I am responding to the “One View” by Rev. Marti Scott [Calling for a ceasefire, Viewpoints, Nov. 22]. In it, Rev. Scott makes an impassioned plea for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Gaza, and a halt to military aid to Israel.
She says Christians, Jews and Muslims share a “God of peace.” If we do, Hamas has abandoned their God. She says “This was our doing …” but doesn’t say who “we” is.
She pretends the four previous wars between Hamas and Israel, in 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2021, never happened. In each case, as in 2023, Hamas provoked an Israeli military response. Each clash resulted in death and destruction in Gaza. Did Hamas ever pay a price? No. It remained in power, further developed its military capabilities and strengthened its hold on life in Gaza. It was left to the United Nations, and many of the UN members, to pay to rebuild Gaza and, indirectly, the rearmament of Hamas as it siphoned aid dollars and goods for military purposes and to enrich its leaders.
What would happen if U.S. military aid to Israel stopped? For one, Israel would no longer have Iron Dome and Patriot missile batteries that it uses to defend itself from Hamas and Hezbollah rockets fired at civilian areas of Israel. Thousands of rockets prior to Oct. 6 and thousands more since. If Israel was unable to successfully defend itself against those rockets what would happen? Even more military action against Hamas, and more death and destruction among Gazan civilians as rocket launchers are nestled in civilian areas.
Why could she not bring herself to condemn, in her piece, Hamas’ taking 240 hostages, including babies? She could not condemn the premeditated use of sexual violence against Israeli women as a weapon. It is not just Rev. Scott. She is part of a deafening silence by women throughout the world about this criminal use of rape against Jewish women.
She could not say a word about the almost 300,000 Israelis forced to evacuate from their homes away from the war zones in the north and south of Israel.
It’s a shame some clergy in our community cannot see what is happening and open their hearts, even a little, to the people of Israel.
Alan Peres
Oak Park