The Hartford Courant on Friday, January 16 published a despicable op-ed by Bessy Reyna under the title "Israel Doesn't Own the Moral High Ground." We include comments from her article, starting with its title, each followed by PRIMER's analysis.
We apologize in advance for the sarcasm interspersed in the analysis, but it's almost impossible to read Reyna's screed without responding with at least some sarcasm.
We encourage everyone to write the Hartford Courant at letters@courant.com and also go online and post comments by clicking here, but please avoid sarcasm in your letters.
We follow the Comment & Analysis with the full text of the op-ed.
We apologize in advance for the sarcasm interspersed in the analysis, but it's almost impossible to read Reyna's screed without responding with at least some sarcasm.
We encourage everyone to write the Hartford Courant at letters@courant.com and also go online and post comments by clicking here, but please avoid sarcasm in your letters.
We follow the Comment & Analysis with the full text of the op-ed.
Comment:
"Israel Doesn't Own the Moral High Ground"
Analysis:
In most conflicts, there is plenty of blame to go around, but in the current conflict we have on one side Hamas doing its utmost to murder civilians and, on the other side, Israel doing its utmost to prevent the murder of civilians.
By any reasonable standard, Israel certainly owns the moral high ground.
In most conflicts, there is plenty of blame to go around, but in the current conflict we have on one side Hamas doing its utmost to murder civilians and, on the other side, Israel doing its utmost to prevent the murder of civilians.
By any reasonable standard, Israel certainly owns the moral high ground.
Comment:
"When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is it all possible to find the truth behind the events?"
Analysis:
Yes, but not by reading Reyna's columns.
Yes, but not by reading Reyna's columns.
Comment:
"It turns out that Hamas did not break the cease-fire that started in June with rocket attacks on Israel. It was Israel that attacked Gaza on Nov. 4.
"Between the June 18 cease-fire agreement and Nov. 4, there were 15 rocket attacks from Gaza, which an Israeli spokesman agreed were not fired by Hamas."
Analysis:
By Reyna's standards, the launching by Palestinian Arabs from Gaza of rockets aimed at Israeli civilians was not a violation of the cease-fire agreement, but Israel's defending against those rockets was a violation.
There does not appear to be any formal cease-fire agreement signed by the parties, but Reyna's implication that Israel agreed to a cease-fire that permitted firing at its civilians from Hamas-controlled Gaza is patently absurd.
Although the cease-fire was informal, there are reports available from various sources, including and . They make it clear that Israel's understanding of the cease-fire was that there would be no firing of rockets from Gaza. Additionally, there would be no more construction of smuggling tunnels and no more smuggling of weapons.
The Palestinian Arabs grossly violated the terms of the cease-fire from the very beginning.
By Reyna's standards, the launching by Palestinian Arabs from Gaza of rockets aimed at Israeli civilians was not a violation of the cease-fire agreement, but Israel's defending against those rockets was a violation.
There does not appear to be any formal cease-fire agreement signed by the parties, but Reyna's implication that Israel agreed to a cease-fire that permitted firing at its civilians from Hamas-controlled Gaza is patently absurd.
Although the cease-fire was informal, there are reports available from various sources, including
The Palestinian Arabs grossly violated the terms of the cease-fire from the very beginning.
Comment:
"Israel's justification for the Nov. 4 attack was that Hamas was building a tunnel. Former President Jimmy Carter said in a piece he wrote for The Washington Post on Jan. 8 that Israel launched an attack in Gaza to destroy a defensive tunnel being dug by Hamas. In interviews, Mark Regev, Israel's official government spokesman, admits Israel targeted the tunnel, not in retaliation for a rocket attack, but to prevent further attacks and the possible kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. Israel paints construction of the tunnel as an aggressive act by Hamas. This rationale comes very close to what President Bush used in attacking Iraq: looking for the weapons of mass destruction that never materialized."
Analysis:
Reyna has apparently learned from some of her earlier columns. In this column, rather than making false statements herself, she refers to false statements made by others.
Jimmy Carter is certainly not a reliable source when it comes to information about the Arab-Israeli conflict. Books have been written about the inaccuracies in his books. Certainly, to refer to one of Hamas' tunnels as "defensive" is absurd. They are used for smuggling weapons and they are used for launching terror attacks, including kidnappings. One such tunnel was used in kidnapping Gilad Shalit back in 2006.
Israel claimed it attacked the terrorists in the tunnel because it had intelligence that they were preparing an attack. Those claims are credible, especially since Israel had refrained from attacking previously even when arms were being smuggled through tunnels and when terrorists from Gaza had launched rockets. The only reasonable explanation for Israel's attack at that time is that they believed it was necessary to prevent a terror attack on Israelis.
Reyna has apparently learned from some of her earlier columns. In this column, rather than making false statements herself, she refers to false statements made by others.
Jimmy Carter is certainly not a reliable source when it comes to information about the Arab-Israeli conflict. Books have been written about the inaccuracies in his books. Certainly, to refer to one of Hamas' tunnels as "defensive" is absurd. They are used for smuggling weapons and they are used for launching terror attacks, including kidnappings. One such tunnel was used in kidnapping Gilad Shalit back in 2006.
Israel claimed it attacked the terrorists in the tunnel because it had intelligence that they were preparing an attack. Those claims are credible, especially since Israel had refrained from attacking previously even when arms were being smuggled through tunnels and when terrorists from Gaza had launched rockets. The only reasonable explanation for Israel's attack at that time is that they believed it was necessary to prevent a terror attack on Israelis.
Comment:
We know very little about the lives of the 1.5 million Muslims and Christians living in the tiny Gaza Strip, considered one of the most densely populated areas in the world. In a recent interview on the Charlie Rose show, journalist Bob Simon, who has lived in and reported from the Middle East for years, said that 'Gaza has become the largest prison in the world.'
Analysis:
Again, rather than making a false statement herself, Reyna quotes someone else making a false statement.
Gaza is, de fact, an independent state run by Hamas. It does have one thing in common with many prisons: it is run by criminals.
Again, rather than making a false statement herself, Reyna quotes someone else making a false statement.
Gaza is, de fact, an independent state run by Hamas. It does have one thing in common with many prisons: it is run by criminals.
Comment:
"Stories by Israel's daily newspaper Haaretz, the BBC World News and the Christian Science Monitor say that most of the people in Gaza are consumed with a daily struggle against malnutrition, many having only one meal a day, coping with a lack of medical facilities and supplies, and having their movements monitored and controlled by numerous checkpoints."
Analysis:
There is no question that life in Gaza is no picnic; that's one of the consequences of choosing a group of terrorists as your leadership. Even as it has fought against terrorism from Gaza, Israel has worked hard to provide humanitarian assistance to the people living in Gaza, often to have the supplies it transferred stolen by Hamas.
We have here another case of Reyna referring to false information provided by others. The movements of the people in Gaza are not "controlled by numerous checkpoints;" Israel had no checkpoints in Gaza since leaving in 2005.
There is no question that life in Gaza is no picnic; that's one of the consequences of choosing a group of terrorists as your leadership. Even as it has fought against terrorism from Gaza, Israel has worked hard to provide humanitarian assistance to the people living in Gaza, often to have the supplies it transferred stolen by Hamas.
We have here another case of Reyna referring to false information provided by others. The movements of the people in Gaza are not "controlled by numerous checkpoints;" Israel had no checkpoints in Gaza since leaving in 2005.
Comment:
"The tunnels between Gaza and Egypt, which the Israelis allege are used to smuggle arms for Hamas, are also used to bring food, medicine and other supplies that would not be available otherwise."
Analysis:
The fact that the tunnels are used for smuggling items in addition to weapons does not excuse the fact that they are used to smuggle weapons. The United Nations and Israel both transfer huge amounts of needed goods into Gaza and would transfer far more if Hamas and other terror groups did not make the provision of assistance very difficult and sometimes deadly, often attacking and sometimes murdering the very people bringing goods to Gaza.
As Reyna notes, the tunnels go between Gaza and Egypt. Since Gaza shares a border with Egypt, nothing Israel did to prevent supplies from Gaza would be significant if Egypt did not restrict movement between it and Gaza. Would Reyna consider rocket fire on Egypt as acceptable as she apparently believes rocket fire against Israel is?
The fact that the tunnels are used for smuggling items in addition to weapons does not excuse the fact that they are used to smuggle weapons. The United Nations and Israel both transfer huge amounts of needed goods into Gaza and would transfer far more if Hamas and other terror groups did not make the provision of assistance very difficult and sometimes deadly, often attacking and sometimes murdering the very people bringing goods to Gaza.
As Reyna notes, the tunnels go between Gaza and Egypt. Since Gaza shares a border with Egypt, nothing Israel did to prevent supplies from Gaza would be significant if Egypt did not restrict movement between it and Gaza. Would Reyna consider rocket fire on Egypt as acceptable as she apparently believes rocket fire against Israel is?
Comment:
"Last year, a Hamas bulldozer broke through the barrier in Rafah at the border with Egypt and thousands of people streamed out of Gaza to buy supplies and visit family members they had not seen in years. Theirs was a very short-lived freedom.
"Why does the U.S. government continue to view Israel as the sole victim in this conflict?"
Analysis:
The American government recognizes Palestinian Arabs are also suffering; indeed, it is undeniable that the Palestinian Arabs have suffered far more than the Israelis.
However, there is a significant difference between the suffering of the Arabs and the suffering of the Israelis: the Arabs have the choice of ending their suffering, simply by ending their terror war and agreeing to live in peace; the Israelis cannot end their own suffering without the willingness of their Arab neighbors to begin to act in a civilized manner.
As it is said, if the Arabs layed down their arms, there would be no war, but if the Israelis layed down their arms, there would be no Israel.
The American government recognizes Palestinian Arabs are also suffering; indeed, it is undeniable that the Palestinian Arabs have suffered far more than the Israelis.
However, there is a significant difference between the suffering of the Arabs and the suffering of the Israelis: the Arabs have the choice of ending their suffering, simply by ending their terror war and agreeing to live in peace; the Israelis cannot end their own suffering without the willingness of their Arab neighbors to begin to act in a civilized manner.
As it is said, if the Arabs layed down their arms, there would be no war, but if the Israelis layed down their arms, there would be no Israel.
Comment:
"While it is true that the Gazans elected Hamas, which denies Israel's right to exist, it is also true that Israel has inflicted an intolerable existence on the Gazans. Why does the U.S. continue to provide Israel with $3 billion in aid a year to assure its well-being while ignoring the Gazans' plight and thereby strengthening Hamas?"
Analysis:
Israel completely left Gaza in 2005. The intolerable existence of the people in Gaza is the consequence of their own choice or acquiescence in using Gaza as a terror base rather than trying to build a modern society for the good of the people.
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the other terror groups in Gaza have also made existence in the nearby Israeli cities and towns, such as Sderot and Ashkelon, intolerable. They have launched thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians since Israel completely left Gaza in 2005. Consider what the American response would be if even a single rocket was launched from Canada into Detroit?
Israel is a tiny outpost of Western democracy in the midst of dozens of Arab states, along with the Persian state of Iran, eager to destroy it. Those states have immense resources at their disposal. The relatively small amount of assistance we invest in Israel's defense pales even in comparison to the billions upon billions we indirectly give Israel's enemies in the form of exhorbitant oil prices.
Israel completely left Gaza in 2005. The intolerable existence of the people in Gaza is the consequence of their own choice or acquiescence in using Gaza as a terror base rather than trying to build a modern society for the good of the people.
Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the other terror groups in Gaza have also made existence in the nearby Israeli cities and towns, such as Sderot and Ashkelon, intolerable. They have launched thousands of rockets at Israeli civilians since Israel completely left Gaza in 2005. Consider what the American response would be if even a single rocket was launched from Canada into Detroit?
Israel is a tiny outpost of Western democracy in the midst of dozens of Arab states, along with the Persian state of Iran, eager to destroy it. Those states have immense resources at their disposal. The relatively small amount of assistance we invest in Israel's defense pales even in comparison to the billions upon billions we indirectly give Israel's enemies in the form of exhorbitant oil prices.
Comment:
"On Jan. 9, in the midst of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, with hundreds of Palestinians dead and thousands wounded, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution titled: 'Recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong support for Israel and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.' In what was nothing more than a shameful display of cowardice and a denial of the complexity of the situation, 390 U.S. representatives - including all of the Connecticut delegation - voted yes on this resolution. There were only five lonely voices voting no."
Analysis:
Reyna clearly feels it shameful to support Israel's right to defend itself against terror attacks. Fortunately, almost everyone in Congress has a more accurate moral compass than she.
Reyna clearly feels it shameful to support Israel's right to defend itself against terror attacks. Fortunately, almost everyone in Congress has a more accurate moral compass than she.
Comment:
"In his speech against the resolution, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, pointed out that the Palestinians are being killed with American weapons and funds."
Analysis:
The bulk of the Arabs being killed are terrorists. Unfortunately, because Hamas operates within residential areas and uses civilians, including women and chilfen, as shields, it is impossible to defend against Hamas without some innocent people getting in the way. The blame for their injuries and deaths lies with Hamas.
The bulk of the Arabs being killed are terrorists. Unfortunately, because Hamas operates within residential areas and uses civilians, including women and chilfen, as shields, it is impossible to defend against Hamas without some innocent people getting in the way. The blame for their injuries and deaths lies with Hamas.
Comment:
"He asked, 'What moral responsibility do we have for the violence in Israel and Gaza after having provided so much military support to one side?' "
Analysis:
The moral responsiblity lies with Hamas and the other Arab terror groups, which took Gaza and insisted on using it as a base for rocket attacks on Israeli civilians rather than taking advantage of a golden opportunity to build a Garden of Eden on the Mediterranean.
If we have any moral responsibility, it is to assist those who are being targeted by terrorists.
In the long run, our support for Israel is also in the best interest of the Palestinian Arabs, who will never be able to live normal lives until they and their leadership turn from violence and terror to peace.
The moral responsiblity lies with Hamas and the other Arab terror groups, which took Gaza and insisted on using it as a base for rocket attacks on Israeli civilians rather than taking advantage of a golden opportunity to build a Garden of Eden on the Mediterranean.
If we have any moral responsibility, it is to assist those who are being targeted by terrorists.
In the long run, our support for Israel is also in the best interest of the Palestinian Arabs, who will never be able to live normal lives until they and their leadership turn from violence and terror to peace.
The following is the complete text of the Reyna Op-Ed:
Hartford Courant
January 16, 2009
ISRAEL DOESN'T OWN THE MORAL HIGH GROUND
BESSY REYNA
When it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is it all possible to find the truth behind the events? It turns out that Hamas did not break the cease-fire that started in June with rocket attacks on Israel. It was Israel that attacked Gaza on Nov. 4.
Between the June 18 cease-fire agreement and Nov. 4, there were 15 rocket attacks from Gaza, which an Israeli spokesman agreed were not fired by Hamas.
Israel's justification for the Nov. 4 attack was that Hamas was building a tunnel. Former President Jimmy Carter said in a piece he wrote for The Washington Post on Jan. 8 that Israel launched an attack in Gaza to destroy a defensive tunnel being dug by Hamas. In interviews, Mark Regev, Israel's official government spokesman, admits Israel targeted the tunnel, not in retaliation for a rocket attack, but to prevent further attacks and the possible kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. Israel paints construction of the tunnel as an aggressive act by Hamas. This rationale comes very close to what President Bush used in attacking Iraq: looking for the weapons of mass destruction that never materialized.
We know very little about the lives of the 1.5 million Muslims and Christians living in the tiny Gaza Strip, considered one of the most densely populated areas in the world. In a recent interview on the Charlie Rose show, journalist Bob Simon, who has lived in and reported from the Middle East for years, said that 'Gaza has become the largest prison in the world.'
Stories by Israel's daily newspaper Haaretz, the BBC World News and the Christian Science Monitor say that most of the people in Gaza are consumed with a daily struggle against malnutrition, many having only one meal a day, coping with a lack of medical facilities and supplies, and having their movements monitored and controlled by numerous checkpoints.
The tunnels between Gaza and Egypt, which the Israelis allege are used to smuggle arms for Hamas, are also used to bring food, medicine and other supplies that would not be available otherwise. Last year, a Hamas bulldozer broke through the barrier in Rafah at the border with Egypt and thousands of people streamed out of Gaza to buy supplies and visit family members they had not seen in years. Theirs was a very short-lived freedom.
Why does the U.S. government continue to view Israel as the sole victim in this conflict?
While it is true that the Gazans elected Hamas, which denies Israel's right to exist, it is also true that Israel has inflicted an intolerable existence on the Gazans. Why does the U.S. continue to provide Israel with $3 billion in aid a year to assure its well-being while ignoring the Gazans' plight and thereby strengthening Hamas?
On Jan. 9, in the midst of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza, with hundreds of Palestinians dead and thousands wounded, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution titled: 'Recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States' strong support for Israel and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.' In what was nothing more than a shameful display of cowardice and a denial of the complexity of the situation, 390 U.S. representatives - including all of the Connecticut delegation - voted yes on this resolution. There were only five lonely voices voting no.
In his speech against the resolution, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, pointed out that the Palestinians are being killed with American weapons and funds.
He asked, 'What moral responsibility do we have for the violence in Israel and Gaza after having provided so much military support to one side?'
>> Bessy Reyna is a free-lance writer whose column appears the third Friday of every month. To leave her a comment in English or Spanish, please call 860-241-3165. Or e-mail her at bessy_reyna@hotmail.com.
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