Re: “Israeli rape victims ‘silenced twice’ ” [Dec. 7, Opinion]:
Columnist Bret Stephens’ allegation that world organizations are minimizing gender-based atrocities in opposition to Israeli ladies is deeply disturbing. Ladies and youngsters have suffered most of all within the present Israel-Hamas warfare. Persecution primarily based on gender, race and faith is a plague on humanity — and so is colonization. Over the previous couple of centuries, white settlers in America dedicated unspeakable atrocities in opposition to the Indigenous inhabitants, leading to near-complete genocide of Native Individuals. Numerous populations — together with Jews — have misplaced their homelands, been enslaved and subjected to unspeakable horrors.
There can by no means be an ethical justification for murdering harmless civilians, regardless of the provocation. As thinker and pacifist Bertrand Russell famously stated, warfare doesn’t decide who is true — solely who’s left. Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory doesn’t justify the atrocities dedicated by Hamas. Nor do the actions of a terrorist group justify the deaths and wounding of tens of 1000’s of harmless Palestinians (largely ladies and youngsters).
Israel’s acknowledged intent to occupy Gaza as soon as it has been fully decimated begins to look alarmingly like genocide. And the U.S. authorities, with its personal darkish historical past, seems to be in full assist.
Sorrel North, Lopez Island
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