by the Romans in 70 A.D. They certainly can understand the need for a Palestinian homeland. Further, the practical aspects of protecting the Jewish settlers in Gaza made disengage- ment an idea whose time had come. To pro- tect 8,000 settlers from militant organizations like Hamas and Islamic Jihad was requiring some 24,000 Israeli troops. leaving other border areas less safe. And there is a longer-term consideration involved. The Arabs of Gaza are reproducing so quickly that if Isract 1s to remain a demy- cratic Jewish state, it must separate itself from some of the Arabs before they become | _ the majority. This is becoming an issue for many other countries where minorities are reproducing so rapidly that they could become the majority. Regardless of their motives, Sharon and the Isracli government have pulled off what the Times called \an extraordinary accom- plishment.\ How many countries have volun- tarily given up land won through blood spilled in previous wars? This territorial compromise, with the hope of peace, elicited a phone call from Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority. He told Sharon, according to the Times, that \we are your partner for peace.\ May they both survive, both politically and literally, to give that peace a chance. Opinion Vote of confidence TO THE EDITOR: 1 wish to thank the Board of Education for its vote of confidence in appointing me to continue serving as a trustee. My sincerest appreciation also goes to those thoughtfut individuals who have offered me their encouragement and support. For the past 12 years, I have promoted educational excellence for our children while demonstrating fiscal responsibility to the Northport-East Northport commu- nity. I pledge to continue working to balance these objectives. Warren S. Arthur Northport Brave to confront President... TO THE EDITOR: Cindy Shechan is a remarkable person for having the guts to stand up to the Bush administration against the war. She has all the right to feel sadness, as how else can a mother feel when her child is dead? She has inspired so many of us who are against thas temble Iraq war with no end in sight. She is a symbol of love and peace and will go down in history as one of the bravest people to come along in our time Margo Pasturchakh Port Jefterson Station p @ Hours changing TO THE EDITOR AND COMMUNITY Please note that our store hours are changing' Monday - Wednesday: - Closed Thursday - Saturday lam to 6pm Sunday. Noon to pm Please feel free to leave messages or send emails with your special orders. We will sull be ordering durning the week so your in-stock special orders will amve quickly Thanks, as always. for supporting us We just cele- brated our fourth anniversary and hope to be here for many more to come! The Dog-Eared Bookshop 146 Main Street Northport send letters We welcome your letters. They should be no longer than 400 words and may be edited for clarity, libel and good taste. Please include your town of resi- dence and a telephone number where you can be reached for confirmation. Email your letters to times- npt@tbmewspapers.com or write to The TIMES of Northport & East Northport, Box 707, Setauket, New York 11733. We do not publish anonymous letters. Time for taking stock, getting a dog BY LEAH S. DUNAIEF Suddenly, I'm 65. I'm so impressed. When did that happen? It seems like I was just 37. Until 1 look in the mirror. Then I am forced to recognize the passage of time. I wouldn't give up a sin- gle one of those creases and wrinkles, for they represent the joys - and aggravations - of Imving. And as Life magazine used to say in its tag line. \LIFE: consider the alternative.\ What's so special about 65° It's not even a new decade But according to the way we mark things in the United States, it seems like the official start of being a semior cit- zen. At 65, our parents and grandparents were expected to reure. Social Security begins (if it hasn't already at 62). So does Medicare. And so does - I say this gleefully - the senior citizen discount on the Long Island Rail Road. Since I often enjoy theater, concerts and the opera in New York. as well as museums and restaurants, I intend to take full advantage of that substantial discount just as gas prices are spiking. As always, when I come to a birthday. and especially a significant one, I look around to see where I am relative to where I had hoped to be at this age. For the greatest riches in my life. I am most deeply grateful: three sons, three daughters-in-law and four grandchildren. They are a lively, enterprising and loving family. and they keep me perennially breathless with their exploits. On the other hand, I try to stay just enough out in front of them so that they are always wondering what I am up to next. If I keep them a little breathless too, it means they are not taking me for granted. It also means I am not dependent on them. Independence is a good thing across the board. In fact. it seems to me independence is something 1 have been striving for most of my life. Independence from my par- ents, then independence within my mariage, and now independence as a widow. Life is most satisfying, I think, when independence and love co-exist but are not co- dependent. It's nice to have reached that stage. I am also grateful for the neighborhood in which I live and work. We didn't wind up here by chance but rather by carefully selecting the hfestyle we wanted To be near the water in a beautiful place was important. as well as to live where there was a sense of history, community and pride of place We were uncompromising about wanting a good whool district. And it was necessary to be within reach of New York City, even as we wanted to see lots of trees. lawns. flowers and birds. And we craved the hind of intel lectual life that is found near a major university I am most appreciatuve for my dear fnends __ people who provide occasions for fun and adventure even as they are there for a quiet meal, a compassionate ear and shared insights 1 am profoundly grateful for my work. which brings new contacts, issues, information and challenges into my life on a daily basis and goes a long way toward satisfying my insatiable curiosity about people and ideas. I also wel come the challenges that are endemic to small business Ard 1 am assured a place where my columns will always be published. My children wanted to get me a special present for this special birthday. and they offered to share the cost of a new dog. Our last golden retriever, Buddy. has been gone since December. It was an idea whose time had come 1 was ready. We found a local breeder. who has a litter of nine pup- pies - five males and four females - five weeks old It's not for nothing that golden retnever puppies are routinely used in TV commercials. With their blond. soft fur, big brown eyes and boundless affection, they have to be the most irresistible young animals on earth. Under the guise of selecting one male, we played with the nine puppies for hours. At one point, one of them stretched his neck and reached up to lick my youngest son's face. Needless to say, that's the one we're taking as soon as he can be separated from his mother and has had the requisite shots. Some people my age feel that an ammal in the house is a burden. But we have had dogs for 28 years now. and I will never live for long without one. They are one of life's great treasures - at any age. TIMES BEACON RECORD NEWSPAPERS Send your hemsto P.O. Box 707, Setauket, N.Y. 11733 or email-to timesnpt@tbmewspapers.com. Or drop by our news office at 67 Main Street, Northport, Address: P.O. Box 707, Setauket, N.Y. 11:133 * Telephone: (631) 261-7727 ied every Thursd EDITOR ADVERTISING Patricia Proven DIRECTOR LEISURE EDITOR Kathryn Mandracchia John Springer David R. Leaman