I am writing to protest the U.S. sending military aid to Israel. Our government has asserted itself firmly behind Israel in its war with Hamas. It’s about the only issue that both the Democrats and Republicans in Washington agree on. Israel is called an ally and a democracy. The horror of Oct. 7 is only portrayed as the mindless acts of terrorists. The plight of the Palestinian seems to be of no consideration to our government.

Yet the Palestinian cause is simple enough to understand. In 1948 a country called Israel was formed by pushing out millions of people and making a new country. The millions of people have remained on the fringe, excluded, occupied, brushed aside.

Why Israel is our ally is a mystery to me. In our history, American colonies were the little guy standing up to the big guy and fighting for  independence from England. I thought that meant that we support the underdog and not the big guy.

Israel a democracy? This is a strange one. People from London and New York can come to Israel and become voting citizens. The people who have been there for centuries cannot do so. A democracy for a single religion or ethnic group is not democratic at all.

Blaming the recent incursion into Israel only on Hamas is shortsighted. Most Palestinians did not cross the border with violent intent or would necessarily agree with murder and carnage. However, most certainly want an end to the exclusion, control and domination. It is a war against the Palestinian.

Israel will defeat Hamas. But it will not be over. When you watch the nightly news, notice the small boys darting in and out of the background in Gaza. They will be men some day: angry and desperate. We will hear from them again.

 

Gerald Thibault

Skowhegan

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