To the editor: Though the official definition of the phrase “intifada” excludes point out of murdering Jews, as Daoud Kuttab notes in his enlightening article, the strategy used to prosecute the intifada has truly lengthy included the killing of Jews.
Palestinians are hampered by this inconvenient reality, highlighted by these numbers: In at some point, on October 7, Hamas militants murdered 1,200 individuals in Israel. Within the greater than 65 days since, the Israeli navy bombardment of the Gaza Strip has resulted in round 18,000 deaths.
If the Israelis killed on the identical charge as Hamas, they might have killed greater than 80,000 individuals in Gaza.
This definitely illustrates that Israel is just not committing genocide and that homicide – the constructing block of genocide – is unquestionably a part of the intifada.
Susan Wolfson, Glendale
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To the editor: It might be true that the primary intifada was truly peaceable and non-violent, but it surely was deserted.
The Oslo Accords failed not solely due to Israel’s actions, but additionally due to the actions of Palestinian leaders. The late Yasser Arafat, chief of the Palestine Liberation Group, additionally didn’t honor the settlement.
The victims of Hamas’ assaults on October 7 have been nearly solely peaceable villagers, farmers and music lovers.
We aren’t solely speaking concerning the phrase “intifada” now. We’re speaking about actual actions and “from the river to the ocean.”
Esther Friedberg, Studio Metropolis
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To the editor: The error of Kuttab and the Palestinian leaders – and it’s a huge mistake – is to consider that the highly effective apply of non-violence is non permanent.
Actually, you apply it…ceaselessly. You apply it with out regard to the outcome. That is truly the entire level.
Simply think about the Palestinian individuals training non-violent protest in opposition to each the oppression of their murderous Hamas authorities within the Gaza Strip and the Israeli occupation of the West Financial institution. The entire world would rally to their trigger, and this consists of the overwhelming majority of Israeli residents.
JJ Flowers, Dana Level