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To the editor:
"Complicity" (Letters, The Chief, July 18) is another superb letter from Howard Elterman. It's not surprising that the U.S. and Israel are strong allies. Both share the distinction of being able to project their virtues while hiding their evils. As Elterman pointed out, they are now controlled by authoritarians.
One myth that has long been touted by America's mainstream media is the Palestinian rejection of Israel's 2000 offer to give them their own state. As Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting reported, Israel would have controlled Palestinians ability to travel and trade within their own state. Israel would have also annexed parts of the West Bank.
The Palestinian offer would have had Israel keeping 78 percent of the land with 22 percent going to a Palestinian state. The Daily News ignored these details until they printed my Aug. 12, 2023 "Story Skewed" letter.
Another slant long promoted is that Palestinians won't recognize the Jewish state. Overlooked is that the current Israeli government rejects the creation of a Palestinian state.
Then there is U.S. politics. Republicans support Israel because they have no regard for the rights of Palestinians. Some Democrats feel the same while others consider taking a stand that is fair to both sides to be politically risky. For those in the latter group, that didn't work out too well in the last election.
The Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack was obviously terrorism. But many of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's responses could also be described as such, but much worse. Besides his political and legal motives, it's as if Netanyahu was saying "You think that's terrorism? I'll show you terrorism."
In the unlikely event that we ever have just and reasonable U.S., Israeli and Palestinian leaders, perhaps we could have the following: a total ceasefire, release of all hostages, no more seizing of Palestinian land and negotiations that end with an agreement that all sides could live with.
Richard Warren
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fcannisi
It's as though the world has forgotten the original U.N. concept when it created the state of Israel and ended the British Mandate for Palestine.
Wikipedia sums up the agreement reached to create a two-state solution this way:
"The Partition Plan, a four-part document attached to the resolution, provided for the termination of the Mandate; the gradual withdrawal of British armed forces by no later than 1 August 1948; and the delineation of boundaries between the two States and Jerusalem at least two months after the withdrawal, but no later than 1 October 1948. The Arab state was to have a territory of 11,592 square kilometres, or 42.88 percent of the Mandate's territory, and the Jewish state a territory of 15,264 square kilometres, or 56.47 percent; the remaining 0.65 percent or 176 square kilometres—comprising Jerusalem, Bethlehem and the adjoining area—would become an international zone."
In short, Israel demanded 20% more of the common land in 2000 than was granted in 1948 along with Jerusalem, Bethlehem and financial control over Palestinian affairs.
As Einstein noted "peace cannot be kept by force".
Thursday, July 24, 2025 Report this
Valete
Let’s get straight to the point: humans can’t live in peace. Throughout history, wars and bloodshed have been fueled by the desire for land and power, leading to the conquest of other countries. We’re all equally guilty, so let’s stop the nonsense and admit the truth: humans are the problem, not the solution! They’re too stupid to live in peace, and trying to find some fake politician to lead them to a utopian future will only make things worse; some people will rule, and others will be ruled. There will always be human differences because humans are lazy and expect a free ride in life; how foolish. I love it when people say, ‘It’s income inequality; higher wages; free insurance and education—free, free, free.’ Wake up, people, we’re all subject to the laws of nature, and in the end, we all end up in the same place, six feet under the earth.
Thursday, July 24, 2025 Report this
fcannisi
What a turnaround! On July 10th, Quad Zero posts:
"The Bible indicates that humans are the highest life form by stating that they are created in God’s image, as seen in Genesis 1:26-27, which says God made humans in His image and gave them dominion over all other creatures."
On July 24th, a scant two weeks later, Quad Zero posts the above tirade condemning mankind.
Quad Zero, if humans were created in God's image and humans are stupid, lazy, bloodthirsty, war mongers who kill one another for land, power and conquest ... what does that say about God?
Friday, July 25, 2025 Report this
Valete
In essence, the Bible teaches that original sin originated from the fall of Adam and Eve, resulting in a nature inherently inclined towards evil (as mentioned in Genesis 3). Furthermore, it emphasizes that man’s inhumanity to man is a consequence of this sinful nature, as evidenced by various passages that explore the sources of evil, such as the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Ultimately, God’s love will prevail over sin and humanity’s sinful nature.
The Old Testament emphasizes God’s love through His covenant with His people, showing mercy and compassion despite their sinful nature. It teaches that through faith and obedience to God’s laws, individuals can overcome their sinful tendencies and live in accordance with His will.
The New Testament emphasizes that God’s love is demonstrated through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who offers salvation and the ability to overcome sin through the power of the Holy Spirit. It teaches that human will alone is insufficient to overcome sinful nature; instead, it is through God’s grace and the empowerment of the Spirit that believers can live righteously (Romans 8:3-4).
The Old Testament illustrates free will through the repeated choices of the Israelites to obey or disobey God’s commands, highlighting the consequences of their decisions. Key examples include God’s command to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, where they had the freedom to choose but faced consequences for their actions.
The New Testament emphasizes that individuals can choose their actions and follow God’s will. It teaches that while we are free to make choices, those choices come with consequences, and believers are encouraged to act in love and service to others (Galatians 5:13, 1 Corinthians 10:24).
If you’d like to discuss the Old and New Testaments, I’d be more than happy to oblige!
Friday, July 25, 2025 Report this
Valete
Reenjoe’s question: If humans were created in God’s image and humans are stupid, lazy, bloodthirsty, war mongers who kill one another for land, power, and conquest ... what does that say about God?
Answer: God allows evil and human imperfection to coexist because of the gift of ‘free will,’ which enables individuals to choose between good and evil. This choice is essential for genuine love and moral growth, even though it results in suffering and sin in the world.
God allows evil and suffering to maintain human free will, which is essential for genuine love and moral choices. This means that while He does not cause evil, He permits it to exist as part of a greater plan that ultimately leads to His glory and the opportunity for redemption.
Friday, July 25, 2025 Report this
fcannisi
On June 26 Quad Zero posted this:
-On Tuesday evening, Trump’s envoy Witkoff said the president is now looking to land “a comprehensive peace agreement that goes beyond even the ceasefire.”
“We’re already talking to each other, not just directly, but also through interlocutors,” Witkoff stated that they are already engaged in conversations, not just directly, but also through intermediaries. “I believe these conversations are promising,” Witkoff added.-
A month later, Quad Zero concedes that "humans can't live in peace".
I guess Trump's promises of peace in Gaza and Ukraine were as empty as his promises to lower prices, reduce crime, end taxing social security benefits, cut federal spending by $2 trillion, make IVF free .......
Thursday, July 31, 2025 Report this
Valete
Let’s examine humans, war, peace, and poetry from a different viewpoint.
Renowned and prolific historians Will and Ariel Durant have observed that, over the past three and a half millennia, there has been at least one war in approximately 92 percent of those years.
The Durants, in their book “The Lessons of History,” state that war has been a constant throughout history and has not diminished with the rise of civilization or democracy. In fact, out of the 3,421 years of recorded history, only 268 have witnessed no war.
The Durants’ claim that “war is one of the constants of history” and that neither the spread of civilization nor democracy has changed that trend.
John Arquilla, a professor of defense analysis at the Naval Postgraduate School, addressed this issue in a 2012 article published in Foreign Policy. He concluded that, despite the 44 years since the Durants made their observation, there has been no significant increase in peace.
It’s a tragic reflection on the history of human civilization. Despite the billions of people who dream of living in world peace, human nature proves to be a significant obstacle to achieving that reality.
In poetic terms: Human nature is like an elusive butterfly, aimlessly flying in the vast expanse of lost dreams and endless sorrows....
Friday, August 1, 2025 Report this
fcannisi
Quad Zero, perhaps Trump should have read the Durant's book when he promised to end the wars in Gaza and Ukraine on day one as well as Trump saying there were no wars (a blatant lie) during his first term and predicting the same for his current term.
Like I said in my last post, Trump over promises and underdelivers.
Saturday, August 2, 2025 Report this
Valete
As I mentioned in my previous post, this piece explores the themes of war, peace, and humanity from an artistic perspective. It serves as a historical lesson that sheds light on the reasons why humanity seems destined to remain in a state of perpetual conflict. Perhaps, if people were less driven by power and selfishness, the world might experience a more peaceful existence. However, I remain optimistic yet cautious, expecting both the best and the worst outcomes. It’s disheartening to think that the world might be saved by a mere dictator, socialist, or communist leader. But then again, perhaps a Democrat who advocates for abortion and euthanasia could inadvertently lead to more death and violence, ultimately resulting in the Final Solution for humanity. The past was plagued by immense brutality, and the future appears equally ominous. As to Trump's reading habits, I have no idea what Trump reads, whether it is history, science, psychology, spiritual, or any combination thereof.
Saturday, August 2, 2025 Report this
Valete
I commend President Trump for his unwavering dedication to promoting peaceful coexistence between warring nations, even in the face of the inherent challenges and uncertainties that such endeavors inevitably entail. Peace is always beautiful, even if it’s just a dream enveloped in the sorrows of the world.
Sunday, August 3, 2025 Report this
fcannisi
I don't think publicly announcing a plan to seize someone else's land and displace its inhabitants, as Trump did when he said the U.S. would "take" Gaza and turn it into the "Riviera of the Middle East", can be characterized as "promoting peaceful coexistence between warring nations".
It is particularly untrue when the announcement resulted in unravelling a ceasefire that had been painstakingly negotiated by Trump's predecessor, Biden.
Trump, as much as Netanyahu, is responsible for the horrors that have taken place in Gaza since the Biden ceasefire was broken by Israel.
Monday, August 4, 2025 Report this
Valete
The metaphysical realm is an ideal place to contemplate the essence of life. Imagine war as an internal struggle within the human soul, where reason and passion clash. The significance of peacemaking lies within us, as we strive to establish harmony and understanding with ourselves before attempting to achieve global peace. Only then can humanity rise from the ashes of war, like a phoenix, reborn from its own destruction after succumbing to a world engulfed in ashes and hate.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 Report this