The IDS published two op-eds by Bryce Greene in relation to Mayor Buttigieg’s stance on Israel. Instead of blaming Israel for the plight of Palestinians, the blame should be placed on the U.S. State Department-designated terror organization Hamas.
Israel didn’t rebrand Hamas as a terrorist organization; the Hamas charter blatantly calls for Israel’s destruction. Israel, like every other country, has the right to protect its citizens. Hamas promised children $83 if they were to be injured in the summer 2018 protests. Hundreds of rockets were fired into Israel. I know first hand — I was living 35 miles from the Gaza border. Without the U.S.-backed Iron Dome missile defense system, thousands of Israelis would have been slaughtered.
I, a proud pro-Israel American, mourn the death of every Palestinian and Israeli alike. The economic situation facing Gazans is atrocious. I call on Hamas to stop using the millions of dollars in aid Israel and the world gives to the Palestinians to help ensure dignity for the people. I call on Hamas to stop building terror tunnels into Israel. I call on Hamas to stop paying the families of suicide bombers. I call on Hamas to stop launching rockets to hurt Israelis.
Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005. There were no settlements there, yet there was no peace. The Palestinians were offered peace plans in 1947, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008 and once again at the 2019 Bahrain Conference. Each time the Palestinian leadership refused. How can there be peace when Hamas and Palestinian Authority President Abbas, who is entering his 14th year of a 3-year term, refuse to cooperate?
Rachel Aranyi
