Dear Editor:

The heading, “Palestinians under duress” (letter, April 19) suddenly made me realize that Israel is also under duress and suffering.

Israel’s distress comes from having to fight 24/7 for its existence since, minimally, 1948, when the Arab population of the Mideast united in an attempt to annihilate the newly created Jewish state.

To everyone’s collective surprise, Israel didn’t die. Unfortunately, the seeds of the current dilemma were sowed when the Arabs nations created the Palestinian problem.

But the Arab world soon realized that the Palestinian issues were not enough, and Israel had to face two more wars brought on by Arab nations and organizations united in one cause – the elimination of Israel.

But those macro wars solved nothing and so instead, Israel found that it then had to protect itself from Palestinian suicide bombers – which they have done quite successfully by building a wall to keep them out – and now almost routine rocket attacks. But attitudes taught from infancy die hard, and the Arab objective is still present 64 years later, witness Iran and Hamas’ negative declarations on Israel’s continued existence and their vow to destroy it.

Unfortunately this Arab bullying has continued and takes its toll on Israelis who spend their entire life looking at assailants who surround them and want them destroyed for no other reason than they are Jewish and not Muslim. Yes, Israel is under duress, and letter writer Eli Kassirer’s solutions will end its duress by exterminating Israel altogether – just what the Palestinians have always had in mind.

SUSAN PURETZ

Saugerties

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