Terrorism begets terrorism
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Terrorism begets terrorism

In “Kerry’s post-UN speech one-sided, says former State Dept. official” (Jan. 5), David Makovsky asked the question “What about terrorism?” — obviously referring to Palestinian acts of terror against Israelis. Nowhere does he mention acts of terror against Palestinians by Israelis.

There have been numerous acts of terror against Palestinians in the West Bank. Homes have been desecrated, crops destroyed, even olive trees have been uprooted, which violates a teaching of the Torah that prohibits this kind of action even against your enemies. 

Extremist Jewish settlers torched a Palestinian home, burning to death a toddler and his parents. The incident has been forgotten by Jews, but not by the Palestinians.

I am old enough to remember that during the British Mandate Jewish terrorist groups committed acts of terror against British troops and Arab villages. Lehi (sometimes referred to as the Stern Gang) was responsible for the killing of the UN peace mediator Count Folke Bernadotte; the Irgun for the bombing of the King David Hotel. Although these acts of terror were condemned by Jewish groups, many Jews, myself included, felt a sense of pride in their willingness to sacrifice their lives to create a Jewish state. To wit, Menachem Begin, head of Irgun, and Yitzhak Shamir, head of Lehi, would eventually be elected prime ministers of Israel.

I do not condone terrorism against innocent civilians, whether directed against Israelis or Palestinians. Terrorism begets terrorism. You cannot condemn one and condone the other.

Marvin Bograd
East Windsor

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