It is almost impossible for a newcomer to publish an opinion piece in the New York Times or Washington Post. There's a Catch-22 at work: If you have published in these papers before, your chances are higher of getting published again. But because you can rarely get published, there is hardly any chance that your piece will be published. In other words, success breeds success but because there is no chance of success, there will be no success to follow either for newcomers.
The Israeli-Hamas war in Gaza threw the world into turmoil. It began when Hamas launched a terrorist attack on Israel, killing 1200 Israelis and taking about 240 hostages. In response, Israel went a on destruction spree that so far has claimed the lives of over 20,000 Gazans, a majority of them children and women.
The war continues, with an alarming increase in antisemitism and Islamophobia. Americans have strong opinions about the war. As a Muslim American, I too have a strong opinion on this volatile and deeply divisive war. Since getting published in New York Times or Washington Post was not a possibility (not for lack of trying), I expressed my viewpoint in the comments section of the essays and opinion pieces penned by well-known columnists.
What follows are the links to the articles of famous columnists and the dates they were published. Each piece was accompanied by hundreds of entries in the comments section. I only quoted my comments to give you, the reader, an idea of the perspective of a Muslim American, tempered by a yearning for peace and justice.
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/09/gaza-war-israel-palestinians-recognition/
The lesson from
the Hamas attack: The U.S. should recognize a Palestinian state
By Daoud Kuttab
October 9, 2023
--
Comments
HasanZR
There is only one action that can defuse the
current catastrophic situation in the Middle East that threatens to engulf the
world: For Hamas to unconditionally free the hostages to Israel. Can Hamas take
this moral high ground? Unlikely but in the rapidly descending darkness, one
has to cling to a ray of hope, however faint. Slaughtering innocents can never
be justified. Besides, how has Hamas improved the lot of the average
Palestinian? Not at all. Hamas has made their lives worse, just as the Israeli government
has with its casual cruelty. May the warring factions see the light and end
this catastrophe for the sake of humanity. But no progress can be made unless
Hamas frees the hostages unconditionally.
DVGBest12
Can Hamas take this moral high ground?
Is that a joke? Hamas just slaughtered
hundreds of babies, women and children.
Tahitigirl
2 hours ago
And Israel has displaced and treated
the Palestinians horribly.
debatingunion
2 hours ago
The IDF regularly slaughters higher
numbers of innocent Palestinian civilians. Then there are the illegal settlers
in the occupied territories doing their bit as well.
jimhope
2 hours ago
They only go after Palestinians when
attacked...
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/opinion/israel-military-war.html
I’m
Going to War for Israel. Palestinians Are Not My Enemy.
Oct.
13, 2023
By Nir Avishai Cohen
Mr. Cohen, a major in the reserves of the
Israel Defense Forces, is the author of the book “Love Israel, Support
Palestine.”
--
Comment
Hasan Z
Rahim, San Jose, CA
Words of wisdom, courage and honesty are rare when one talks or
writes about the Israeli-Palestinian issue but Nir Avishai Cohen has done just
that. The far-right extremists are ideological brothers: Hamas and Netanyahu's
government are two sides of the same coin. The victims are the overwhelming
majority of Israelis and Palestinians who want to live in peace. May the
sentiments expressed by Nir Cohen take root in the hearts of all who want peace
by defeating the extremists on both sides. One thing remains universally true:
Killing innocent people can and must never be justified or condoned.
26 Recommend
--
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/14/opinion/israel-gaza-war.html
Israel Can Defend Itself and Uphold Its Values
Oct. 14, 2023
By The
Editorial Board of NY Times
Comments
Hasan Z Rahim
San Jose 4h ago
Hamas couldn't care less about the fate of ordinary
Palestinians, whether they live or die. But neither can Israel overlook the
critical importance of not killing civilians in Gaza who wish for nothing more
basic than to live in peace. Israelis and Palestinians who want to coexist in
peace are caught between two extreme ideologies espoused by a minority on both
sides. That is the true tragedy of the Middle East. The one act that can defuse
the situation is for Hamas to unconditionally release all the hostages. That
single act of taking the moral high ground can help the cause of peace. Can
Hamas do it? Based on its past, sadly, no. We are left hoping for a miracle!
100 Recommend
5 REPLIES
David H commented 52 minutes
ago
David H
Santa Cruz, CA 52m ago
@Hasan Z Rahim Why don't
freedom-loving Palestinian men take up arms against Hamas? Where is the
revolution? I do not support the state of Israel, actually, but Palestinian
society seems to be even less democratic and extremist than Israeli society.
Honestly, I would like to learn more about armed movements in Gaza that are
seeking to eradicate Hamas if there are any. My mind is not resolved on this
concern about civilian indifference or support for Hamas.
14 Recommend
Liam
NYC 20m ago
@Hasan Z Rahim Agreed. And not
only Hamas is not interested in saving Palestinians, they in fact, as they
openly stated, look forward to the Israeli invasion, as yet another chance to
fight and kill.
Andy
Brooklyn 2h ago
By your logic, the Allies would
have been justified in indiscriminately bombing civilians in Nazi Germany, and
Al Qaeda was justified in targeting American civilians.
2 Recommend
Steve commented 2 hours ago
Steve
US 2h ago
@David H You don't think
Palestinians have enough problems without also a civil war among themselves?
1 Recommend
JB
NY 2h ago
@Andy We did engage in terror
bombing in WW2 though. LeMay and Bomber Harris were quite proud of it, after
the fact. LeMay was even quoted as saying that they'd be war criminals, if they
hadn't won the war.
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/19/hamas-winning-political-goals/
Is Hamas winning the war?
By Yuval Noah Harari
October 19, 2023
Yuval Noah Harari is the author of “Sapiens,”
“Homo Deus” and “Unstoppable Us” and a professor of history at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem.
--
Commentary by
HasanZR:
This is a brilliant commentary on the
current war between Hamas and Israel. President Biden was right in urging
caution to the Israeli leadership based on our experience after 9/11. Revenge
is a tempting response but it is important to remember that it takes more
courage to wage peace than war. Hamas has been using Palestinians as pawns in
their maniacal pursuit of power and savagery. If Hamas is to transform itself,
the least it can do is unconditionally release the hostages. This is more
aspiration than reality but history is full of surprises. One clarification for
the author Yuval Noah Harari: "Tufan" does not mean flood. The word
"Tufan" means a raging storm.
7 Thumbs up
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/20/israel-gazans-hamas-war-rebuilding/
Listen to the Gazans who are seeking a path away from Hamas
By David Ignatius, October
20, 2023
HasanZR Comment
18 minutes ago
The tragedy in the Middle East is that
extremists on both sides - the government of Netanyahu and Hamas - don't want
peace. Peace would steal their thunder if ordinary Israelis and Palestinians
agreed to coexist in peace and justice. Feeling against Hamas is strong in Gaza
but these oppressed Gazans are fearful of their lives if they dare to oppose
Hamas. Yet many have taken the risk to protest Hamas dictators in the hope that
they can aspire to a life of decency and dignity. Israel can help by taking the
moral high ground - difficult given the Oct 7 massacre by Hamas - but it can
break the never-ending cycle of war and violence. Hamas can take the moral high
ground by releasing all hostages unconditionally. For the sake of humanity,
let's hope and pray that a radical peace breaks out in the Middle East soon
before the world is engulfed by the flames of war.
thumb_up 2 reply
Gigantor
17 minutes ago
"Hamas can take the moral high
ground by releasing all hostages unconditionally." Hamas needs to die.
After Oct 7, the idea that Hamas can obtain a 'moral high ground' is a ship
that has sailed.
Most people are arguing about how best
to kill Hamas, without endangering Gazan civilian lives.
--
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/22/opinion/hamas-israel-jews-massacre.html
Why Jews Cannot Stop
Shaking Right Now
Oct. 22, 2023
By Dara Horn
--
Comments
Hasan Z Rahim
San Jose 2h ago
As a Muslim-American, I see your sorrow, I feel your fear. I
will never understand what prevents many Muslims from condemning the Hamas
massacre that claimed over 1400 innocent lives. A single innocent life
extinguished before its time due to savagery is a life too many. But can the
response also be justified, with Israel poised for a ground attack, after
relentless bombing that has already taken over 3000 Gazan lives? It is wrong to
conflate Hamas with Palestinians. Most Palestinians, like most Israelis, want
to coexist with Israelis in peace with a homeland of their own. The extremists
on both sides, however, don't want peace. They want the war to continue so they
can continue with their extremist ideologies, loss in life be damned. Unless
the extremists on both sides are defeated by their respective people, this
terrible tragedy will continue to take its toll in human lives. We are now
reduced to hoping for a miracle that will dispel this darkness with light. May
we see this miracle happen in our lifetime.
133 Recommend
3 REPLIES
Tal Barzilai commented 40 minutes ago
Tal Barzilai
Pleasantville, NY 40m ago
@Hasan Z Rahim If more Muslims come out to condemn Hamas and
other Islamic terrorists, I will be very proud of that. However, that is hardly
the case. If you really want to claim that groups such as Hamas don't represent
group as a whole, then start calling them out rather than acting silent or even
rushing to their defense. Just to let you know, there are many Jews and
Christians that are calling out extremists, but I hardly ever hear that for
Muslims. I have been to a lot of protests against terrorists especially the
ones that attack Israel, and I have never seen any Muslims being there with us.
What would really be nice is seeing some Muslim groups marching in the Salute
to Israel Parade, but knowing their nature, it will never happen. More
importantly, whenever I see Muslims doing protests on this conflict, most of
them aren't even advocating for peace, but rather more terrorist attacks
especially when you see words such as intifada and jihad in there. As for
claiming that the Jews don't want peace, that is completely false, because
there were several attempts that Israel made to help create a Palestinian
state, but the Palestinians kept turning it down even if they were getting most
of what they wanted. Overall, I don't hate Muslims as a whole, just those who
do terrorist attacks.
3 Recommend
JD Athey commented 38 minutes ago
JD Athey
Oregon38m ago
@Hasan Z Rahim 'May we see this miracle happen in our lifetime'.
Amend that: '...in the next few days'. No more innocents should be harmed.
Jonathan commented 38 minutes ago
Jonathan
Hopewell NJ 38m ago
@Hasan Z Rahim Mr. Rahim, we are now fifteen days after the
Hamas's terrorist attack and yours is absolutely the first Muslim comment I
have seen condemning the Hamas, without a "yes, but" or other bothesidesism.
You and I may not ultimately agree on what the path to peace looks like or will
lead to, but I do thank you for your comment.
45 Recommend
Hasan Z Rahim
@Jonathan Since the
Oct 7 massacre of innocent Jews by Hamas, I have, as a Muslim-American,
condemned this terrorist attack in numerous comment sections of opinion pieces
in NY Times and Washington Post. I wrote that I unequivocally and
unconditionally condemn the killing of innocents by Hamas. I want to assure you
that among Muslim-Americans, many have privately condemned Hamas for the crime
it committed on Oct 7. I have also said that if Hamas is capable of taking the
moral high ground, it must unconditionally release all the hostages. Believe it
or not, there are many Muslim-Americans who feel the way I do. Unfortunately,
some of them are too timid to make their voices known. I am not. Unless we
speak up collectively, calling the perpetrators are out no matter which side
they may belong to, this vicious cycle of hate and violence will continue. May
we all have the courage to speak the truth, no matter how 'inconvenient' it may
be.
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/03/israel-hamas-terrorism-war-response-history/
Israeli leaders shouldn’t neglect the history of fights against
terrorism
By Fareed
Zakaria November 3, 2023
--
Comment by HasanZR (11/3/23 – thumb up
13)
For
enduring peace in the Middle East, a Two-State solution offers the only ray of
hope. Everything else will lead to one bloody conflict or another. I am
heartened by the demonstrations in the U.S. by Jewish groups like "Jewish
Voice for Peace" (JVP - https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/) and
IfNotNow ((https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/) for a
cease-fire in Gaza. I would have been equally heartened if
Palestinian-Americans in the U.S. also held demonstrations against Hamas for
its unimaginable carnage on October 7 and for the sanctity of Jewish lives. As
a Muslim-American, I unequivocally and unconditionally condemn the Hamas
massacre on Oct. 7. One innocent life lost to terror is one life too many. I
also condemn the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza by Israel. What did the
children of Gaza do to deserve death and destruction raining down on them? May
a Two-State solution become a reality in our lifetime where Israelis and
Palestinians, freed from the clutches of their respective nihilistic
right-wingers and led by enlightened and peace-loving leaders, can live side by
side in peace.
Response
to my comment:
MikeOMike
And Hamas is sworn to both the destruction of Israel and the Jews (and the US)
so in order for there to be a two state solution, there cannot be a Hamas.
thumb_up 4
Mel
Goldstein
I
agree. Time and time again Hamas has acted the provocateur, putting the Gazans
up as targets for an overwhelming and disproportionate Israeli response that
has weakened Israel’s position internationally. Yes, I would have wanted anti-Hamas
protests by Pro-Palestinian groups as well. As a first step, I would hope that
the Netanyahu government is thrown out due to Israeli disgust with his
murderous tactics and a move is made to first protect Palestinians from the
Settlers on the West Bank and then to throw the Settlers out as had been done
in Gaza previously. I am at a complete loss on how do end the Gazan war. It is
clear that the Hamas dictatorship must go, but it is unlikely Gazans can ever
rise up to throw them out.
thumb_up 2
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/08/gaza-cease-fire-israel-negotiation-hamas/
A cease-fire in Gaza isn’t a fantasy.
Here’s how it could work.
By Shadi
Hamid, November 8, 2023
--
Comments:
HasanZR
"The United States must use its leverage to bring Israel to the
table." Much easier said than done! Israel has defied the U.S. countless
times in the past, although U.S. have never wavered in its commitment to
Israel. One thing that must happen immediately for peace to have a chance is
for Hamas to unconditionally release the hostages it is now holding in
undoubtedly abominable conditions. If Hamas does that, a cease-fire can follow.
Yes, it is true that bold actions often initially come across as fantasy but
the need for bold and imaginative action is now. Both Hamas and Israel are
single-minded about their respective agendas but unless there is some
flexibility, the war will continue to take its horrendous toll on the children
and civilians of Gaza and, unfortunately, also in the West Bank. But first,
Hamas must unconditionally release the hostages.
(Response to my
comment)
Virgil Caine:
Why should Israel go to a table with Hamas?
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/11/18/joe-biden-gaza-hamas-putin/
The
U.S. won’t back down from the challenge of Putin and Hamas
By Joe Biden, November 18, 2023
Comments
HasanZR
President Biden has
the best of intentions, no doubt, but unfortunately, there is an asymmetry in
his thinking and plan that undermines his intentions. The president doesn't
have any significant sway over Netanyahu whose vision does NOT include a
Two-State solution. Netanyahu is against any move that gives Palestinians a
state of their own. If Biden can compel Netanyahu and his fellow ideologues in
Israel to accept a Two-State solution, then and only then can Biden fulfill the
noble sentiments expressed in his opinion piece. Since Netanyahu will not
depart from his stated goal of never allowing Palestinians a state of their
own, and will do anything and everything to sabotage such an effort, he must
go. Just as Hamas, too, must go.
Like: 4
Response to my
comment:
Scene It B4
Well written, but Biden is only going to do what the Israeli lobbyist dictate
Labech2
AHHH, NO. Biden is already advocating for things Netanyahu never wanted.
READ.
Scene It B4
That’s
standard PR which the admin must deliver to the masses. You, No capitalization
needed, only critical thinking.
--
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/22/opinion/israel-palestinians-arabs.html
The Rescuers
By Thomas L. Friedman, Nov.
22, 2023
--
Comment
Hasan Z Rahim
San Jose,
11/22/23
On the eve of Thanksgiving Day (11/23/23), I give thanks for the
hope and grace that Mr. Friedman articulated for Jews and Arabs living in
Israel. There are extremists on both sides but the sheer humanity of Jews and
Arabs who are not transcends the hatemongers. As a Muslim American, I continue
to pray for the unconditional release of the hostages, and I will continue to
hope that peace will come to the Middle East where Israelis and Palestinians
can live side by side as friends, neighbors, and most importantly, as goodwill
ambassadors.
40 Recommend
--
The
Only Way Forward
Nov. 25, 2023
By The
Editorial Board of NY Times
--
Comment
Hasan Z Rahim
San Jose, CA
Hamas must be
defeated, as must Netanyahu and his right-wing government, for peace to have
any chance. Israelis can bring down Netanyahu because they can vote. Can
ordinary Palestinians bring down Hamas? Unlikely, because any Palestinian who
stands against Hamas often "disappears" permanently. Still, that is
the risk ordinary Palestinians must take even at the risk of making the supreme
sacrifice. Ordinary Israelis and Palestinians yearn for peace. The whole world
yearns for peace in the Middle East. For a Muslim American who falls on the
high end of the baby boomer scale, may we get to see this peace in our
lifetime.
7 Recommend 1 Reply
Phil
Korb
Philadelphia, PA 2h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim Yes indeed. If there were an election before
October 7, Netanyahu would have lost in a landslide. Were it held today, he,
along with his right wing and settler extremists, would lose 90-10. And Hamas
must be destroyed. And the two state solution, must be revived and the settlers
stopped. But getting from here to there will be tortuous.
--
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/29/opinion/biden-trump.html
An Electorate in Revolt
Threatens Biden’s Chances
Nov. 29, 2023
By Charles M. Blow
--
Comments
Hasan Z Rahim 11/29/23
San Jose 4h ago
I am a Muslim American and will vote for Biden in 2024
if he is running, which seems most likely at this point. However, in talking
with Muslims in my community and across the country, I have heard from many
Biden voters who have vowed not to vote for Biden in 2024 because of his
supposed unconditional embrace of Israel at the expense of Palestinians. Even
if that is true, and to some extent it is, I remind my fellow Muslim Americans
that not voting for Biden is equivalent to voting for Trump. "We don't
care," they say. "You don't care that a vindictive and incompetent
narcissist can destroy democracy in America, as he has threatened to do if
elected?" I feel a huge sense of sadness at this turn of events. I don't
know what fraction of Americans will judge by Biden by his performance and
judgment in the Israel-Hamas war. But if voters desert Biden in 2024 and
somehow Trump comes through, it will be the greatest tragedy for America. The
risk is real. I find myself fervently praying that Biden will significantly
improve his messaging and work toward a Two-State solution where Israelis and
Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace.
647
Recommend
21 REPLIES
Julie Salwen commented November
29
Julie Salwen
NJ Nov. 29
@Hasan Z Rahim Biden cannot
control the Israeli response to the Oct. 7th events and I am sure that he is
more supportive of Israel than those in the Muslim community who have vowed not
to vote for him. However, it is important to see that he has been working hard
behind the scenes to create the current pause in the bombing and to bring in
humanitarian aid. He is also pressuring Israel to stop the civilian death toll.
If he had not shown support for Israel, he would not have been able to have any
influence on Israel's response. In fact, Biden has also been working hard for a
two state solution. Do people prefer the Republican view in the House,
supporting arms for Israel, but no humanitarian aid for Gaza? Or Trump who is
too inconsistent to work towards any peace objective?
71 Recommend
Nikki commented 5 hours ago
Nikki
Islandia 5h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim And if I’m not
mistaken, Trump was even more staunchly in support of Israel. Remember Jared
playing Middle-east peacemaker? Can anyone really think Trump would take the
side of the Palestinians, who have nothing financial to offer him and his
family?
23 Recommend
dcbcn commented 5 hours ago
dcbcn
Washington, DC 5h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim There’s another
solution, which is that the Democratic Party can decide that winning is
imperative and field a candidate that voters want. If Trump wins because the
Dems insisted on fielding a candidate that voters said they didn't want, that's
the party's fault. The Republicans are at least smart enough to run the maniac
that their voters desire.
2 Recommend
Nick commented 5 hours ago
Nick
Brooklyn 5h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim This false logic
is how most evil dictators end up in power. Not voting for Biden is absolutely
not the same as voting for Trump, there are more than two ways to vote. We're
sick and tired off being told our only choices are one genocider or another
possibly worse genocider. Biden has crossed the line such that "long shot
third party with a cleaner conscience" has surpassed "realistic
slightly lesser evil" as the most moral choice.
2 Recommend
Mark commented 5 hours ago
Mark
Studio City, CA 5h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim As a response to
your Muslim friends who "don't care" that not voting for Biden will
result in Trump being elected, I refer you to the following quote from Orion
Clemens comment above as to what is likely to happen if Trump is elected:
"Then [Trump"] will broaden his target base by having "his
military" target folks who are not white, Christian and/or straight. His
own militias terrorize us, but he has instructed DOJ not to prosecute any of
"his people." Internment camps are set up, first for non-citizens but
later expanded to include citizens." You may recall that one of Trump's
first actions during his first term was to attempt to impose a "Muslim
ban." One of Trump's current most trusted advisors is Steven Miller, who
had no problem incarcerating immigrant children who had done nothing wrong in
cages. Even if they "don't care" about the end of democracy in
America, I'd recommend that your acquaintances vote for Biden simply to avoid
the very real possibility that, in a second Trump administration, these people
who find Biden's rhetoric (as opposed to his actions, which have benefitted the
people in Gaza) to be offensive, will discover that being shipped off to an
internment camp is even more offensive.
9 Recommend
Blue In Texas. commented 4
hours ago
Blue In
Texas.
Austin 4h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim You are correct
and you are doing the right thing by keeping your colleagues informed about the
consequences of an authoritarian regime here in America
7 Recommend
David commented 4 hours ago
David
MD 4h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim "I find
myself fervently praying that Biden will significantly improve his messaging
and work toward a Two-State solution" Biden is for a two state solution.
What he knows is that it cannot be with Hamas. Do your Palestinian friends
believe Hamas is for a two state solution and peace?
4 Recommend
MG commented 3 hours ago
MG
NY, NY 3h ago
@Nick . You can certainly vote
for someone else, however the consequences are real.
1 Recommend
Smilodon7 commented 3 hours ago
Smilodon7
Gilead, State Formerly Known As Missouri3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim What do they think
Trump will do? He is more likely than Biden to support whatever Netanyahu
wants. Oh and American Muslims will the first to be rounded up FYI. Save me a
seat, will you? Democratic socialist atheists will be second on the list.
7 Recommend
Carol commented 3 hours ago
Carol
Santa Fe, NM 3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim It probably
depends a lot on what happens in Israel/Palestine during the coming year. There
was a time when voters were telling pollsters they would never vote for Biden
because of the botched US withdrawal from Afghanistan. But now that is almost
forgotten. In terms of news cycles, November 2024 is still a long way off.
1 Recommend
Mitch Krulewich commented 3
hours ago
Mitch
Krulewich
Honolulu, HI 3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim, What do those who
will not support Biden because of his support for Israel think Trump would do
if elected? He would be even more aligned with Netanyahu and more Islamophobic!
5 Recommend
Anna commented 3 hours ago
Anna
Chicago 3h ago
Biden is gleefully enabling the
Israeli response, and this is the last straw that tanks his reelection. I wish
it wasn’t true.
Recommend
Linda Sam commented 3 hours ago
Linda Sam
NYC 3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim It is not about
messaging. People vote their pocketbooks.
Recommend
Jim commented 3 hours ago
Jim
Pennsylvania 3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim A classic example
of "cutting off your nose to spite your face."
3 Recommend
Marty M commented 3 hours ago
Marty M
Dallas, TX 3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim You might remind
your Muslim friends and colleagues about Trump's "Muslim ban" that he
instituted just days into his presidency, and his clear threat to do the same
(as well as deportations), should he be elected in 2024. Facts matter.
1 Recommend
Just-in-Time Widget commented 3
hours ago
Just-in-Time
Widget
Virginia 3h ago
@Hasan, “If you spill a drop of
American blood, we will spill a gallon of yours," is what Trump told the
Republican Jewish Coalition last month. I'd take him at his word. Even if Trump
doesn't put U.S. boots on the ground, I don't see him curtailing military aid
to Israel whatsoever. The hard liners chomping at the bit for the cease fire to
end will have no better friend.
Recommend
Michelle commented 3 hours ago
Michelle
New York 3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim As a Jewish
American I just want to say that I appreciate the thoughtful and practical
nature of your comment. Your even-handed attitude is exemplary.
3 Recommend
Frequent Flyer commented 3
hours ago
Frequent
Flyer
Pasadena 3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim "Not voting
for Biden is equivalent to voting for Trump." You are a very wise person,
and I hope everyone -- be they Muslim, Gen Z, Black, Latino/a/x, or any ethnic,
racial, or demographic group -- comes to understand this.
3 Recommend
dlb commented 3 hours ago
dlb
Washington, DC 3h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim It’s not that
Trump is bad for democracy, and he certainly is, but Trump is no friend of
Palestinians, he is very much on Bibi's side, so it's perplexing why Muslims
would support him in any way.
1 Recommend
PH commented 2 hours ago
PH
MD 2h ago
@Julie Salwen But it’s a lie
Biden has been working behind the scenes. The US funds Israel and has the
largest military in history. If we wanted to bombings to stop, they’d stop.
Recommend
JR commented 1 hour ago
JR
Bronxville 1h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim Thank you for your
thoughtful and affirming comment.
2 Recommend
--
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/01/opinion/israel-gaza-ceasefire.html
This Is the 9/11 Lesson That Israel Needs to Learn
Dec. 1, 2023
By Thomas L. Friedman
--
Comments
Hasan
Z Rahim
San Jose 2h ago
Mr. Friedman, you propose excellent ideas but with a dose of the
aspirational. It is amazing how we never learn from history, history that is
not even ancient but relatively modern! Filled with justifiable anger and a
fierce hunger for justice, the U.S, went after its perceived enemies after 9/11
with a ferocity rarely seen in decades past. So what happened? Trillions of
dollars lost and hundreds of thousands of lives lost on all sides. Yes, Bin
Laden got his justice. Al-Qaida and ISIS became essentially non-players. But
history will probably consider this a pyrrhic victory considering the cost. Why
is it that countries do not learn from history? I think it is the factor of
hubris, that might will make right. I hope Friedman's advice is taken to heart
by Israelis after they boot Netanyahu from office. If that happens, Hamas will
suffer the kind of defeat that Al-Qaida and ISIS suffered, and Palestinians can
chart a prosperous path for themselves in a Two-State solution where they and
Israelis coexist in peace. May at least baby-boomers like me see that happen on
our lifetime!
46 Recommend
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/06/hamas-genocide-against-israel/
Two months
later, Hamas’s Oct. 7 horror cannot be allowed to fade
By Qanta A.
Ahmed, December 6, 2023
--
Comments
HasanZR
I am a Muslim
American who unconditionally condemned the carnage by Hamas on Oct 7
immediately after it occurred. And I stand by my condemnation. Hamas does not
represent Palestinians. They control ordinary Palestinians through fear and
tyranny and use them as shields while many of their leaders live in luxury
abroad. I was hoping and praying that Israel's response will not lead to mass
killings in Gaza, but with more than 15,000 Palestinians, most of them children
and women, now dead, it tragically has. Revenge begets revenge and the carnage
and the genocide continues. As a baby boomer, I hope and pray that in my
lifetime I will witness a Two-State solution to the horrifying tragedy in the
Middle East where the majority of Israelis and Palestinians can live
side-by-side in peace and extremists from both sides are confined to the trash
bin of history.
thumb_up 13
Slap_N_Tickle
3 hours ago
Revenge begets
revenge and the carnage and the genocide continues.
One person's
"genocide" is another person's "collateral damage".
thumb_up 1
big love
3 hours ago
No, genocide has an
actual definition that is not a lot of people being killed in a war. For a
working definition of genocide, please consult the Hamas charter.
thumb_up 6
One World Under No
God
3 hours ago
The Israeli idea of a
"two state" solution is Palestinians getting a few reservations which
are under the control of the IDF. This isn't a state - it's 1840s America.
thumb_up 4
Stephen Michael
Stirling
2 hours ago
In the 1930's, the
British offered a partition of the Mandate that would have given the Arabs 80%
and the Jews a little postage stamp around Tel Aviv.
The Jews accepted it.
The Palestinians rejected it and attacked every Jew they could.
There's a pattern
here.
If you reject a
compromise -- as the Palestinians did again in 1947 -- and chose war, the
consequences are on you... and your descendants.
In war, victor takes
and loser pays.
Thumb up 3
Punxutawney Phil
2 hours ago
The British
offered.... So nice of them.
Ripples In Still
Water
So go after the British, if you feel
that way. Stop going after the Jews.
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/06/van-hollen-israel-war-gaza-hamas-conditions-aid/
Israel’s war against Hamas is just, but it must be fought justly
By Chris Van Hollen, December 6, 2023
--
Comments
HasanZR
Senator Chris Van Hollen's well-meaning
words should resonate with anyone seeking peace and justice in the Middle East.
Unfortunately, his words are just that, words. No US President or Congress has
been able to check an Israeli government led by right-wing ideologues, Benjamin
Netanyahu being the most virulent example. Netanyahu will do as he pleases
because he knows he can undermine any initiative by the U.S. government by
calling on his supporters in Congress and the Senate to oppose such initiatives.
What Hamas did on Oct 7 was genocide. As a Muslim American, I condemned the
carnage and will always condemn it. Hamas doesn't care for ordinary
Palestinians whom they would use as sacrificial lambs to hold on to power. But
the Israeli response? Over 16,000 Gazans are already dead, mostly children and
women, and the carnage shows no sign of stopping. They are being killed by
American-made weapons. How can this be justified? With every passing day, a
Two-State solution, the only solution that can lead to peace, and that is
desired by the majority of Israelis and Palestinians, recedes into the
background. I am hoping and praying that Senator Hollen's amendment will make a
difference and quench Netanyahu's thirst for revenge but if recent history is
any guide, it doesn't look good.
Thumbs up 6
Teddy H
As you know, there is no possibility of a two state solution while Hamas is in
power.
--
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/10/opinion/war-faith-theology.html
The Theological Truth We Must Press During War
Dec. 10, 2023
By Esau McCaulley
--
Comments
Hasan
Z Rahim
San Jose 50m ago
Esau McCaulley's heart is in the right place but in this moving
essay he stops short of writing that the horrendous toll on the lives of Gazans
cannot be justified under any condition. More than 60% of the over 16,000
Gazans who have lost their lives so far are children and women, non-combatants
caught in the war brought on by the carnage Hamas created on Oct 7. As a Muslim
American, I condemned Hamas for its carnage but now the pendulum has swung to
the other extreme, and Israel is killing civilians in Gaza with impunity, with
weapons made in America. Hamas doesn't care about the fate of Palestinians but
to wreak disproportionate revenge on civilians, as Israel is now doing, can
never be justified. The U.S. has vetoed the U.N. call for a cease-fire and the
president has bypassed congressional approval for selling millions of dollars'
worth of ammunition for tanks Israel is using in Gaza. Can extremism be
defeated by extremism? No. No one is invoking a God of compassion as the death
toll mounts. This is a tragedy that transcends cruelty in all its horrendous
dimensions.
3 Replies - 18 Recommend
A
Denver 6h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim Are we sure that extremism can't defeat
extremism? I think history proves that is incorrect. It is not polite or nice
to say because we live in such a privileged world we prefer to pretend this
mostly peaceful world we live in was not gained by immense savagery. Of all the
tribes of humans that have lived, only a few hundreds remain out of 100,000s.
The rest were wiped out, conquered, assimilated. If there is a cease-fire, and
Hamas remains in control of Gaza, what will Israel do when the next Hamas
attack kills 12,000 rather than 1,200? Hamas will not stop killing and it bends
the immense creativity and productivity of the Palestinians in Gaza to further
the worship of death rather than working to produce anything positive for the
children in who will grow up in a hate filled, bombed, wreckage with true
freedom for Palestinians even further away than it is now. Did South Africa end
apartheid by mass terrorism? Did Gandhi eject the British by violent
atrocities? When did Ireland find peace? Only after the terrorists laid down
their weapons and negotiated with their enemies. Hamas is proposing the older
vision of human savagery that kills the opposing tribe, yet it is not a contest
with equal odds of success, Israel could wipe out Hamas and all Palestinians if
it shared Hamas' vision of victory via savage violence. Hamas' strategy is
based on the idea Israel is too mentally weak to win and relies on Israel's
civility to remain free to kill.
Reply 6 Recommend
Dave
Providence 4h ago
@Hasan Z Rahim Everything you say is correct but it is up to
Hamas to spare its own citizens. If Hamas repatriated the hostages there would
be a cease fire. If Hamas didnt hide in schools, hospitals and within the
population, there would certainly be fewer killed. If Hamas truly cared about
their people why would they not repatriate a few hundred Israelis to save
thousands of Gazans? And this is precisely why Israel must root them out. I
eagerly await your reply.
Reply 5 Recommend
Hasan Z Rahim
San Jose
@Dave
On Oct 8th when newspapers began publishing the horrifying Hamas carnage, I
wrote as a Muslim American in many commentary sections in the NY Times and
Washington Post opinion pieces that the first unconditional and unambiguous
step must be for Hamas to free the hostages. Hamas will play the hostage card
even if it means the death of thousands of Palestinians. But it is also clear
that extremist Hamas has met its extremist match in the Israeli response.
Netanyahu is dropping bombs on Gaza like rain because he knows that unless the
crisis continues, he will be out of power. Who are dying? Israelis and
Palestinians who are willing to live in a Two-State solution where both can
live side-by-side in peace. It is the death of this ideal that is so tragic!
Dave commented 4 hours ago
Dave
Providence4h ago
@A Amen. I am appalled by the hypocrisy of people vilifying
Israel when Hamas could return a few hundred Israelis and other nationals and
have a cease fire. And yes anyone who cant grasp this is indeed an antisemite
rather than someone motivated by pity for innocent Gazans. Hamas has the power
to end this at this very second.
Reply 5 Recommend
--
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/opinion/international-world/us-government-gaza-humanitarian-aid.html
The U.S. Must Change Course on Gaza Today
Dec. 11, 2023
By Michelle Nunn, Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Jan
Egeland, Abby Maxman, Jeremy Konyndyk and Janti Soeripto
--
Comment
Hasan Z Rahim, San Jose
Israel is killing civilians in Gaza with impunity,
with weapons made in, and supplied by, America. Hamas doesn't care about the
fate of Palestinians but to wreak disproportionate revenge on civilians, as
Israel is now doing, with the death toll in Gaza rapidly approaching 20,000,
can never be justified. The U.S. has vetoed the U.N. call for a cease-fire and
the White House has bypassed congressional approval for selling millions of
dollars of ammunition for tanks Israel is using in Gaza. This is a tragedy that
transcends cruelty in all its horrifying dimensions. As a Muslim American, I
condemned, and continue to condemn, the carnage caused by Hamas. Hamas should
unconditionally release all the hostages. But what Israel under PM Netanyahu is
now doing is savagery carried to the extreme as well. In the West Bank, Israeli
settlers are either killing Palestinians or forcing them out and grabbing their
homes. In what way is Israel’s current government different from Hamas? In this
holiday season when we pray for peace on earth, let the Two-State solution
become a reality where Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in
peace, free from the clutches of extremists on both sides.
--
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/16/west-bank-settlers-violence-peace/
In the
West Bank, I saw how peace will require confrontation with Israel
By David Ignatius
December 16, 2023
--
Comments
HasanZR
There is no
difference between Hamas bent on the destruction of Israel, and Israeli
extremists, particularly West Bank settlers, who will never agree to a
Two-State solution. While the U.S. can condemn Hamas, and rightly so, for its
nihilism, the U.S. is a paper tiger when it comes to Israel and its leadership.
The U.S. call for a Two-State solution brings a mocking shrug from Netanyahu
and his right-wing government because the Israeli PM knows he can manipulate
U.S. leadership with the help of his enablers in Congress and the Senate. Is
there a way out of this darkness? A thin ray of hope comes from the Israelis
and the Palestinians who want to coexist in peace. But they are essentially
powerless and their efforts can take decades to bear fruit, if at all. But
history has a way to surprise and make the unimaginable a reality. May we
witness that surprise in our lifetime.
13 Recommend
