U.S. needs to support meaningful resolution
As a Jewish-American woman who supports justice for Palestinians — and all peoples — I want to thank you for publishing Huwaida Arraf’s piece [“Heed voices calling for justice for Palestinians,” seattletimes.com, guest commentary, April 24].
Only when the U.S. stops supporting human-rights violations of Christians and Palestinians in the Holy Land and starts supporting Palestinians and Israelis working toward a meaningful resolution in the area will we see the change so desperately needed.
— Anna Baltzer, St. Louis, Mo.
A simple appeal for justice
The guest column by Huwaida Arraf on Israel’s killing of nonviolent demonstrators is the kind of writing Americans need more of.
As someone who has visited Israel and Palestine in order to see The Wall and observe firsthand the daily torment by Israel of the Palestinian public, I can tell you it is very difficult to discuss these matters in a tone as reasoned and restrained as Arraf’s.
Hers is a simple appeal to a sense of justice that she imagines must exist in most people. Of course, she is right, and when the American public becomes aware of the extent of the human-rights abuses it supports, there will be a change of policy.
The $3 billion a year given to Israel could be put to better use, even if it were burned.
— Peter R. Harley, Tucson, Ariz.
Visibility in media will spur action
In her guest column, Huwaida Arraf laments the lack of accountability when Israel’s military attacks peace-activist demonstrators such as her friend, Bassem Abu Rahme, who was killed in a nonviolent demonstration. She lists several other attacks against the peace movement, including the recent shooting of an American, Tristan Anderson.
However, what she did not note is that we Americans are predominantly unaware of these actions because it is rarely covered in the mainstream media, and particularly visual media.
I’m sure if mainstream media would show such videos to the American people, there would be plenty of individuals of goodwill who would take a stand against such violent affronts to the peace movement. Until that default is remedied, I’m afraid peace activists will remain vulnerable to these unaccountable and, in essence, invisible acts of aggression.
— Susan Kerin, Rockville, Md.