To the editor: On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah attacked Israeli civilians with a barrage of rockets, and has done so daily for nearly a year. Was Hezbollah “retaliating” on October 8? And why, exactly? (“Hezbollah Strikes Back With Rockets While Declaring ‘Open Battle’ With Israel,” September 21)
According to UN Resolution 1701, armed forces other than the UN and the Lebanese army are not allowed to be located south of the Litani River in Lebanon, creating a buffer zone near Israel. Hezbollah has not only violated the resolution, but has also increased its armed forces in that area.
For a year, Hezbollah has launched a barrage of rockets that has burned and depopulated towns and cities in northern Israel. Israel can no longer tolerate this, which should come as no surprise to anyone.
Hezbollah can apparently defy UN Resolution 1701 with impunity, but Israel’s self-defensive actions must be “retaliated against,” which is a terrifying display of political moral inversion.
Julia Lutch, Davis, California.
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To the editor: If a Muslim country did this, “pre-empting” an attack with an attack that killed nearly 500 people, it would be called terrorism. Why do we allow this to continue to happen?
It has been almost a year since Israeli forces began to completely decimate the Gaza Strip. Israel has the right to defend itself, but this is no longer a defense, but a blatant attack.
Punishing Hamas by killing so many Palestinians is not something the US should support. Now we continue to send aid to Israel while it has its sights set on Lebanon?
Enough is enough. The administration of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu poses a grave threat to world peace.
Sol Siddiq, by the river
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To the editor: I'm fed up with The Times calling Hamas and Hezbollah fighters “militants.”
Militants are individuals or small groups who are willing to use violence to achieve their political goals. Someone who bombs an abortion clinic when no one is there so that abortions cannot be performed is a militant; someone who does this when there are people in the clinic is a terrorist.
But groups of thousands of people who are armed with standardized weapons, who have uniforms and commanders and tactical and strategic plans, are not militants.
The militants do not have companies, battalions, brigades and divisions. The militants do not have thousands of rockets and missiles.
Hamas and Hezbollah are armies. The Times should use the terms “soldiers” or “units” when referring to them.
Ephraim Landau, Ashkelon, Israel
