Did Israel have a right to attack? (4 letters)

Published June 12, 2010 at 5:07 p.m.

Re: “The rush to judge Israel,” June 2 David Harsanyi column.

In his rush to exonerate Israel, David Harsanyi impugned the motives of those critical of certain Israeli actions, particularly of the Israeli attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. However, he failed to discuss the clear and blatant illegality of the attack itself. Instead, Harsanyi used deflection, distraction and disinformation to obfuscate the situation.

Let’s perform an experiment. Say it was Iran or China that attacked a flotilla of unarmed ships carrying humanitarian aid and activists in international waters. The attackers killed a number of the activists, seized the ships, kidnapped the activists, stole their possessions, and then detained them for some time. What would our reaction be? Would we claim that the activists should not have defended themselves? Laws must apply to all, not just to those our government perceives to be our enemies.

Ron Forthofer, Longmont

This letter was published in the June 13 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

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Considering how many rockets have been fired into the homes of the innocents, doesn’t Israel have the right to ensure the safety of its population by inspecting ships bringing “supplies” to the Palestinians?

I am sure that when Israel gave up a large portion of the Gaza several years ago, they thought they might have an end to these attacks, but since the attacks continued, they started the blockade in order to search incoming ships and verify that they are not delivering weapons.

Kurt Williams, Arvada

This letter was published in the June 13 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

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Re: “Israel’s raid of aid ships traveling to Gaza,” June 5 letters to the editor.

Regarding the world reaction to the Israeli flotilla incident, letter-writer Steve Feld wrote: “Those who say they are not anti-Semitic, only anti-Israel, are simply liars.” I acknowledge that Israel has largely lost the media wars and very often coverage is slanted against them, but Mr. Feld’s statement that all those who criticize Israel are liars is not supported by any evidence on his part and only contributes to the current lack of understanding on all sides.
I am a supporter of Israel who is well aware of the provocations of Hamas and anti-Semitic teachings in the Arab world. I am also critical of many of Israel’s actions and I know many reasonable people on the other side are justifiably angry over well-documented Israeli transgressions. One can be against Israeli policies without being anti-Israel or anti-Semitic. By painting all critics with the broad brush of anti-Semitism, he is every bit as dishonest as the biased media he excoriates.

John Eddy, Fort Collins

This letter was published in the June 13 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

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While it is tempting to dismiss such statements as letter-writer Steve Feld’s as being typical “with us or against us” jingoism, I want to be sensitive to the undeniable history of persecution the Jewish people have suffered, and I know from experience that any criticism of modern Israel or the tactics of its early “freedom fighters” is a hot-button issue with some writers. It is worth noting, however, that in a 1948 letter to The New York Times, several prominent Jews, including Albert Einstein, sharply criticized the April massacre at Deir Yassin and the Israeli Herut party as a “terrorist … chauvinist organization.” Even so, after the death of Chaim Weizman, Israel’s first president, in 1952 David Ben-Gurion offered Professor Einstein that post. Einstein, who was always skeptical of nationalism, modestly declined, but the point is that his public criticisms obviously did not support a charge of his being “anti-Semitic.”

Steven Chostler, Denver

This letter was published in the June 13 edition. For information on how to send a letter to the editor, click here.

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