To the editor: Hezbollah hit Israeli civilians with a barrage of rockets on Oct. 8, 2023, and has done so daily for almost a year now. Was Hezbollah “retaliating” on Oct. 8? And for what, exactly? (“Hezbollah hits back with rockets as it declares an ‘open-ended battle’ with Israel,” Sept. 21)
According to United Nations Resolution 1701, no armed forces other than U.N. forces and the Lebanese military are allowed south of the Litani River in Lebanon, creating a buffer zone close to Israel. Hezbollah has not only violated the resolution, but it has also increased its armed forces in that area.
Hezbollah’s yearlong rocket barrage burned and depopulated northern Israel’s towns and villages. Israel can no longer tolerate this, which should surprise no one.
Apparently, Hezbollah can defy U.N. Resolution 1701 with impunity, but Israel’s actions in self-defense must be “retaliated against,” which is a frightening display of political moral inversion.
Julia Lutch, Davis, Calif.
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To the editor: If a Muslim country were doing this, “preempting” an attack by engaging in a strike that killed nearly 500 people, it would be called terrorism. Why are we allowing this to continue happening?
It’s been nearly a year since Israeli forces started absolutely decimating the Gaza Strip. Israel has the right to defend itself, but this is no longer defense — it’s an outright egregious attack.
Punishing Hamas by killing so many Palestinians is not something the U.S. should be supporting. Now we’re continuing to send Israel aid as it sets its sights on Lebanon?
Enough is enough. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration is a major threat to world peace.
Sol Siddiq, Riverside
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To the editor: I am fed up with The Times calling Hamas and Hezbollah fighters “militants.”
Militants are individuals or small groups that are willing to use violence to achieve their political aims. Someone who bombs an abortion clinic when no one is in it so it won’t be able to perform abortions is a militant; someone who does so when people are in it is a terrorist.
But groups of thousands of people who are armed with standardized weapons, who have uniforms and commanders and tactical and strategic plans, are not militants.
Militants don’t have companies, battalions, brigades and divisions. Militants don’t have thousands of rockets and missiles.
Hamas and Hezbollah are armies. The Times should use the terms “soldiers” or “units” when speaking of them.
Ephraim Landau, Ashkelon, Israel
