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U.S. Rep. Sean Casten’s op-ed in the Dec. 22 Tribune is stunningly tone-deaf (“A cease-fire between Israel, Hamas has to come with accountability”). He admits that he is not an expert but claims he has traveled widely in the area, which he would have us believe makes him knowledgeable. There is no mention of visiting Gaza and taking the pulse of the more than 2 million people who live there and now are dying by the thousands. He could have listened to his own constituents, and if he did, he would have called for an immediate cease-fire. He would rather wait for a cease-fire with accountability while Gazans are massacred daily. Paying lip service to the Palestinians killed sounds hollow.
His op-ed reads like a high school essay. If he had talked to University of Chicago professor John Mearsheimer, he would have learned the two-state solution is dead. If he had read the late Edward Said or called Columbia University professor Rashid Khalidi, he would have been schooled on the apartheid nature of the state of Israel.
In this asymmetric conflict, the only way to bring a just resolution is to bring pressure on Israel. One way of doing it is to elect representatives who do not turn their eyes away from genocide.
— Javeed Akhter, Oak Brook
Israel’s actions lack legal merit
For more than two months now, U.S. Rep. Sean Casten has refused to call for an immediate, lasting cease-fire in Gaza despite the fact that, in the words of veteran human rights lawyer Craig Mokhiber, Israel is engaged in “a textbook case of genocide” being funded by our own government.
In his op-ed, Casten lays out points that are apparently meant to justify his failure to make the aforementioned call. His attempt at justification fails on numerous points, of which I will address a particularly crucial one. Casten states, unjustifiably, that “Israel … has an absolute right to defend itself and its citizens from external attack.” Casten conflates the general principle of self-defense guaranteed under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter with Israel’s obligations as an occupying power within the territory under its occupation. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1860 (2009) affirms the Gaza strip to be an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory. Israel is thus an occupying power bound by the Fourth Geneva Convention, which strictly forbids it to impose collective punishment — including the barbaric denial of food, water, fuel and medicine to the entire Gazan population — or to carry out acts of violence and destruction that, by Israeli officials’ own admission, are intended to cause widespread harm.
As Riyad Mansour, permanent observer to the U.N. for Palestinians, noted: “None of the rights of protected persons derived from the Fourth Geneva Convention may be terminated by Israel in any case or in any manner whatsoever.” Therefore, Israel’s invocation of the right to self-defense to justify the unrelenting, wholesale slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the creation of conditions that render the preservation of life impossible, is patently devoid of legal merit.
It follows that, by aiding and abetting Israel’s acts of genocide and forced mass expulsion of an entire population, the U.S. and its representative officials are in grave breach of their duties under international law, including the U.N. Genocide Convention of 1948, which requires them to do everything in their power to prevent genocide.
Casten’s intransigent refusal to call for an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities in Gaza thus has no legal or moral justification, and he should act immediately to reverse his position.
— Nancy Roberts, Wheaton
Calling it ‘genocide’ is wrong
Imtiaz Uddin’s Dec. 18 letter to the editor (“Justifying genocide”) is deeply problematic, especially since its premise is flawed that Israel’s war against terror group Hamas constitutes “genocide.” The dictionary definition of “genocide” is “the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group.” Israel’s military aims to destroy Hamas but not the population of Gaza. The military isn’t deliberately killing civilians, but in every war, civilians suffer.
Military experts such as retired Col. Richard Kemp, former head of British forces in Afghanistan, have marveled at the Israeli military’s measures to reduce civilian casualties, informing civilians in advance to leave areas where combat is anticipated (through leaflets, phone calls and text messages), setting up humanitarian corridors (which have sometimes been attacked by Hamas) and hitting only legitimate Hamas targets. Unfortunately, Hamas has embedded itself among Gaza civilians, going so far as to place assets and fighters in and under mosques, schools, private homes and even hospitals.
The fact that Hamas honeycombed Gaza with hundreds of miles of tunnels indicates that Hamas knew and intended that the Israeli military would enter Gaza. Hamas’ Oct. 7 mass slaughter of Jews, planned for years, set in motion everything that is befalling Gaza today. Since Hamas leaders have vowed to repeat Oct. 7, Israel has no choice but to eliminate this threat.
War is horrible, so don’t start a war. Hamas started this war, so the blood of Gaza civilians is on its hands. But the only genocide is what Hamas did on Oct. 7.
— Gary Katz, Long Grove
Examples of Burke’s legacy
Regrettably, following the conviction of former Ald. Edward Burke, media satirists, newspaper headline writers, bloggers, editorialists and pundits have directed derisive sarcasm and angry invectives against a public figure whose 54-year tenure in the City Council is studded with examples of beneficial and impactful legislation that have improved the quality of life for all Chicagoans.
Through Burke’s efforts, public and private buildings now have defibrillators installed in the event of medical emergencies. He led the fight to outlaw the dumping of phosphates into Lake Michigan that were polluting our waters and create the city’s nonsmoking ban in public places. During the Persian Gulf War, he helped safeguard salaries and insurance for municipal employees called to duty. Burke lent support and inspiration to his wife, future Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, in her heroic launch of Special Olympics, now a global movement for individuals with special needs.
These are among his many achievements that were either overlooked or ignored in the coverage of his recent trial.
— Richard Lindberg, Chicago
Example of Christmas spirit
Chicago Tribune Opinion
Regarding the article “Migrants’ first Christmas in area made a little brighter” (Dec. 23): Thank you for the inspiring story of Elaine Pierce and her welcoming of migrants to her home! She is a wonderful example of the Christmas spirit and a true American patriot.
— Carole Bogaard, Oak Lawn
Actions make all the difference
Regarding “Migrants’ first Christmas”: I had the privilege and pleasure of working with Elaine Pierce while we were both at Concordia University. She was one of the bright lights at the university who made everyone feel special. Elaine is a unique individual who does the right thing that makes all the difference in people’s lives.
— L. Arthur Safer, Chicago
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