Dec. 2, 2024
Dear Editor,
There are several reasons why Jews and Christians lack empathy for the Palestinians. One is that on eight occasions, the Palestinians were offered land for peace proposals. The Palestinians rejected every proposal without making counteroffers because they could not live without the right to settle all of their people in Israel, meaning that Israel would be slated for demolition. It's hard to have empathy for a people who want to dissolve your country.
Another reason is the widespread celebration by Palestinians of the Oct. 7, 2023 butchery of Israelis by Hamas. Hamas terrorists are Palestinian heroes, the first group of Palestinians to defeat he hated Israelis. What do you think the college demonstrations were all about if not to celebrate the Hamas victory.
Palestinian attachment to Hamas is evidenced by PA leader Mahmoud Abbas refusing to hold elections because he knows that the vast majority of Palestinians would elect Hamas. To try to catch up, the Abbas controlled Fatah is on record as supporting the taking of hostages, another reason why it's difficult to empathize with the Palestinians.
Kuttab and other pro-Palestinians writers want is to think that the Palestinian people are separate from their leaders, but pro-Palestinian rioters shouting out for Jews to be murdered places that assertion into question.
As for the Christians, they surely know that Islamic gangs have driven them out of their holy city Bethlehem. Christians are leaving all Palestinian controlled areas. It's ironical that Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the Christian population is growing.
The moment Palestinian governments agree to negotiate peace with Israel, people of good will empathize with the Palestinians. Let us hope that this happens soon.
Larry Shapiro,
#12-68 Baycrest Place, S.W.
Calgary. Alberta Canada T2V 0K6
Phone: (403) 238-4551
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