Belgium’s example

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To the Editor:

In Belgium, I always thought that the Dutch speakers and French speakers just hated each other. Then when I was there, I found out that was not the case at all.

Despite extremism on both sides, many Belgians want to see their country together. Of course, it has been together since 1830. Also, there is a high intermarriage rate betweens the Vlaams and Walloons. I knew one family in which the father was Vlaam and the mother was Walloon. The son spoke Dutch to the father and French to the mother.

It is no different than the high percentage of Jews married to non-Jews in the United States. People can get along and countries can stay together. So there can be a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians.

Tim Upham
Tum Tum, Wash.

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