Shame on you New Times for publishing the article “Roar of resistance” (Oct. 26) that is not only historically inaccurate (no mention of the 1947 United Nations Partition Plan) but is the equivalent of victim blaming.
You fail to mention that Israel’s military response is because Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, did not just “attack,” as the author wrote, but slaughtered in the most brutal of ways more than 1,400 men, women, children, and babies. Their target was Jews, and they also killed non-Jewish Israelis and guest workers. They viciously seized and continue to hold more than 220 hostages as human shields. They have fired thousands and thousands of rockets at towns and homes terrorizing, killing, and forcing the evacuation of communities.
The article implies the victims of these heinous crimes, Israelis, young people merely attending a concert or families just living their daily lives are at fault for the harm that befell them. Shame on you.
What can we agree on. We can agree that the Palestinians are victims, too. That Hamas is also using them as human shields. We can agree that Israel and the Arab world have both failed the Palestinian people. We can agree that the Palestinians deserve a life of dignity, safety, equality, respect, and a homeland that is not controlled by either Israel or Hamas.
Right now, Israel must prevent Hamas from conducting another slaughter. Let us hope that this can be done without harming more innocent people and without blaming the victims.
Robert Lewin
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in Nov 2-12, 2023.
I agree 100% with Mr Lewin.. Shame on The New Times for not fact checking the history of Israel and Gaza. I am not sure I can read and believe what is published in the paper anymore. There was a cease fire going on during Oct 7, and Hamas broke it..
Imagine you or your kids are on the Playa at Our Burning Man when these murders come from all sides to kill or kidnap innocent peace loving civilians.. imagine they swoop in and take 220 of our loved ones .. what would we, USA do. I believe our best would do whatever needed to get done to save these innocent people..
then we can talk about Hamas being the cause of the Palestinian people suffering as they keep all the humanitarian aid meant for the people and use it for weapons and tunnels. ( and no bomb shelters for “their” people. If they complain they are killed or their families suffer. Israel did not choose their oppressive government, Palestinians did. Israeli Mothers wish for peace, they wish for the destruction of Israel.
I think New Times needs another front page with historical facts and an interview from the Pro Israel side..