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In justifying his moral stand with his Jewish identity (“Why Chicago Jews are fighting the genocide of Palestinians,” Dec. 4), Seph Mozes overlooks any pertinent mention of Hamas, the barbaric Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis by Hamas terrorists, the thousands of deadly rockets Hamas has fired at Israel continuing to this day and Hamas’ deliberate practice of hiding behind and beneath the Gazan populace and its various international enablers.
After Israel’s good-faith total withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, so complete it included the extraction of Jewish graves, Gazans had the opportunity to create a vibrant, cooperative, independent ministate. Instead, Gazans chose Hamas in their one-and-done elections of 2006, and the following year, Hamas violently overthrew the Palestinian Authority overlords.
Israel has no duty to live under constant violent attack, and indeed no other nation would. Recall that 20% of Israel’s citizenship is Arab (Muslim and Christian). If Mozes had the same concern for the safety and security of Israel’s population that he does for Gaza’s, perhaps instead of a cease-fire that would leave a defiant Hamas in place and claiming victory, he’d call for Hamas to surrender and to release the remaining hostages.
Many years ago, Israel’s then-prime minister, Golda Meir, observed, “If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel.” The tragedy of Gaza makes the point.
— Steven D. Franklin, Evanston
Writer would have been target
Regarding the op-ed by Seph Mozes of Jewish Voice for Peace, the writer leaves out the most important part of the conflict. This war began with a genocidal attack by Hamas on Jews in Israel.
No matter how much Mozes feels support for the Palestinians, he needs to remember that had he been in southern Israel on the morning of Oct. 7, the terrorists would have slit his throat in a heartbeat for nothing more than being Jewish.
— Bill Shulman, Des Plaines
What has Israel become?
Thank you for publishing Seph Mozes’ op-ed. I haven’t read a piece that so accurately states the reasons for the pain and wrenching nausea that I have felt since witnessing Israeli statements and actions, backed by our country’s full support, since Oct. 7. The sensation is a combination of disbelief, horror and betrayal — that a country that claims Judaism as its north star, and whose refugees here in America have been among the strongest advocates for democracy, humanity and truth, has come to this.
— Zenat Vakili, Naperville
The issue is not at all simple
Nowhere in Seph Mozes’ op-ed does he mention Hamas. The writer apparently believes Israel is intent on “genocide” of the Palestinian people. But it is Hamas whose stated goals are destroying the state of Israel and killing Jews, according to the group’s 1988 charter.
Did Mozes miss the news reports of people chanting, “Gas the Jews,” outside the Sydney Opera House in October?
One can support Israel’s right to exist as a state and support the right of Jewish people to life — i.e., oppose their extermination — and still mourn the loss of all innocent civilian life.
The writer is “tired of hearing that this is a complicated issue.” Perhaps Mozes keeps hearing it’s a complicated issue because it is. It’s a very complex issue.
— Pam Pugh, Hamlet, Indiana
Israel’s membership in world
The recent op-ed by Seph Mozes is an excellent summation of the issues in Gaza. The damage to the children of Gaza is enormous, and as a pediatrician, I regard it as in no way justifiable. As Mozes notes, the destruction is really done with armament and dollars supplied by our government, so our complicity is unavoidable
The more important issue, to this outside observer, is the damage to Israel and its membership in the family of nations. My Jewish friends are universally concerned about the country of Israel becoming a pariah among nations, not just in the Arab world but also in the larger context. We need Israel as a symbol of light and hope, and the current government is destroying that reality.
Demanding a cease-fire is a first step, and I personally feel that the aid to the Middle East should be shifted from Israel to repairing Gaza after this debacle ends.
— Andrew J. Griffin, Chicago
Many are questioning war
Israel needs to face up to the fact it has already lost the war with Hamas.
The war began with a catastrophic failure on the part of Israel, which angrily responded with excessive force: carpet bombing the civilian population, displacing hundreds of thousands of Gazans and creating a humanitarian crisis. Despite all the bluster and rage expressed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and despite the blowing up of a bunch of tunnels, the fact is the Israeli military has yet to engage Hamas in any significant or decisive battle.
More importantly, Israel has lost the war of public opinion. All around the globe. On campuses, in newsrooms, in political parties, among everyday citizens. Not just for now but for the foreseeable future. Even Greta Thunberg has come out against the war.
Chicago Tribune Opinion
And while many decry the release of kidnapping victims as a manipulative act of propaganda by Hamas, the fact is — hello! — it seems to be working.
Fox News and a few journalists have tried to write off the anti-war protests as evidence of a sudden surge of antisemitism and college kids gone wild. But this is not altogether true, and shame on them for churning up hate and division. The reality is more and more Americans — including many Jews — are questioning the war and its ultimate objectives.
Lastly, it is not altogether clear the Israelis themselves have the heart or the stomach to sacrifice thousands of their own sons and daughters in the guerrilla warfare that will undoubtedly need to be waged.
— Max Brown, River Forest
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