Letters from Readers
Nuanced editorial on the Middle East Crisis
The insights contained in the January editorial of Khabar (“The Middle East Crisis: Polarization only serves to perpetuate the conflict”) have relevance that goes beyond the current lamentable situation in Gaza. It brought to mind the profound Jain teaching which says that given the indeterminate nature of reality, in this life none of us can ever have a complete and infallible grasp of how things really are. Jainism tells us that the kind of humility the editorial emphasizes regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas is a rational response (that evolves with the practice of nonviolence) for all of us, no matter what is going on. Only after we develop such humility and notice the truth of our opponents will real peace be achieved in
the world at large.
Sanjay Lal
Stockbridge, GA
The analysis in the January editorial of Khabar (“The Middle East Crisis: Polarization only serves to perpetuate the conflict”) is spot on. Thanks for the nuanced viewpoint! As an interested observer, I was struck by how biblically this conflict is being viewed in the U.S. by a significant number of Christians. I eavesdropped on a conversation between two of my Christian co-travelers while on a recent vacation. One of them said, “God of Israel said, ‘If you come after my people, I will destroy you.’ This is now that time.” If such fundamentalist beliefs become mainstream in the 21st century, then how can any geopolitics ever even come to the table for discussion? Disheartening times for sure!
Sanjeev Bhavnani
Atlanta , GA
Hamas is the hindrance to peace
Gaza would not be an open-air prison and there would be no blockades or check posts if Hamas were to stop firing thousands of rockets and digging tunnels into Israel. The restrictions are needed to keep Israeli citizens safe. The Hamas charter officially calls for the extinction of Israel. Despite numerous opportunities to create their own state and be prosperous, they spend all the money they get in aid on rockets, tunnels, and terrorism.
As Golda Meir said, “If the Arabs put down their weapons today, there would be no more violence. If the Jews put down their weapons today, there would be no more Israel.” Israel will do what it takes to exist as a nation and protect its citizens.
Many Palestinians detest Hamas. In the West Bank, 80 percent of Palestinians want Abbas to resign. 76 percent of Israelis think Netanyahu is an obstacle to peace and want him gone. Polls conducted just before the war show that most Gazans did not agree with Hamas’s goal to destroy Israel. 73 percent of Gazans favored a peaceful settlement and 51 percent wanted a two-state solution. But that sentiment has changed after the war broke out and Israel’s current military campaign in Gaza has increased support for Hamas.
A growing number of Arab leaders are against Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis (the three H’s), and the Iranian mullahs who back them. In private, they voice a desire to defeat Hamas, even if their public posturing is different. However, public anger has presented a dilemma to the countries that have enjoyed close economic ties with Israel. These Arab countries are now faced with mounting pressure to cut those ties. Given the fast, fluid realities on the ground, there is no telling if this trend will continue. But when the anger subsides and more Arab countries realize they benefit from diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, as initiated by the Abraham Accords, perhaps the Palestinians will give up their limiting ideological stance and work towards a peaceful solution. But that won’t happen until the corrupt regimes of Hamas, Abbas, and Netanyahu are replaced by fresh leadership.
Ron Jacob
by email
Interested in writing for Khabar?
Writers are invited to contact us at editor@khabar.com for submission guidelines. Please include links and/or attach copies of published articles, if any, as samples of your work. A review of our back issues online will give you a good idea of what we like to publish. Pitches or unsolicited articles that haven’t appeared elsewhere are welcome as well. If there is further interest, Khabar will respond with an offer or provide more information on our requirements.
What’s on YOUR mind?
We welcome original, unpublished letters from our readers. You could either respond to a specific article in Khabar or write about issues relevant to our community. Letters may be edited for length and other considerations. Longer submissions by readers may be considered for the “My Turn” column.
Email: letters@khabar.com • Fax: (770) 234-6115.
Mail: Khabar, Inc. 3635 Savannah Place Dr, Suite 400, Duluth, GA 30096.
Note: Views expressed in the Letters section do not necessarily represent those of the publication.
Enjoyed reading Khabar magazine? Subscribe to Khabar and get a full digital copy of this Indian-American community magazine.
