In last week’s editorial we wrote that some elected officials appear to be exploiting the situation in the Middle East for personal gain. It was not our intention to suggest that there is a moral equivalency between the nation of Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas.
We are concerned that officials such as Gov. Andrew Cuomo have made highly publicized trips to Israel even though in their positions they have little to say about the situation in the Middle East and no way to impact foreign policy.
We believe strongly in the right of Israel to defend itself. As we noted in our editorial we are proud that the United States has helped Israel to maintain an Iron Dome that has saved thousands of lives.
We also condemn the tactics used by Hamas that have intentionally resulted in the deaths of innocent people in Gaza. And we believe voices other than those of the government of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be heard on Israel’s response to Hamas and the best way forward.
We are certain that the citizens of Israel and their supporters in our readership area want to see an end to the violence. So do we.
