I am writing to express my disgust at the mainly leftists, who are a minority in the country, who have chosen to take advantage of the war situation to try once again to get rid of Prime Minister Netanyahu by returning violence to our streets (“Thousands in J’lem rally for elections,” April 1). They put politics before the interests of the country. They should be punished at the next election.
I am sure that the accusation that Netanyahu is not doing his utmost to retrieve the hostages is utterly wrong. It would be a great feat for him if he could arrange a hostage deal. But he is not alone. Other members of the war cabinet, including Benny Gantz and Yoav Gallant, are involved in these decisions.
To say that the Israeli government is responsible for the lack of a release of the hostages is ridiculous. Hamas, and only Hamas, has taken these Israelis hostage and is holding them in southern Gaza.
I agree with Netanyahu that the only way to achieve victory in this war with Hamas is to expand the operation to Rafah, while taking humanitarian considerations into account. The only way to put pressure on Hamas to release the hostages is to threaten its final stronghold in Rafah.
JACK COHEN
Beersheba
I always advised my children to know their priorities when deciding on conflicting alternatives. That applies to our present situation as well.
Nothing that has been achieved by our brave IDF until now should have been different, but the single stated goal should have been, and should be now, to free all the hostages immediately. Combining this goal with the elimination of Hamas was unrealistic from the beginning because, as we see all too clearly, the two goals are unattainable simultaneously. At this point, our only goal should be to free the hostages in return for an unlimited ceasefire and without any other conditions, such as releasing any of the enemy’s prisoners.
We have lived with Hamas and been duped by them for so many years that we can postpone dealing with them properly only after the primary and imperative goal has been achieved. This is particularly true given the far better military situation and intelligence that we now have. This step conforms with Jewish ethics, makes strategic sense, and can be criticized by no one.
GEORGE MOSCHYTZ
Jerusalem
A livable environment
In “Dismantle, don’t reward Hamas: Forging a path for two states is the only way forward” (March 31), Chama Mechtaly presented her case for a Palestinian state under a “revitalized Palestinian Authority.”
In my opinion, the Palestinian Authority has continuously shown itself as incapable of running a Palestinian state. It has continually rejected any offer of peace with the State of Israel. It has also shown itself to be incapable of governing the areas under its control in a manner that serves the population. It has taken no steps to develop an economy and an infrastructure that can support its people .
What it has shown is its ability to accept foreign aid and distribute it among its members. It has also refused to stop paying its terrorists and their families in order to prevent peace with the State of Israel.
When Israel left Gaza in 2005, the PA destroyed the agricultural infrastructure that was left there to help the Gazans support themselves. Unfortunately, a Palestinian state that will live in peace with the State of Israel isn’t a viable option in the foreseeable future.
What Israel and the rest of the world have to do is demolish Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad and then impose an authority in Gaza that will rebuild the area and provide a livable environment that will present a possible future for its population to, if not flourish, at least have a standard of living that makes coexistence with Israel seem good.
HAIM SHALOM SNYDER
Petah Tikva
The Hamas monster
I am greatly disturbed by the way that the United States tells us what is good for us (“‘Rafah op will harm your security, isolate you,’ US tells Israeli officials,” April 2). Your report cites State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller as saying that the US has not yet seen a long-term strategy plan from Israel. Well aren’t we naughty children!
The totally naïve US concept of how to relate to the Arabs of the Middle East, and Hamas of Gaza in particular, is based on Western values and behavior. They have no idea of the way the Arabs think and act. The long-term plan, clearly stated in black and white, of Hamas and the overwhelming majority of “innocent” Gazans who voted for them, is to annihilate Israel and wipe us off the map – indeed “from the river to the sea.” Israel’s long-term plan is to survive, no more than that.
So don’t lecture us on what is good for us. We are well aware of what we need to do, and that is to destroy and extirpate every vestige of the Hamas monster from our region, and, if you consider the proportion of Hamas supporters among the Gazan civilian population, you will realize that a two-state solution is a non-starter.
LAURENCE BECKER
Jerusalem
Too counterproductive
Being at Hostages Square and wanting to support the hostages and their families, I bought a dog tag, a cap, and a T-shirt and have worn them, but with mixed feelings because I believe the message on them, “Bring Them Home Now,” is the wrong message directed at the wrong party. The message should be: “Force Hamas to Let Our People Go.”
The far too few hostages who were released would still be in Gaza were it not for the military pressure applied to Hamas; to bring the rest of them home, we must not just maintain but increase the pressure on Hamas. Pressuring our government to make a deal encourages Hamas, makes any deal to release any of the remaining hostages less likely, and raises the price if another deal ever gets made.
After the recent ramping up of pressure on our government by some of the families, and reading the analysis by Herb Keinon in “Mixing messages in protest misses mark” (April 1), I feel it would be too counterproductive to display the message which my dog tag, cap, and T-shirt contain.
I would like to buy a dog tag, cap, and T-shirt which read: “Force Hamas to Let Our People Go.”
ALAN STEIN
Netanya