Eight years of daily rocket fire against Israeli citizens weren’t enough to merit a strong military response? What other country would tolerate the continued violence for fear of world opinion?

The bombings against Hamas were not Israel’s first solution, either. Israel called for a stop to the attacks repeatedly, threatened that their would be a response if they continued, and warned Gaza to evacuate civilians before firing a single missile. And Israel, the world knows, does not bluff.

I mourn for the loss of life on both sides. It is truly tragic. Every life is a precious gidt from the Almighty. But Hamas will not relent. Surely you know that since the cease-fire, Hamas rockets have begun to fire into Israel again? -Already? What should Israel do, wait for a 9/11-scale event?

You should pray for Israel, pray for the Jewish people, and pray for peace. But don’t expect it to come knocking on your door carried by your enemies.

May we merit Moshiach and the rebuilding of our Bais Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim, bimhayrah v’omeinu.

With sincere ahavas Yisrael and ahavas habrios,
Menacham Mendel

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Too bad you didn’t get around to condemning the firing of missles in the eight years before Israel finally acted to stop it. Those of us who support a two-state solution from abroad and virtually all Israelis understand that Palestinians will never get a state if they continue to use territory that Israel evacuates for mindless aggression against it. In the likely event that Rabbinical Statements don’t stop Hamas from firing rockets and in light of your desire that Israel not act militarily to stop it, I have to wonder whether you don’t really oppose a two-state solution.

What do you mean with “Having nothing better to do,” ? This was, this is important, what could you do better than to work to protect innocent people??

Israel was – many years ago – a reference for me: a democratic society surrounded by Arab countries who mostly are not democratic (to phrase it politely). But in the course of the past 25 years or so i have seen Israel slipping towards a militaristic country, a country where Jewish lives are higher valued than non-Jewish lives.

Please, understand me right: the rockets fired on Sderot and other places are pure terrorism, and justify a response. But Palestinian children and Palestinian people are also created by G*D, and are protected by the word in the Decalogue (not to speak of the 4th Geneva Convention).

Please, Rabbi, I do not think that your efforts, your thoughts about these wasted lives are worthless! Peace can only come to Israel if Jews and Muslims accept that they must live together, that they respect each other, and give each other the chance of living in dignity. Your voice must not be silenced, and i hope that other Rabbis will see that what you are doing is important.

I hope with all my force that Peace will come, that Arabs and Israelis, that Muslims and Jews will live together and respect each others right to live, even if they don’t *love* each other. This implies the respect of innocent lives – please do all what you can to defend this view of a better world! I know, it requires a lot of courage to do so, and i am sure that many people will support you even when they don’t speak out.

Thomas