Gal Gadot smear an anti-Israel rant
Re When feminism’s wonders aren’t for all women, Opinion, June 15 There’s no foundation to Azeezah Kanji’s smearing of Israeli movie star Gal Gadot as someone who supports “violence against the women, children and men of Palestine . . .”
Any death of a civilian is deeply regrettable, but let’s not be obtuse to how the Hamas terror group commits double war crimes by firing rockets at Israeli daycares, homes and hospitals while hiding within and adjacent to Palestinian residential areas, United Nations schools and mosques. These are bona fide war crimes in violation of international law, yet Kanji excuses Hamas’ flagrant violations of the Geneva Conventions.
Let’s not forget that Hamas initiated the conflict in 2014 when it kidnapped and murdered three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank. Furthermore, Hamas fired thousands of rockets at Israel and carried out deadly assaults on Israelis by digging terror-attack tunnels. Just this week, a Hamas-dug tunnel was found under a United Nations relief agency school.
Israel and Egypt rightly enforce a blockade of Gaza (in adherence to international law) as a means to prevent Hamas from re-arming itself and from carrying out attacks on its civilian populations. The only materials that are restricted from entering Gaza are those that have potential dual uses that can be retrofitted as weaponry.
Gadot is a perfect example of feminism. She proudly and bravely served her country in the Israel Defence Forces, where she endured a gruelling three-month boot camp, served for two years in the army and was a combat trainer.
Kanji’s anti-Israel commentary was not worthy of publication. Mike Fegelman, executive director, Honest Reporting Canada, Toronto Azeezah Kanji ignores the fact that Hamas, a terrorist organization, is responsible for the tragic situation in Gaza. Using resources and weapons from the brutal, anti-woman Iranian regime, Hamas has rolled back woman’s rights and called for woman and children to be used as human shields in Gaza. It’s disappointing you’ve given a platform to someone who ignores these issues so they can advance a bigoted, divisive campaign to delegitimize Israel. Ironically, by dismissing the threat Hamas poses to innocent Israelis and Palestinians alike, Kanji ignores the root causes of this painful conflict and the tragic situation in Gaza. Her biased attack on Israel does nothing to relieve the suffering caused by Hamas terrorists. Joan Cohen, Toronto