More on war between Israel, Gaza

When it comes to the Mideast, there’s nothing like an Israeli response to terrorism that brings out the best in hypocrisy and anti-Semitism in local writers (Jan. 17), the U.N., or Europe.

After Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, over 7,000 Iranian-derived rockets have been fired by Palestinians into southern Israeli towns. After a bloody takeover in Gaza by the terrorist group Hamas in 2006, nearly 3,700 rockets have been fired, and on Christmas Day 2008 alone, nearly 100 were fired. From southern Lebanon, a supposedly U.N.-secured zone, rockets were again fired this week onto northern Israeli farmlands.

One rarely hears criticism of these attacks on innocent Jewish civilians. Nor do we see condemnation of our country going after al-Qaida and the Taliban following 9/11, the British saving their sheep in the Falkland War, Putin re-invading Ukraine, or Arabs killing Arabs.

But lo and behold if a democratic government tries to protect its citizens and destroy the terrorist leadership hiding amongst Palestinian civilians; then all the self-righteous critics creep into the limelight to become human rights advocates and foreign policy experts.

Terrorism in Tel Aviv is just as evil as it is in NYC, London, Paris or Madrid.

Joseph Harari

Spokane