Gazans Responsible

According to Gary Rosenblatt, most Gazans are “the victims of
circumstance” and “virtual prisoners of Hamas,” which he blames on Hamas
for initiating a war against Israel (“10 Lessons From The Gaza War,” Aug. 22).

The reality, however, is quite
different. According to Jimmy Carter, Hamas was duly elected by Gazans in a
closely monitored democratic election. During the campaign, Hamas’ violent
anti-Israel agenda was never hidden from the voters.

Now fast-forward to the
present. Who can forget the images of Gazans celebrating with unbridled glee
upon hearing that three Israeli teenagers had been kidnapped and killed? And
as Operation Protective Edge continued, Gazans were shown celebrating as
Hamas’ rockets were launched against Israeli civilians and over reports
that Israeli soldiers had been captured and killed. These are just a few
reasons why many of us will shed no tears for Gazans in the ongoing conflict.

Staten Island