Letters to the Editor | June 22, 2023

Thank you for publishing Trudy Rubin’s comprehensive coverage of what’s happening in the occupied Palestinian territories. I appreciated her covering the situation in the OPT both from the Palestinian viewpoint and those sympathetic to the Palestinians, as well as from the Israeli viewpoint. Most newspapers and other American media outlets don’t report on Israel’s apartheid policies in the OPT; most American reporting about the Palestinians never includes the word apartheid. Rubin is brave to tell the truth of the situation. If Americans don’t know the full story of Israel’s 56-year occupation of Palestinian land, they cannot make an informed decision as to how they want their tax dollars used in Israel — roughly $4 billion a year in military aid.

Genie Silver, Wynnewood

. . .

Trudy Rubin’s column noted that the Palestinian Authority protested Israel’s plan to construct additional apartments in existing Jewish communities in the disputed West Bank territories. There is not one word in any of the peace agreements that Israel has signed with the PA that prohibits Israeli construction in the 60% of the West Bank that Israel controls. There’s no such prohibition in the Israeli-Palestinian agreements known as Oslo I (1993) and Oslo II (1995), nor in their Hebron Agreement (1997) or the Wye River Memorandum (1998). It’s unfair to ask Israel to unilaterally go above and beyond its obligations in the existing agreements, especially when the Palestinian side is offering nothing in exchange.

Stephen M. Flatow, president-elect, Religious Zionists of America, New York

President Joe Biden’s accomplishments have been quiet, but they have been powerful. The bipartisan infrastructure deal had been talked about forever, yet this administration got it done. Biden ended a 30-year streak of inaction on gun reform. His administration capped drug prices for seniors, made a record investment in fighting climate change, and has overseen the largest job growth in history. It hasn’t been perfect. Inflation continues to hurt. The withdrawal from Afghanistan was painful. We are still the most prosperous nation on the planet, but we are more divided than we’ve been in decades.

The 2024 election will be won by a Republican or Joe Biden. It won’t be a scion of a famous family who is most noted for vaccine conspiracy theories. It won’t be a “no-labels” candidate funded by Republicans. We will have the quiet accomplishments of this administration to compare with the noisy inaction of the previous one. We will have a candidate who promotes democratic values against a representative of a party fighting against them. It doesn’t seem that difficult, but the choice will point our direction for decades to come.

Elliott Miller, Bala Cynwyd

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.