Web Letters: Grieving Over Gaza

I write as an American who, until now, fully supported Israel's position in their fight against terrorism on their land.

However, Israel's disingenuous and self-righteous arguments justifying their recent actions in Gaza are an insult to my intelligence.

Why, at a time when Israeli deaths as a result of terrorism are at the lowest level in years, has Israel disingenuously chosen this moment to brutally attack Gaza?

To put Israel's current self-righteous rhetoric into perspective, in 2008 three times as many Israelis have been killed by fellow Israelis than were killed by terrorists. I'm embarrassed that my government continues to support Israel in their immoral actions.

Louis Arpino

Knoxville, TN

As the heartbreaking images of civilian suffering grow ever more excruciating, it seems more important than ever for "observers" of this tragedy to imagine a parent in tnis horrific scenario, trying to comfort a child at bedtime, knowing their home could be bombed that night.

This is a musical expression, attempting to call forth the emotion of the moment, with prayers that we at least honor the anguish, injury and loss these parents and children are enduring: "LULLABY FOR A CHILD IN WAR"(free download, complete lyrics.

Mike Nobel
Songs of Peace

Gorham, ME

You write as if the November 4, 2008, date were decisive, stating: "But no one denies that on November 4 Israel carried out an incursion into Gaza, killing seven Palestinians and setting off the renewal of violence--Qassam launchings into Israel by Hamas and Israeli killings of Palestinians in Gaza--that was in full swing by the time the truce expired."

Well, no one denies that there was an incursion, but be that as it may, no one honest leaves out the reason for the incursion, which was the digging of a tunnel into Israel for purposes of capturing Israelis to serve as hostages. That is a pretty egregious violation of the "cease-fire." Moreover, the smuggling into Gaza of rockets was another egregious violation of the "cease-fire."

More to the point, the shooting of 200 rockets into Israel during the "cease-fire" shows that, in fact, cease-fires are insufficient to address Israel's most minimal demand, which is that rockets cease being shot into Israel. Hence, negotiating a continuation of a "cease-fire" which would allow Hamas to shoot rockets into Israel is a farce.

N. Friedman

Boston, MA