Sacrificial lamb
Without even a hint of shame, US President Joe Biden is blackmailing Israel, the only democratic country in the Middle East (“Israel, Hamas urged to accept Biden hostage deal,” June 2).
Yet, he has good precedents, going back to former administrations. He is good at threats, warning Israel that there will be consequences if it does not agree to his ideas in relation to the war with Hamas. He orders a halt in the delivery of bombs that are so necessary for Israel to win the war.
Has the US ever won a war? No. The last one the country lost was in Afghanistan, where American soldiers were needlessly killed before the US pulled out, leaving behind expensive armaments which the Taliban terrorists happily received.
President Biden has set a trap for Prime Minister Netanyahu and I pray that he does not fall for it. Biden’s goal is to win the upcoming election, and in order to do that, he is turning Israel into the sacrificial lamb. Hamas could not be happier, having a lawyer like President Biden on his side.
It is totally unprecedented that in the middle of a defensive war, the injured side needs to provide aid to the aggressor. Did the US provide aid to the Japanese population during World War Two, or to the German population? Of course not.
HANNAH GERSHONJerusalem
Parallel universe
Regarding “Touting Saudi deal, US envoy Lew says two states is a defeat for Hamas” (June 3): In which parallel universe is Ambassador Lew living? All I can say to Mr. Lew is that silence is golden.Sadly, he is showing his complete ignorance of Middle East politics.
FREYA BINENFELDPetah Tikva
Jack Lew must be a very smart guy. Otherwise how could he have been chosen as US Treasury secretary, director of the Office of Management and Budget, White House chief of staff, president Obama’s point man promoting the JCPOA, and now US ambassador to Israel?
Or, you might look at his record in each of those positions and ask why someone who is always wrong is constantly promoted. Or, you might wonder why a seemingly pleasant, Orthodox Jewish guy has no compunction championing causes inimical to the interest of the Jewish people.
Regardless, his new pronouncement that a two-state solution would be a defeat for Hamas may not be the most mindless thing he has ever said, but it is close. The Biden administration’s early attempts to bury the Abraham Accords rather than acknowledge a Trump success has morphed into a move to burden it with a Palestinian state. And who is now the point man? Guess: It’s Jack Lew.
With good friends like these…
CHAIM A. ABRAMOWITZJerusalem
Complete unknown
Regarding “IDF confirms: Four captives killed in Gaza” (June 4), the tragic question we are all now asking ourselves is how many of the remaining hostages are still alive?
We used to rely on Mossad for the kind of accurate information that in the tunnels of Gaza appears to be a complete unknown. The action which we should have taken on October 8 must be taken now. We must demand the release of all the hostages, both alive and dead, in the first phase of this deal, followed by the complete destruction of the rest of Rafah, including the remaining Hamas battalions, as well as its leaders.
Churchill’s phrase that “meeting jaw to jaw is better than war” is now well past its expiration date, when dealing with heinous killers.
STEPHEN VISHNICKTel Aviv
Replacing the Jewish state
I usually enjoy, agree with what Liat Collins writes, but in “The Palestinian failed state solution” (May 31), she missed a crucial point in her first sentences. The most important point is that Palestine had no history until its invention, which was aimed at replacing the Jewish state.
In actuality, this began when Hadrian replaced the name Judea with Palestine on the map and has gotten even worse in more modern times when the British did everything to undermine the growth of a Jewish community here. Then the newly established United Nations proposed a plan to give most of the remaining Mandate – after the British invented Jordan, giving the eastern bank of the Jordan to a foreign sheikh and declaring him king – to the Arabs and indefensible pockets of land to the Jews in the Partition Plan.
Today we see the world cheering on Israel’s destruction and its replacement by a terror state they’re calling Palestine; God forbid.
This history is the key to the problem. We must recognize it. Our help won’t come from all the nations and international bodies.
BATYA MEDADShiloh
Fueling the fire
Regarding “PM accepts invitation to address joint session of Congress” (June 2): I think this will be harmful to both Israel and the US.
There is already much polarization in the US, and Netanyahu’s visit would fuel the fire. There would likely be significant demonstrations opposing Israeli policies in Gaza, and many Democratic legislators would likely not attend Netanyahu’s talk, or perhaps they will walk out, or turn their back on him.
Since Netanyahu favors Republicans, his visit would be seen as a way to support Donald Trump’s reelection bid during a critical election period in the US, worsening US-Israel relations.
Considering the weight of the decisions that Netanyahu and his war cabinet must make at this critical time, it would be prudent for him to postpone his visit until a more suitable time, thereby demonstrating his commitment to thoughtful and strategic decision-making.
RICHARD H. SCHWARTZShoresh
Looking at a mirage
All those people who see nothing but a two-state solution as the answer to all the problems between the Jewish state and those so-called Palestinians (“The irony of history,” May 28) are looking at a mirage. How can we have a two-state-solution with people who refuse nothing less than all of Israel, and who hate us and want nothing else but to cut our throat, as they take over the whole country?
Most of us here cannot believe that there are people like President Joe Biden, the leader of our strongest ally, who propose a two-state solution for us, and who should know that it would be like putting a sword in our western and southern sides, when we already have Hezbollah to our north.
Does the US president, our good pal, want to see our demise, as well?
EDMUND JONAHRishon Lezion