Spring Break
Letters to the Editor
Issue date: 2/6/09 Section: Commentary
Student's statements about Israel, Hamas insensitive, inaccurate
While Saleh Ibrahim was busy trying to make aid to Israel seem like a war crime ("U.S. shouldn't sponsor state terrorism, apartheid in Palestine," Feb. 4, 2009), I was busy getting some facts together to remind everyone that they need not believe everything they read about such a controversial topic. Allow me to address the issues that were distorted by the author, in order of appearance.
First, the casualty totals. Ibrahim was quoting the totals from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, an organization with absolutely no reason to distort the count to help create sympathy and outrage in the world. Quoting an organization that may be trying to generate increased global sympathy and outrage through inflated casualty is perfectly acceptable when, and only when, it is contrasted by reports by the Israeli Defense Forces. The I.D.F. claims that "between 1,100 and 1,200 people were killed during the offensive, only 250 of them civilians," adding that "the Hamas death toll is above 700," with Defense Minister of Israel Ehud Barak quoted as saying that "We know their names."
Israel also claimed it had captured 120 Hamas gunmen. I am not saying that we know for sure that the I.D.F. has the right number, either, but it definitely is worth mentioning so that, we, the UConn students, can at least make an informed decision.
Also, Ibrahim mentions something about Hamas being willing to accept the two-state solution since it has taken power in Gaza. I cannot be clearer in reiterating that this is categorically false. I could quote various speeches from Hamas members backing me up here, but don't take my word for it: Google it yourself! Go to Google and type in "Hamas refuses to recognize Israel." I promise that it will not take long for you to see that, at least in this issue, Hamas is in complete agreement.
Finally, I just want to say that I'm sure the vast majority of you who read these articles lack a personal tie to this conflict, so it must just seem like a two groups engaged in an endless tug of war. You would not be wrong in that assessment. Yet try to remember that there are always two sides to every story, whether in The Daily Campus or The New York Times. Remember that conflict sells papers and commercials for CNN, so a report that blames one side entirely would be counter-productive.
While Saleh Ibrahim was busy trying to make aid to Israel seem like a war crime ("U.S. shouldn't sponsor state terrorism, apartheid in Palestine," Feb. 4, 2009), I was busy getting some facts together to remind everyone that they need not believe everything they read about such a controversial topic. Allow me to address the issues that were distorted by the author, in order of appearance.
First, the casualty totals. Ibrahim was quoting the totals from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, an organization with absolutely no reason to distort the count to help create sympathy and outrage in the world. Quoting an organization that may be trying to generate increased global sympathy and outrage through inflated casualty is perfectly acceptable when, and only when, it is contrasted by reports by the Israeli Defense Forces. The I.D.F. claims that "between 1,100 and 1,200 people were killed during the offensive, only 250 of them civilians," adding that "the Hamas death toll is above 700," with Defense Minister of Israel Ehud Barak quoted as saying that "We know their names."
Israel also claimed it had captured 120 Hamas gunmen. I am not saying that we know for sure that the I.D.F. has the right number, either, but it definitely is worth mentioning so that, we, the UConn students, can at least make an informed decision.
Also, Ibrahim mentions something about Hamas being willing to accept the two-state solution since it has taken power in Gaza. I cannot be clearer in reiterating that this is categorically false. I could quote various speeches from Hamas members backing me up here, but don't take my word for it: Google it yourself! Go to Google and type in "Hamas refuses to recognize Israel." I promise that it will not take long for you to see that, at least in this issue, Hamas is in complete agreement.
Finally, I just want to say that I'm sure the vast majority of you who read these articles lack a personal tie to this conflict, so it must just seem like a two groups engaged in an endless tug of war. You would not be wrong in that assessment. Yet try to remember that there are always two sides to every story, whether in The Daily Campus or The New York Times. Remember that conflict sells papers and commercials for CNN, so a report that blames one side entirely would be counter-productive.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
400 childern killed
posted 2/06/09 @ 10:05 AM EST
Israel has blocked all Western media from Gaza during their slaughtering campaign to be able to hide the extent of their war crime. Moreover, most of the casualties were inflicted by air strikes, since the Israeli army was SCARED of sending ground troops into Gaza . (Continued…)
Israel Doesn't Recognize Palestine's Right to Exist
posted 2/06/09 @ 10:50 AM EST
Israel Doesn't Recognize Palestine's Right to Exist
Israel right-wing parties and even Tzipi Livni's Kadima party do not recognize Palestine 's right to exist either. (Continued…)
Hamas accepts Palestinian state within UN-mandated borders
posted 2/06/09 @ 10:52 AM EST
Hamas' leaders have widely been quoted expressing their acceptance of a Palestinian state within pre-1967 war borders:
2006
http://www. (Continued…)
orlando
posted 2/06/09 @ 11:40 AM EST
That last letter to the editor about USG is written so poorly I couldn't even finish reading it. Wow...that was horrible... and painful. I knew it would be bad when the first line began with Often times,
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