Letters for March 28, 2023
Some clarification needed
The March 18 letter (“Stop supporting Israeli government”) by a frequent critic of Israel, questioning American support for the Israeli government deserves clarification of numerous misleading statements.
Our country is supporting Israel, the only democracy in the region and America’s ally in conflicts against Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union/Russia and Iran. Our two countries engage in extensive cultural, economic, scientific and military exchanges and American aid is spent on U.S. goods and services.
The author’s slur of apartheid has no factual basis given the integration of Arabs and Muslims in Israeli society, the government, the military, citizenship and official use of the Arabic language.
The elected prime minister is attempting to bring the Supreme Court under constitutional law control, similar to our system. The results of that move will be decided by Israeli (Arabs, Jews, Muslims, Christians, etc.) citizens, not Americans living in the U.S.
Lastly, a famous Mideast saying states, “Arabs never miss an opportunity to miss a chance for peace” witnessed by their rejection of an Arab Palestinian state in 1948, rejection of land for peace with the Oslo Accords, continued wars and acts of terrorism for the past 70 years, inability to democratically elect noncorrupt leaders to act as legitimate negotiating partners and above all, failing to recognize the legitimacy of a Jewish nation.
For these reasons and the changing political climate in region have relegated the “Palestinian issue” to the back burner. Starry-eyed Americans need to deal with this reality.
Joseph Harari
Spokane
Salmon extinction
It’s unfortunate that people can’t see the number of fish that die each year because of the Snake River dams. What would the impact of tens of thousands of dead fish lining the banks of the Snake River have? Deaths due to suffocation, nitrogen gas saturation, predators, low flows, inability to pass up or downstream. Would there suddenly be more attention to stopping salmon and steel head extinction on the Snake River? Yes, of course there would.
Discussions regarding the removal of the Snake River dams have been going on for decades. The science is clear. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a report that identified restoring the lower Snake River as a “centerpiece action” to address threats to salmon and steelhead across the basin. And that dam removal “will provide the greatest potential to make considerable progress towards healthy and harvestable abundances.”
It’s counterproductive for Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers to focus on Biden’s river mix-up, rather than work together with other Northwest leaders and congressional members to support a solution that restores the lower Snake River and protect salmon from extinction.
Contact our elected officials, McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse and tell them dam removal is supported by science and the science is clear. Tell Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Gov. Jay Inslee that you support the Murray-Inslee draft report and create a comprehensive solution that prevents salmon, steelhead and orca extinction.
Roger Rouleau
Liberty Lake