Letters to the Editor | Oct. 18, 2023

Words of moral equivalency are not expressions of moral clarity. The complaints of the Palestinian people were not the issue on Oct. 7. The issue was the murder of Jewish people by Hamas, and the terrorists’ desire to destroy the Jewish state. The demonization of Israel by Hamas and its supporters is the worst form of antisemitism. It must be unequivocally condemned. We all decry the loss of civilian life, but we must ask: Who is responsible? Certainly, Hamas, which luxuriates in the death of Gazans. Arab neighbors? Why do they not step up to help? And we must also ask: Why are the victimized people held to task when they defend themselves against attempted genocide? There are righteous persons in the non-Jewish community. Moral clarity must prevail and so-called moral equivalency must be disavowed. Unfortunately, our community’s mantra of “never again” means “right now.” Speak up, speak out. Silence is complicity.

Stephen A. Cozen, Philadelphia

The Biden administration seems to have been instrumental in getting Israel to resume water supply to southern Gaza. This is an example of using the power and prestige of the U.S. for good. I hope President Joe Biden will continue to use his power and influence to pressure Israel to return all services to Gaza and its civilian population. Furthermore, I hope Biden will work to broker a cessation of hostilities and to provide humanitarian aid to suffering civilians, including the return of kidnapped Israelis. Crimes against humanity and war crimes seem to have been committed by Hamas and Israel. The way forward is not to encourage further war crimes by either side, but to work toward resolving the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Anita Bower, Nottingham

Again, Hamas has succeeded in manipulating Israel to commit war crimes in Gaza. As described in a recent Inquirer article, Nasser Hospital’s intensive care unit was packed, mostly with wounded children under 3 years old. As a physician, I can’t imagine how Palestinian doctors are treating patients without utilities or supplies. Meanwhile, the trauma to these children will inevitably lead some of them to grow up into the next generation of Hamas terrorists. Every time Israel is attacked, its leaders have responded with disproportionate and indiscriminate force, partly funded by an annual $3 billion in U.S. aid. Historians and military experts have told us for more than half a century that there is no military solution to Israel’s painful relationship with the Palestinian people. I urge our president and members of Congress to do everything in their power to push for an immediate cease-fire while holding the perpetrators of atrocities to account.

Daniel Wolk, Penn Valley

I agree with op-ed writer Rebecca Alvarez’s belief that the people of Gaza are oppressed but firmly disagree about the source of that oppression. Gaza is ruled by Hamas, a cruel, hate-filled, racist, authoritarian regime. Last week it killed more than 1,300 Israelis, including many children, pregnant women, and elderly. It took some of them hostage. Terror was the goal, not freedom or dignity for the Palestinian people. These were crimes against humanity. Then, it retreated to Gaza, where it hid behind the civilians over whom it rules. Hamas wants the civilians to die as they shield their terrorists.

Hamas has ruled Gaza for 15 years. In that time, it has been the beneficiary of hundreds of millions of dollars of aid and endless goodwill. But that time, money, and goodwill were not used to improve the lives of the Palestinians of Gaza, they were used to build a war machine whose goal is the killing of Jews and the destruction of Israel. There will be no two-state solution with Hamas.

Israel is not perfect — no country is. But the attempt by some in the West, such as the op-ed author, to blame Israel for the actions of Hamas is wrong. Hamas is responsible for its own actions. When will there be peace in Gaza? When the rulers of Gaza believe that the welfare of their people is more important than the destruction of Israel. Until then, there will not be peace. I pray that Hamas is destroyed, for the benefit of the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Stuart Bogom, Philadelphia

Recently, there has been yet another escalation in the Israel-Palestine conflict. As an Ahmadi Muslim, I condemn the acts of Hamas, and it is important to note that it does not represent all Palestinians. The Holy Quran says: “O ye who believe! Be steadfast in the cause of Allah, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is aware of what you do” (5:9). Thus, we must remember that justice is paramount.

Furthermore, the worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, remarked: “Nevertheless, the innocent who are not participating in the war cannot be blamed. If the world sees Israeli women, children, and civilians as innocent, then the Palestinians are innocent, too.” The world must work to prevent further escalation and devastation before it is too late. We must unequivocally seek de-escalation from all parties involved.

Ataul Wadood Bhatti, Philadelphia

Many people around the world are asking a basic question about the unimaginably horrific events that are unfolding in the Middle East: Why has the conflict between Palestinians and the state of Israel been so persistent for such a long time? From what I can tell, there are more than 200,000 Palestinians who live in the United States. To begin to appreciate the conflict in the Middle East, I believe it’s useful to compare the rights Palestinians have here with the rights Palestinians have in the occupied territories.

Here, Palestinians have the right to purchase a home anywhere in this country. Palestinians living in the occupied territories do not have the right to purchase a home in Israel. Here, Palestinians have the right to travel anywhere in the country. Residents of the occupied territories need to, at times, wait hours to pass through military checkpoints to enter Israel. Here, Palestinians who have the right to vote can do so in all elections. Palestinians living in the occupied territories do not have the right to vote in Israeli elections.

Here, about 90% of the population has enough food to eat. In Gaza, more than 60% of the population lacks a sufficient supply of food. Here, Palestinians have access to clean water. In Gaza, 90% of the population lacks access to clean water. Today, the Israeli military is denying Palestinians in Gaza the right to travel, food, water, and electricity. I’m only a Jewish school bus driver who supports the organization Jewish Voice for Peace. However, I can offer the Israeli government an ironclad guarantee. Give the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza the same rights Palestinians have in the United States, and the war will be over tomorrow.

Steven Halpern, Philadelphia, hnbpjs@gmail.com

Israelis are fools to donate one more drop of Jewish blood to Hamas. The only way to destroy Hamas and, at the same time, retrieve the hostages whole is with peace. Israel should stop all hostilities immediately and begin the process of negotiating a two-state solution in exchange for the hostages and Hamas terrorists. Negotiations can begin immediately, and at the end, with the help of other Arab nations, all hostages will be returned and one and all Hamas terrorists will be identified and surrendered. In war, the element of surprise cannot be underestimated. Hamas, its peers, and handlers are prepared for war, so peace would be the ultimate surprise. If the six million Holocaust dead could talk, I believe they’d say, “Stop, enough already.” How do I know? Because that’s what Jews do. They do not kill innocents. One more life is one too many.

Ken Rozov, Cherry Hill

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