To the editor: What strikes me most about the protests against Israeli leadership is that Israel is a democracy that allows dissenting voices to be heard. (“Strikes, protests roil divided Israel amid funerals for hostages, including California native,” Sept. 2)
Where are the Palestinians demonstrating against Hamas terrorist leaders in the Gaza Strip? Hamas fighters brutally murdered Israelis at a music festival, took hostages and killed other hostages. It is the cause of thousands of Palestinian civilian deaths.
Let's look at the protests against Hamas in the West Bank and Arab countries. Is it simply because they do not have the freedom that Israelis enjoy, or because they approve of Hamas' mission to kill Jews?
Esther Friedberg, City Studio
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To the editor: It is hypocritical for President Biden to express disgust at the murder of six Israeli hostages and claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not doing enough to achieve peace.
Netanyahu knows that Biden will continue to supply him with weapons to kill innocent Palestinians, so he can afford to ignore him.
With the stroke of a pen, Biden could halt arms shipments to Israel, and Netanyahu would stop the carnage immediately.
Charles Blankson, Menifee
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To the editor: Six Israeli hostages were murdered in cold blood. This is yet another heinous and despicable crime perpetrated by Hamas. Israel will, as expected, take severe retaliation.
It is to be expected, then, that Israel's critics will cry quietly about what Hamas has done, but will cry very loudly “bloody murder” about what the Israelis will do.
Hamas, by its very mandate, aims at the destruction of Israel. How, then, should Israel negotiate with a group that is ideologically determined to destroy its people?
I therefore ask Israel's critics to spare us their pity and their calls for a “balanced” response. Israel will do whatever it takes to survive.
Jack Salem, Los Angeles
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To the editor: After seeing the huge protests that followed the death of six Israeli hostages, Benjamin Netanyahu responded: “No one will preach to me.”
Here the mind of a dictator is revealed.
A democratically minded prime minister would say: “I am here to serve the will of the people, as our laws require, so I will pay close attention to their concerns.”
A despot pays no attention to the will of the people. He has no room for learning, no desire to compromise, no need to serve.
Kimball Shinkoskey, Woods Cross, Utah
