Thursday, June 03, 2010

Flotilla Reaction: Letters to the Editor

The following letters-to the editor appeared in the New York Times. They represent a very interesting cross-section of opinion, and once again reveal the RW bloggers are either lying or speaking out of ignorance when they say the paper out-and-out opposes the Jewish state.
To the Editor:

Re “After Deadly Raid at Sea, Israel Is Sharply Criticized” (front page, June 1):

As a supporter of Israel, I am pained by the foolish decisions of Israeli leaders, which justifiably result in the international condemnation of Israel. I cannot fathom why the Israeli military sanctioned the boarding of a vessel that it knew was filled with extremists. It does not require a genius to realize that this might not end well — and become a public relations disaster.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support of the manner in which this interdiction was conducted showed exceptionally poor judgment.

Darryl Pitt
New York, June 1, 2010



To the Editor:

Kudos to the United States government for looking for facts before jumping to condemn Israel.

It is unfortunate that so many other world leaders automatically condemn any action taken by Israel without thoroughly examining the facts and seriously considering the possibility that they would have taken the same action if they stood in Israel’s shoes.

Allison Levine Speiser
Mitzpe Yericho, West Bank, June 1, 2010



To the Editor:

The handling of the flotilla was a tragic display of incompetence at the highest levels of the Israeli military and intelligence command. All the facts aren’t in yet, but from Day 1, the flotilla was designed to provoke and embarrass Israel — and sadly the government played right into the Gaza radicals’ hands.

I have no doubt that the commandos boarding the boats did the best they could tactically once things got out of hand, but where were the training and planning scenarios that would have anticipated the high possibility of an on-board attack or some other kind of entrapment? It could have been repelled firmly, but without the loss of multiple lives.

Yes, it is challenging to be a defense force that handles provocative situations in an effective and humane manner, but from the outset the goal should have been to deflect the trap in the most intelligent way possible. Doing so could have positioned Israel as not simply stronger than its adversaries, but more clever.

Lloyd P. Trufelman
New York, June 1, 2010



To the Editor:

If the flotilla activists truly wanted to bring peaceful supplies to Gaza, they would have accepted the Israeli military’s offer to relay all supplies to Gaza after checking them for weapons or explosives. But the flotilla activists did not accept the offer.

If the flotilla activists truly wanted to promote peace, they would have accepted the offer of the parents of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive, to pressure the Israeli government to let the flotilla through, in return for the flotilla activists pressuring Hamas to allow letters and food packages to be delivered to Gilad Shalit. But the flotilla activists did not accept this offer either.

And if the flotilla activists really wanted to stop the three-year-old Israeli blockade of Gaza, they would push Hamas to stop the rockets that caused the blockade to be imposed. Then Gazans could return to the freedom that they had immediately after the Israeli withdrawal in 2005, when many hoped peace was on the horizon.

When activists can truly work for peace, maybe peace will come.

Bruce Dov Krulwich
Beit Shemesh, Israel, June 1, 2010



To the Editor:

When I was 13 years old, in 1948, I won awards for collecting donations for the new state of Israel. Well, I’ve had it with Israel, and I want my money back.

Judith Resner
Berkeley, Calif., June 1, 2010



To the Editor:

It is appalling that it may take the deaths of at least nine people who were part of a convoy trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza before the United States finally pushes Israel to end the blockade on that Palestinian territory.

To punish millions of innocent people, the majority of whom live in poverty, and push them further into misery is no way to create the conditions for peace that the region desperately needs. It is time for the international community — the United States included — to tell Israel that it will no longer stand by as the country continues to break international laws, and that the blockade on Gaza must be lifted.

Anar Virji
Washington, June 1, 2010



To the Editor:

The unrestrained rush to judgment of Israel’s actions in the naval raid stands in stark contrast to the measured response to the torpedo attack on a South Korean warship in which North Korea stands accused.

While an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council managed to condemn Israel without the benefit of any independent investigation, that same body has yet to even meet on the Korean incident despite the evidence of North Korea’s guilt from an international examination.

Daniel Wolf
Teaneck, N.J., June 1, 2010

Search for more information about flotilla at 4torah.com.

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