Why Wasn’t the West Bank Targeted?
Over 4,000 rockets were launched at Israel this month. Major cities within the Green Line were heavily targeted, but the supposedly illegal Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria were not.
Thus, it’s clear that our enemies don’t regard the settlements to be the problem despite what the international community has been falsely propagandized to believe. Rather, it’s the existence of Israel itself.
Henry Moscovic
Look Who’s Talking
Re “Netanyahu to Ambassadors: ‘We Target Our Enemies With Great Precision,'” (news story, May 21): Israel caused about 100 Palestinian civilian deaths in retaliating against Hamas over the last two weeks. Meanwhile, when the most advanced Western countries attacked ISIS terrorists in Raqqa, Syria from June to October 2017, they killed more than 1,600 civilians, according to Amnesty International – even though terrorists that didn’t fire thousands of rockets at these countries’ cities.
Similarly, when U.S.-led forces fought against insurgents in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2004, at least 800 Iraqi civilians were killed according to the Red Cross.
Considering these numbers, and considering that Israel – unlike the U.S. and England – warns residents of buildings to evacuate before bombing them, it’s sheer hypocrisy for Western countries to lecture Israel on how to fight wars ethically.
Jacob Mendlovic
Hamas Vs. Israel
Israel is a democracy that seeks peace and abides by international law. By contrast, Hamas is a murderous terrorist organization that regularly commits double war crimes by firing at Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians.
Hamas targets civilians. Israel targets terrorists. Israel makes efforts to avoid civilian casualties. Hamas makes efforts to increase civilian casualties. Israel uses missiles to protect children. Hamas uses children to protect missiles.
The State of Israel should continue to do whatever’s necessary to defend its people while continuing to protect human lives and aspiring to peace with all its neighbors.
Arthur Horn
Fort Lee, NJ
Where’s Schumer?
In light of the deadly attacks on Israel by Hamas, and the verbal attacks on Israel by Democrat politicians, I’m wondering: Where’s Senator Schumer?
He should vociferously denounce the “Squad” and other radical Democrats for their despicable false accusations against Israel that have helped fuel a spate of anti-Semitic attacks against Jews in America and divided a party that once strongly supported Israel.
I’m reminded of Mordechai’s message to Queen Esther: If you’re silent when your fellow Jews are in dire need of her help, “relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from some other place, but you and your father’s house will perish” (Esther 4:14). Senator Schumer, take heed.
Dr. Robert Semel
Brooklyn, NY
Yang Isn’t Qualified
Considering the enormously difficult job facing New York City’s next mayor in helping the city recuperate from the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic, the endorsement of Andrew Yang by several Orthodox Jewish legislators is ill-timed, to say the least.
Rarely, if ever, can the city afford to elect a mayor with little or no relevant prior training or experience. It certainly can’t afford to do so now. Quite frankly, Mr. Yang is an “empty suit” who shouldn’t be anywhere near City Hall during these perilous times.
Brian Rubin
Brooklyn, NY
Is Goebbels Available?
As a reader – not a subscriber – of The New York Times, I’m sure that newspaper would be pleased if Joseph Goebbels were still alive and available to run it. Not a day passes without an editorial, op-ed, or news article condemning Israel appearing in this paper.
Nelson Marans
New York, NY
What Makes These Organizations Jewish?
When thousands of Hamas rockets started raining down all over Israel, we heard only tepid calls from the media, governments, and even major Jewish organizations for the violence to stop. Only after Israel started to fight back were there desperate calls for “both sides” to agree to a cease-fire.
Alas, many organizations that used to be considered “major Jewish organizations,” such as the ADL, HIAS, and various rabbinical groups, now regularly march with BDS supporters, show solidarity with pro-Palestinian groups, and identify with the whole gamut of “liberal-progressive” causes, according to many of which Jews are part of the “white oppressor class.”
Many of us in the Highland Park-Edison-East Brunswick, NJ area are still smarting from our fights in 2019 against anti-Semitic faculty in Rutgers, an anti-BDS resolution in our Borough Council, and a P is for Palestine book presentation in our local library. Aside from ZOA officials (G-d bless them), we were basically on our own, receiving little to no help from local or national Jewish leaders, including our local Federation.
Max Wisotsky
Highland Park, NJ
Stop Pushing the Vaccine
For four decades now, we’ve heard the slogan “Vaccines are safe and effective.” Are they? Most people aren’t familiar with the 1986 law that gave legal immunity to vaccine makers who were complaining that vaccines were no longer profitable due to to all the lawsuits brought against them for causing harm.
And now we’re seeing a Covid-19 vaccine being pushed everywhere even though, according to its proponents, it only offers protection against symptoms of Covid-19 rather than the disease itself.
Injecting a trial drug into a population of willing people is one thing, but should we allow the government to mandate it? Even for children? Shouldn’t it be “my body, my choice” when it comes to getting an injection of a foreign, possibly dangerous, substance?
Some people say the vaccine campaign is voluntary, but is it really if not getting it means not flying on an airplane, not going to school, or not entering a shul?
Finally, let’s not forget that the doctors who appear on the news or speak on behalf of the government have a conflict of interest. They are not the same doctors we interact with on a personal level – the ones we trust with our questions. It’s sad to say but the government and media have very close ties to corporations, which means that being fully honest with the public is often harmful to their bottom line.
Rachel Bloom