History YOUR VIEWS

I am horrified to hear President Joe Biden’s response to the Gaza uprising — a direct result of increasingly violent repression not only of Gaza but of the West Bank. I am angry and disgusted to read the news of ships and arms headed to defend the Israeli apartheid state in continuing crimes against Palestinians. This is a highly irresponsible position for Biden to take and one that amounts to his own complicity in further war crimes.

For the past year, the most racist, fundamentalist, far-right government in Israeli history has ruthlessly escalated its military occupation over Palestinians with mass killings, military raids on refugee camps, unrelenting siege and daily humiliation. In recent weeks, Israeli settlers forced their way into a holy Muslim site in Jerusalem.

For 16 years, the Israeli government has suffocated Palestinians in Gaza under a draconian air, sea and land military blockade, imprisoning and starving 2 million people. This had worsened considerably over the past six weeks leading to increased anger and desperation. This ghetto uprising did not happen in a vacuum and should be no surprise.

The bloodshed of today and of the past decades traces back directly to U.S. complicity in the oppression and horror caused by Israel’s military occupation.

The U.S. government consistently enables Israeli violence and bears blame for this moment. The unchecked military funding, diplomatic cover, and millions, if not billions, of dollars of private money flowing from the U.S. enables and empowers Israel’s apartheid regime. Nothing good can come of this. Our support for racist oppression and atrocities must end.

— Al Markowitz, Norfolk