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Dear editor:
I join with Bruce Ticker in hoping that people who don’t approve of Israel’s standing up to those who seek to destroy the nation-state of the Jews will not get away with physically attacking Jews (whether those Jews are Zionists or not). (“Can We Prevent Future Manchesters?” Boulder Jewish News October 9, 2025) However, I believe that he could help matters by doing a better job of defending Israel’s actions in his columns. In writing that “Israel has been hammered with condemnation after killing thousands of Gazans in its attempt to destroy Hamas,” Ticker implies that Israel deliberately targeted civilians. He makes no mention of the words of military leaders, such as Major John Spencer and Colonel Richard Kemp, who praised Israel’s exemplary efforts (and success in) avoiding civilian casualties). Nor does he mention Hamas’ deliberately exposing Gazans to danger (suffering civilians make for good anti-Israel propaganda) or the fact that the many attempts to impose premature ceasefires on Israel unnecessarily prolonged the war.
https://www.meforum.org/mef-observer/no-half-measures-in-gaza
Ticker also displays a strong dislike for Prime Minister Netanyahu and his “right-wing” coalition. Yet, Palestinian leaders have refused peace proposals from Israeli parties spanning the political spectrum. In fact, the most significant movements toward peace were made by rightwing Israeli leaders — Menachem Begin who signed a peace treaty with Egypt and Ariel Sharon who masterminded Israel’s withdrawal of all Israeli civilians and security personnel from Gaza. Unfortunately, Egypt’s “peace” with Israel has been a cold one and Hamas chose to build its massive network of terror tunnels instead of developing Gaza’s economy. Nor is there universal acceptance of the claim that Netanyahu prolonged the war in Gaza to ensure his own political survival.
https://www.jns.org/netanyahu-is-the-post-oct-7-wars-victor-not-its-scapegoat
Toby F. Block
Atlanta, GA
