Columnist Jon Huer is entitled to his opinion regarding the Israeli-Hamas war, but it is premised upon the erroneous belief that Israel has all the power and only its “addiction” to the occupied territories creates the conflict [”Between Israel and Palestine: Which side should we be on, and why?”]. This denies and disrespects Palestinian agency, which for 75 years has consistently called for the destruction of Israel, and acted upon that conviction.

First, Israel does not “occupy” Gaza. It withdrew entirely from Gaza in 2005, and handled control to the Gazans. Hamas, whose charter calls for the eradication of Israel, was elected in 2006, immediately exterminated its Fatah rivals and has ruled Gaza ever since. Gaza immediately began sending rockets and military raids into Israel. To prevent the importation of more dangerous weapons, in 2007 Israel imposed the blockade, although it continued to provide water and electricity to Gaza until Oct. 8, 2023. Hamas has used millions in aid money to build a vast subterranean systems of tunnels, under civilian hospitals, schools, and apartments, to shield its soldiers and supplies.

Second, for 20 years following the Oslo accords, Israel tried to negotiate a two-state solution. Under President Bill Clinton, an agreement was almost reached, until Yasser Arafat pulled out and launched the Second Intifada, a series of bombings and attacks on Israeli civilians in the heart of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, which destroyed the Israeli peace movement.

Third, Jews have lived in Israel for 3,000 years, including during the Ottoman, Mamluk, and British periods. In two generations, Israel successfully integrated over 900,000 Jews expelled from North Africa and Asia after the formation of the country, so now most Israelis have very mixed parentage, not just European.

Gaza is indeed an open air prison, with 2.5 million people and a density of 15,000/square mile. While Europe took in over a million Syrian and Iraqi refugees, no country, including the wealthy Arab oil states, takes Gazans. They are held, exploited, and die for cynical leaders.

Eight million Israelis are facing war on three borders. It is clearly expedient for the U.S. to follow the sympathies of much of the world, and allow the destruction of the only flawed but vibrant Middle Eastern democracy. But it is not moral.

Babette Krolik

Warwick