BRATTLEBORO-The Commons has recently published a number of commentaries and letters to the editor regarding the sad situation for Palestinians in Gaza. The general tenor of these articles is that Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces are responsible for death and starvation in Gaza and as an apartheid state in the Middle East.
This is an outright lie and misconception of historical facts! It comes on the heels of the brutal murder of a beautiful couple, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, members of the Israeli Embassy staff, who were to be married before their lives were tragically cut short. President Trump stated, 'these horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, now! Hatred and racism have no place in USA." And, I might add, the world.
These lies began when Israel was fighting for its existence in 1948 and attacked by seven Arab armies in its War of Independence in May. Through sheer grit and determination, it survived while the surrounding Arab states were determined to extinguish the Jewish state.
Egyptian President Gamal Nasser purposely set up a refugee camp on the inhospitable sands of Gaza, refusing to allow them entry into Egypt. Yet those Arabs who remained on their lands were granted Israeli citizenship if they wished. Many accepted, including entire villages, and were granted representation in the Knesset, Israel's parliament. So much for an apartheid state! Yet in the recent election in Brattleboro, an article (#2) asked if Israel should be listed as an apartheid state. The vote was in the affirmative. due to media and voter lack of knowledge.
In 1964, Yasser Arafat, founder of the terrorist organization PLO began to use the term "Palestinian" for Arabs residing in Israel, although the British during the Mandate period had used it as a general term for Jews and Arabs alike. He then began a program of systematic terror on the handicapped, elderly, women, and children. And the world did not care!
Attempts were made by Jimmy Carter to mediate for peace, in a land-for-peace agreement, which the PLO refused, and the world did not care!
In 2005, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel (Arik) Sharon required that Israeli settlers leave Gaza, and returned Gaza to its inhabitants, who promptly voted in the terrorist Hamas as their chosen government which continued its terrorist attacks on Israel. And the world did not care!
On Oct. 7, 2023, wave upon wave of Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel, murdering, beheading, and raping over 1,200 Israelis and taking over 200 hostages, and the world made a show of concern, but did not really care!
In fact, many blamed Israel for its own tragedy, the greatest since the Holocaust. Israel is now in a war for survival, an existential war. And the world still blames Israel!
Nevertheless, Israel will prevail, in spite of the unprovoked antisemitism and Jew hatred. And moving forward under the slogan developed for the genocide of the Holocaust, "Never Again," whether the world cares or not!
Kenneth Gutwein
Brattleboro
This letter to the editor was submitted to The Commons.
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