In one of the worst opinion pieces I have seen from the Ledger Editorial Board, they have stooped to a new low standard of “moral equivalence” as it relates to the Jewish State of Israel in their piece “As Israeli-Palestinian Tensions Escalate, Where Is America?” (Ledger, Oct. 23, 2015).

The tired accusations of Israel being an “occupier” does not justify the Arab/Palestinian world teaching Jew-hatred to over several generations, or glorifying the killing of not only Jews in Israel, but all Jews. The repeated false assertions by Palestinians that Israel violated the rules as it relates to the Temple Mount merely lit the fuse to the bomb they created.

What do you mean, “normal Muslim and Jewish teenagers around the world are self-radicalizing?” I have seen only a very few Israeli teenagers radicalized. I have seen hundreds of Arab teens killing and attempting to kill Jews, and thousands radicalizing colleges with antisemitic BDS activities all under the guise of ‘anti-occupation.’

One of the problems in applying Western terminology to the Middle East is meaning. “Occupation” in Western terms means the so-called West Bank. To many Arab countries, “occupation” means all of the Jewish State of Israel is illegitimate.

Let me be clear – there is no moral equivalence to Jew-hatred and Jew killing by Palestinian teenagers for any reason! Does the Ledger Editorial Advisory Board need this simple statement repeated?

Following Israel’s Proclamation of Independence, David ben Gurion stated that the independent Jewish State of Israel does not speak for American Jews. Yet, you seem to think that American Jews should tell Israeli Jews what they should do and for whom they should vote. Let’s get the facts straight. Twice, during peace negotiations, the PLO got just about everything they wanted and when it came down to signing on the dotted line they set more conditions and pulled out.

I would strongly suggest that instead of pressuring the Israelis or asking the Obama administration to do it for you, place the blame where it belongs, on the Palestinians.

It is a shame that the editorial tone of the only Jewish paper in the area has markedly changed. I expected more. It’s time for a new Ledger Editorial Advisory Board.

Howard R. Zern
West Hartford