Two front-page stories in your April 22 issue quote Sen. Sanders’ calumny that Israel’s use of force in the 2014 Gaza war was “disproportionate.” Your editorial in the same issue (“Sanders Crosses A Line”) says that some believe Sanders’ criticism was “deeply unfair,” without, however, explaining why.
Here’s why: On July 15, 2014, one week after fighting broke out, Israel accepted a cease-fire proposed by Egypt. Only because Hamas rejected the proposal did the fighting continue. Time and again after July 15 Israel sought to end the fighting. Time and again Hamas’ response was “bring it on!”
When Hamas eventually accepted a cease-fire, Gaza deaths had multiplied more than tenfold from under 200 as of July 15 to over 2,000. Hamas’ serial rejections of numerous cease-fire proposals thus places responsibility for the awful carnage — which Mr. Sanders has cited as evidence for his charge of disproportionality — overwhelmingly at Hamas’ door.
This history removes Mr. Sanders’ criticism of Israel from the realm of being unfair, a matter of judgment that can be debated; it places his criticism in opposition to the facts, which cannot.
Manhattan
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