Self-righteous Blindness
Those campaigning as Jewish Voice for Peace and similar groups (“Kol Tzedek Rabbis and Congregants Join Cease-fire Avction,” Nov. 23) remind me of the idealistic “pro-peace” defenders of Joseph Stalin’s regime during the 1940s and early ‘50s. Same self-righteous blindness. They don’t seem to realize that, unintentionally, they are serving as Hamas’ kapos.
Arthur Rabin, Wynnewood
Assigning Blame
Arab leaders and other world leaders are right — the U.S. leadership role in the Middle East caused by Israel’s actions in Gaza will be diminished, and rightfully so (“What Will Follow the Fall of Hamas?”, Nov. 23). But, these leaders, especially in the Arab countries, should ask about their role in this war. Their lack of interest and effort, some for over 75 years, in helping the Palestinians make a life for themselves and secure land for their own country.
Some of these Arab countries did little other than sign on to the Abraham Accords, an action that contributed considerably to where we stand today. Housing Hamas leadership, and Lord knows who else, does not help either. Along with Iran, Russia, Israel and the United States, no leader in the Middle East can escape sharing the blame for this war. Refusing to acknowledge this just prolongs the agony. Or perhaps this is what they want — chaos in the world — while they continue to enjoy their own wealth.
Peace requires compromise. It cannot be achieved without Palestinian input, and it cannot be achieved when Israel decides it has accomplished all its goals in Gaza and the West Bank, and is ready for peace (on its own terms).
Frank Friedman, Philadelphia
Frank, with all due respect, the Palestinian leadership has had many years to remove the statements in their charter saying that they will destroy the State of Israel, kill every Jew in it and track down every Jew in the world and kill them too. Israel gave the Palestinians several chances to form their State and they rejected all of them. You can’t negotiate with savages, regardless of what they declare are their grievances once they have beheaded, burned alive babies, children and the elderly while also raping Israeli women. The two state solution is now as dead as the innocent Jewish civilians tortured to death by the Hamas barbarians.