Agony and unity about war in Israel

It was beautiful to see the enormous outpouring of people attending rallies Tuesday throughout Long Island in support of Israel [“  ‘We come together’ to support Israel,” News, Oct.  11]. But it was disheartening to hear of an educational institution such as Harvard University having a small group of radical students defending the Palestinian Arabs. This is our next generation. Don’t they realize these people want to destroy the State of Israel?

This was the land where Jesus was born and the Ten Commandments were given. Doesn’t the Muslim religion teach “love thy neighbor”?

Israel was once a desert but has become a flourishing garden that gives the world art, music, science and technology.

 — Pat King, Merrick

Your editorial “Israel needs our support” [Opinion, Oct. 10] was spot on except for saying that in part Israel has denied Palestinian national aspirations. The main problem is the Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel’s right to exist. The Palestinians could have had a state at any time. In 2000, Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat rejected a Palestinian state on more than 90% of the West Bank. But the Palestinians wanted all of Israel.

How do you negotiate with people who don’t recognize your right to exist? With whom is Israel supposed to negotiate? Israel left Gaza with a full infrastructure. All the Palestinians had to do is begin a society. But Hamas took over and went about trying to destroy Israel. So much for Israeli denial of Palestinian aspirations.

 — Adam D. Fisher, Port Jefferson Station

We can now see the results of having to deal with a terrorist organization. Why would any administration free up $6 billion to Iran, a nation whose intent is to destroy Israel and fund terrorism?

The sanctions that were put in place during the administration of former President Donald Trump kept Iran in check, but President Joe Biden saw fit to remove the sanctions and also allow Iran to make billions of dollars selling oil to China.

— Bruce Poulos, Massapequa

Most of the free world supports Israel — today — just a few days after a terrorist organization waged an unprecedented attack of murder, rape and kidnapping on Israeli soil. But what about tomorrow?

Scores of civilians likely will die — not because of Israeli “barbarism” (no other country sends warnings ahead of bombs) but because Hamas apparently would rather martyr its brothers and sisters than let them live in peace with the Jewish state. I hope that the world remembers this past weekend and the history of this conflict and continues to stand in support of Israel — tomorrow.

 — Josh H. Kardisch, East Meadow

Israel was formed by a United Nations resolution requiring no displacement of people [“Disparate views on the war in Israel,” Oct.  11]. It was not colonization. Displacement occurred when the Arab world rejected the two-state solution and attacked Israel in 1948. During and after the war, over 700,000 of the local Arabs fled and over 700,000 Jews were expelled from Arab countries.

Today, about 2 million Arab citizens live in Israel, but only a tiny fraction of the Jewish population lives in Arab countries.

 — Larry Siegel, Wantagh

The situation in Israel is inhuman. Israel is surrounded by hostile people who do not want a two-state solution. They want one country called Palestine and want Israel to cease to exist.

The problem is that the only apparent way to solve the current horror is with force. Hamas and Hezbollah respond to nothing else.

 — Michael Zisner, Bethpage

I have watched the violence in Israel and Gaza in horror [“Biden condemns ‘sheer evil’ of Hamas attack, ” News, Oct. 11]. What was especially painful is that my father, who is 81, was visiting his brother in Tel Aviv when Hamas attacked. My father was a medic in the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago, and I am struck by how little has changed.

I am grateful my father arrived home safely. My heart aches for the millions of Israelis and Palestinians for whom there is no escape from terror and violence.

I mention the plight of both Israelis and Palestinians because I know that the terrorism of Hamas and the right-wing extremism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government leave both groups in harm’s way.

It is dangerous to equate Hamas with all Palestinians and the Netanyahu government with all Israelis because it leads us to forget our shared humanity and vulnerability.

I am grateful to the many people, including my Muslim friends, who reached out to me inquiring about my father’s safety. I will always hold out hope for an equitable two-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians can live in peace, dignity and security.

— Shoshana Hershkowitz, South Setauket