LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
GOP House must support Israel and Ukraine
With two democracies and U.S. allies fighting terrorist and tyrannical regimes, the House GOP majority needs to grow up, come to its senses, and pass legislation to fund the aid that both Ukraine and Israel need and deserve. Playing politics and theatrics for the cameras is not an option in these life-and-death cases.
Hamas is a terrorist group that not only desires to destroy Israel. It also is at odds with the Palestinian Authority governing body in the West Bank. Hamas might describe itself as a freedom fighting movement struggling for independence but what their leaders don’t say is their independence is realized by the destruction of Israel. There’s little difference between Hamas and Vladimir Putin. Putin might have the title of head of state but, like Hamas, he acts like a ruthless, savage terrorist, murdering those who oppose and disagree with him and invading countries for the sheer ego and narcissism of it.
If the U.S. is to remain a beacon of democracy, we must keep our promises and aid democratic allies who need and request it. The adults in the House GOP must stand up, work across the aisle, and approve aid to our democratic friends who are putting their lives on the line fighting terrorism and tyranny on behalf of the free world.
Scott Benarde, West Palm Beach
It’s the innocent who pay in war
Throughout history, there were leaders motivated by power, greed, ethnic-cultural and religious hate who used their armies to carry out their justification for such bloody warfare. But in all confrontations, there are always unarmed civilians — men, women and children, the elderly, the mentally and physically disabled — caught in this web of hate and who are victims of unconscionable crimes of murder, torture and rape and other human depravity. The heart of the world continues to suffer; the tears of the world continue to flow; and the number of innocent victims continues to rise. When is enough, enough?
Mary Ann D’Angio, Boynton Beach
Netanyahu government must resign
Some of your readers may be sympathetic to the Palestinian “terrorists” in Gaza and the West Bank, yearning to be free of Israeli occupation. Many more fully support the far right-wing, racist and increasingly anti-democratic government that is bringing even the Jewish population of Israel to the edge of civil war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, like the other corrupt wanna-be dictator Donald Trump, has long campaigned on a promise of “Only I can keep you safe.” In reality both need to stay in office only to keep themselves out of jail.
Regardless of who you support, the recent attacks by Hamas on Israel came as a complete surprise. By any measure Netanyahu and his entire Cabinet failed completely. Their response will be the same as always; bomb the poorest piece of land on Earth in Gaza and demand $8 billion in aid from the American taxpayer to support their agenda. All Israelis should be outraged and demand the immediate resignation of the Israeli government.
Dan Spotts, Ocean Ridge
War steeped in Palestinian oppression
As an American Jew living in South Florida, I am devastated to hear the Israeli government promising to commit war crimes against Palestinians in response to recent violent actions by Hamas. But this is not just a question of Israeli government policy. Our own government sends billions of dollars to Israel every year to support an apartheid regime that violates human rights — as well as Jewish ethics. For 75 years, Palestinians have faced brutal oppression, and every US taxpayer is complicit in this violence and oppression. The root of today’s violence is this history of oppression, which is funded by the U.S. and supported without question by South Florida politicians. As a Jew and as a human being committed to human rights, I must speak out against this complicity and I hope that others will join me in demanding that the U.S. end military support for Israel.
Nicole Morse, West Palm Beach
GOP response to attack predictable
The Republican response to war in Israel reveals they are bankrupt of positive solutions to this latest crisis. Their theory is that President Biden is responsible for the Hamas attack because he lifted the freeze on Iranian oil profits. This is false because the money has not yet been released and even if it had, the attack was planned and funded long before the freeze was lifted. Having said that, I am glad Republicans are finally admitting a truth we’ve all known: Oil profits fund terrorism. The wars in Ukraine and Israel are being funded by Russian and Iranian oil profits. Therefore, by using their oil, we are all funding these atrocities!
I wish Republicans would stop fighting and join the effort to reduce U.S. consumption of foreign oil. Transitioning to renewable energy, such as wind and solar, and ditching gasoline engines for electric vehicles, will bankrupt those rogue nations, reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil, and as a bonus, will slow down climate change.
Randy Johnson, Boynton Beach