To the editor:
I want to respond to one aspect of Estra Grant's presumably nonhateful, nonlying letter (Public Forum, June 14), that having to do with the Israeli wall.
First, the wall where it is concrete as it runs, for example, through Bethlehem, is twice as high as the Berlin Wall with surrounding roads and electric fences. In other places, it is layers of razor wire with patrol roads, ditches and surveillance cameras. In 2006, 318 houses were destroyed for alleged military purposes, such as building the wall, leaving 1,970 homeless. People are unable to reach work, family and needed services. Two Palestinians have died this year because they were unable to reach medical help. These are not "inconveniences."
And if the wall is intended to protect Israelis from Palestinians, why does it divide the Palestinians in East Jerusalem from those in the West Bank? Why do they cut Palestinians off from their fields and work and water? Look at the maps at www.btselem.org to see if the wall is designed to serve a security purpose.
In 2003, the U.N. General Assembly called for Israel to "stop and reverse" building the wall. In 2005, the International Court of Justice declared the wall illegal. Rabbis have said the destruction of trees for the wall violates Jewish law.
But do not just read letters, even nonhateful, nonlying ones, but learn about this wall for yourself. And then - along with many Israelis and others - stand up for human rights.
Anne Haehl,
Lawrence
Comments
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mick (anonymous) says…
Amen. It is time for the US to stop funding this terrorist state "Israel."
craigers (anonymous) says…
Terrorist state of "Israel"?! Good one.
mick (anonymous) says…
What would you call it craigers? Last September when two soldiers were kidnapped Israel responded by targeting civilian infrastructure in Beirut. They murdered 3000 innocent civilians including 900 children and left Beirut a heap of rubble. They then left 100,000 unexploded cluster bombs. Sounds like terrorism to me. Now the Israeli proponent in the Senate, Joe Lieberman, wants us to begin bombing Iran. It's time we looked out for our own interests instead of acting like a colony of Israel.
oldvet (anonymous) says…
Hmmm... maybe we should find out who the contractor was and hire them for the US wall on the Mexico border...
75x55 (anonymous) says…
Dittos, oldvet.
Jamesaust (anonymous) says…
Hmmm....and yet murderous attackers outside this wall have been stopped. Its hardly a permanent solution or what anyone would prefer but then I, nor Israel, has any real control over radical factions among the Palestinians (apparently, the Palestinians do not either).
"In 2005, the International Court of Justice declared the wall illegal."
Hmmm...I believe the body, which has no jurisdiction, issued an advisory statement that they consider the "wall" to be contrary to law. The "advice" relied upon a prerequisite that the territory in question was the equivalent of the territory of a State (which it is not). True, one State may not conquer and annex the territory of another State but then there has never been nor is there now a Palestinian State. The land in question is unallocated territory remnant of the Ottoman Empire from 1917(!). The United Nations has allocated some of that land to create the State of Israel; it has not allocated the other land to any State.
Jamesaust (anonymous) says…
"Last September when two soldiers were kidnapped Israel responded by targeting civilian infrastructure in Beirut."
Hmmm....I see to remember an intervening event. Something about rockets raining death from the skies into Israel (and killing Jew and Arab alike in the process)? The posited claim - soldiers kidnapped so civilians were collectively punished - is simply false and no one speaking in good faith could make such an obvious error.
"They murdered 3000 innocent civilians including 900 children and left Beirut a heap of rubble."
Last I checked, the terrorists who insisted on launching rockets, hiding ammunition, and plotting terror in the middle of civilian areas "murdered" innocent civilians. Indeed, I believe that was The Plan. I also believe the Geneva Conventions are quite clear about the care combatants must take to avoid civilian casualties. Those Conventions make clear: (A) these terrorists were not in compliance by initiating acts of war from civilian areas (using civilians as shields) and (B) Israel has a right to respond proportionately even if civilians are killed - the only legal disagreement being how to measure "proportional." (Bozo prefers a tit-for-tat approach; traditionally, what's proportional is the response necessary to bring hostilities - broadly defined - to a cessation.)
(I should add: I find Israel's strategy as such to be poor and its execution incompetent. But that doesn't make it "illegal.")
gr (anonymous) says…
So, James, and I'm not saying either way, but it appears you are saying you have absolutely no problem with US being in Iraq.
Tit-for-tat.
Israel is nothing but another problem nation bickering and fighting with others. Like Iraq, Iran, ....
kcredeye (Steve Burrows) says…
oldvet (Anonymous) says:
"Hmmm: maybe we should find out who the contractor was and hire them for the US wall on the Mexico border:"
Strongly Concur!
erod0723 (anonymous) says…
The time to defend or support either side has ended. Both sides are terrorists. Both sides are victims. Both sides will continue attacking each other in the future. We have had some of the great minds of the 80s, 90s, and 00s working on this problem. How is it that we cannot find a solution to this problem.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"Bozo prefers a tit-for-tat approach; traditionally, what's proportional is the response necessary to bring hostilities - broadly defined - to a cessation."
And Israel chose to define it quite broadly, which permitted them to destroy all roads and bridges and other vital infrastructure, not to mention level entire villages and neighborhoods, and leave behind a million or so unexploded cluster bombs.
So James, would you be in favor of giving Hamas and Hezbollah a $billion in military aide next year so that they can fight by the same well-armed rules that Israel follows? I mean, if you're upset because it's not a "fair" fight, shouldn't the playing field be leveled (no pun intended?)
Speakout (anonymous) says…
If the Israelis would get out of Palestinian land, like the west bank, then the terror on Israel would stop. That is exactly what Palestinians want and really what Israelis want although they don't have the courage to face their mistake. Read about this from other non-Pro Israel news not US and Brittain. The solution is simple: Israelis out of Palestinian land and tear down the wall and rebuild it if you must so that it is around Israel not in Palestinian land. My God, how simple can it get?
Some find that this won't happen because the Israelis want more land, even Lebanon and Jordan, and more rivers and settlements. They can't have it all. They got what they got from the west, now learn to live with it.
Bubbles (anonymous) says…
During WWII Hitler worked with Muslims to get rid of Jews.
That's weird.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
Actually, glock, there are significant numbers on each side, Arab/Palesinian and Israeli, who want to find some sort of accommodation, and live in peace.
Unfortunately, it's the belligerents on each side that control things because it's much easier to maintain a cycle of violence than it is to end it.
Speakout (anonymous) says…
First of all, Bubbles, If you read history, Muslims in North Africa were attacked and colonized by both the Germans and Italians prior to WW!! and they fought hard against the Nazis and Facists in Italy. Muslims were also part of WW!! and supported the Jews in Germany from all parts of the world. That is totally a false statement.
Glockowner, Why do you suppose most Muslims hate Jews? Just because they don't believe in Muhammad? No, because they usurped Muslim land (Palestine) and refuse to give Palestinians due process and freedoms afforded their own immigrants. Palestinians are living in an Aparthied and it is obvious. The biggest threat to them is the loss of jobs and a livlihood. Their ancient orchards and groves have been destroyed and they have no income, no future and no hope for one. And Bozo is right. Read the articles coming from moderate Israelis and they are saying that it was a mistake to keep the West Bank after the 1967 war. They should have returned it and I think there would be more of a peaceful atmosphere there now than what they have. I think there will be peace there if that happens and I am connected to some very good thinkers on this topic.
I am and always have been pretty open minded about the events there. No people attack another unless they WANT something. Palestinians did not initiate this conflict at all. They lived on that land for a thousand years but when the Zionists wanted a homeland, they decided to take Palestine for many reasons. Read Jimmy Carter's book and many others on that topic.