There is a saying that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. “Biden: Gaza policy to change unless IDF protects Gaza civilians” (April 5) speaks of a threat on the part of the US administration.

Much has been written about the conduct of the IDF in the war in Gaza. Putting aside the opinions of countries like Russia, China, Iran, and those with a long history of antisemitism, experts have written that the IDF is the most moral army. Now comes the US with its threat.

It is unfortunate that the IAF mistakenly bombed a group of aid workers, but it apologized and is researching the details of how it happened.

On the other hand, did the US apologize for killing unarmed Italian civilians in Canicatti during World War II? Did it apologize for bombing a wedding ceremony in Afghanistan in 2002, causing the death of 48 civilians and many injured? Of course, it did not.

What about the bombing of Doctors Without Borders in a hospital in Kunduz in 2015, leaving 42 dead? The list is very long of the US involvement in mistaken bombings not only in Afghanistan but also in Iraq and other countries.

As usual, since the beginning of the Gaza war, the US has criticized Israel as if it knows better, putting our soldiers in danger. 

At the beginning of March, war cabinet minister Benny Gantz went on an unauthorized trip to Washington. He met Vice President Kamala Harris, who pressed for increased humanitarian aid and a ceasefire.

Ten days later, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called for elections in Israel. The very next day, President Biden endorsed Schumer’s message.

Last week, Gantz called for new elections in September. The following evening, Biden spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu, threatening to change his Gaza policy unless certain steps were taken by Israel immediately regarding hostage release and humanitarian aid.

You don’t have to be a political expert to connect the dots. All the main characters have one goal: to replace the Netanyahu government. But I believe that Biden and Gantz are making political mistakes. Biden, looking at the polls, thinks that pressuring Israel will help him in Michigan.

What he is not recognizing is that the great silent majority of Americans favor Israel over Hamas, and increasing the daylight between the two nations may be a detriment to him in November.

Gantz, also looking at the polls where he has a substantial lead over the incumbent, is neglecting the overwhelming feeling that Israelis have for maintaining unity while the war is going on. By calling for elections, which will necessarily be divisive and strengthen Hamas’s resolve to continue the war, he is hurting himself as well.

The slogan “unified we will win” is a sine qua non for ultimate victory, and anyone who violates that is doing so at his own political peril.

One-sided and off-base

Yitz Greenberg’s assessment of the Biden/Bibi rift (“Alienating Biden and Schumer,” April 4) is totally one-sided and off base. Netanyahu is not responsible for the fight with Biden’s current mouthpiece, Chuck Schumer.

The Democratic Party planned Schumer’s rant as a political ploy to gain favor with its Muslim constituency. Nothing the prime minister said or didn’t say, or do or didn’t do had anything to do with it. He was just an easy target, and Schumer especially should be ashamed of allowing himself to be used as another useful idiot.

In fact, Schumer wanted to do this to build his own bona fides to fend off a run against him by Israel-hating, left-winger Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC).

Greenberg is an oleh and obviously has lost all perspective as to context and geopolitics in the US and in Israel. If one wants to make aliyah, terrific. However, to come over to Israel and bash the country’s leaders is unforgivable.

Capturing the votes

“The WCK tragedy” (editorial, April 4) accurately characterizes the deaths of the humanitarian aid workers, who were accidentally killed by the IDF, as being the fault of Hamas. This terrorist organization uses civilians as human shields. You correctly call President Biden’s rebuke of Israel for this incident as disingenuous.

However, it is important to understand the reason for Biden’s lies concerning Israel’s actions. He said that Israel has not done enough to protect civilians, even though Israel has acted to protect civilians to a greater extent than any combatant in history.

You appropriately point out that the United States killed more than four hundred thousand civilians in wars during the past two decades.

Biden has admonished the Jewish state in order to achieve the goal of capturing the votes of terrorist-supporting Arab citizens in Michigan and Minnesota for the November election. As a result, he has failed to blame Hamas for the death of Arab non-combatants, and instead, he condemns Israel.

Hopefully, American voters will remember his falsehoods at the ballot box this November.

An eternity of agony

Nothing we have heard or seen through our television screens and the millions of printed words covering the horrendous event on October 7 can bring you up with a jolt like your front-page poignant memorial on April 7.

Those not directly hurt by what occurred that day still find it forever sealed in our minds. The families of the hostages must see that the six months that have passed are nothing less than an eternity of agony, with the relatives of the IDF’s fallen experiencing no less suffering.

As citizens of Israel living through this nightmare, we have a duty to face the reality of our nation's very complex situation. We are desperate for our leaders to show wisdom and courage and guide us through these dark times.

In doing so, their aims must prioritize what is required to safeguard all our citizens and have a clear objective in bringing normality back to our lives.

Whether the current incumbents of those lofty positions are capable of achieving this is clearly open to debate, but one thing is for sure: each name you have listed cries off the page not only that we do not forget them but that their passing must not have been in vain.