Blame Hamas, not Israel

Re “In Gaza, we’re lucky to get four hours of electricity,” Opinion, Aug. 20

It’s very sad and even painful to see children suffering in the conditions present in the Gaza Strip.

Abier Almasri writes that “Israel bears responsibility under international law to facilitate normal life” and that “Hamas exercises internal control.” Hamas does indeed control and keep 2.5 million people as human shields. It perpetuates hate by educating children in its anti-Semitic ideology. How can someone ask Israel to bear responsibility when Gaza is in fact controlled by Hamas?

I am a 90-year-old Holocaust survivor and veteran of the Israel Defense Forces. It is my dream to live side by side in peace with my Palestinian cousins — if not with love, then at least as friendly neighbors. But with Hamas in power, we cannot sit quietly without recognizing the hatred that is fueled in what could be a flourishing Mediterranean society.

Joshua Kaufman

Los Angeles

Almasri should hold Egypt at least partly responsible for the plight of the citizens of Gaza.

Gaza, which is contiguous to and could be looked at as part of the Sinai Peninsula, was under Egyptian rule until it was occupied by Israel in 1967 in the Six Day War. Israel subsequently signed a peace treaty with Egypt and totally withdrew from Sinai in 1982. Unfortunately, Egypt did not want to resume control of Gaza or confer citizenship on its residents.

Israel reluctantly continued its occupation of Gaza until 2005, when it unilaterally withdrew, leaving behind a flourishing greenhouse industry to boost the economy. The border crossing between Gaza and Israel was left open, enabling those with work permits to earn a living wage in Israel. But rockets soon rained down on Israel, and Hamas was elected to govern. Israel closed its border in 2007 (as did Egypt at the southern end of the strip), and the rest is history.

The people of Gaza are indeed pawns — of their own making. They chose conflict over peace with their neighbors and are suffering the consequences. Pauline Regev

Santa Monica