Message from Hamas

Re “Hamas speaks,” Opinion, Jan. 6

Mousa Abu Marzook’s rant -- riddled with historical myopia and revisionism -- could be dismissed as mad ravings or simply bad satire were it not for the plight of millions of Palestinians. Abu Marzook should look in the mirror. For more than 60 years, since the United Nations partition plan, Israel has jumped at every reasonable opportunity to compromise and make peace with its neighbors. In return, it has sought recognition to live in peace and quiet. On the other hand, Abu Marzook and his ilk have repeatedly rejected peace, self-determination and prosperity in favor of war, extremism and poverty. In the name of martyrdom, they have condemned their Palestinian brethren to decades of suffering and misery.

Edward Klein

Los Angeles

--

Abu Marzook’s article is so full of outright lies, vulgar slanders and vile hatreds that, in the interest of keeping this letter brief, I’ll just say this: Hamas asserts that the Nazi Holocaust was a mere lie that was devised by the Zionists to blackmail humanity. In order to believe this lie, we must also believe that all World War II American and Russian soldiers who liberated the Nazi death camps were also lying.

Shoshana Rubin

Sylmar

--

Abu Marzook has provided a masterful justification of Hamas’ policies and struggles based on the pain that the Palestinians suffered at the hands of Israel, the Zionist enemy. He still does not gain sympathy because he engages in sophistry regarding Israel’s right to exist.

Plain and simple, Hamas wants to erase Israel; negotiations cannot lead to peace because peace for Hamas is just a step toward annihilating Israel. A nation facing an ongoing existential threat has latitude to give back as good as it gets.

John D. Faucher

Oak Park

--

As one American Jew who has spent two months working with Palestinians in the West Bank, I want to say thank you for presenting the reasoned and eloquent defense of Hamas’ position.

I do not support Hamas’ tactics, but Abu Marzook reminds us that, in the bloody turmoil of recent weeks, the 42-year-long occupation of Palestine by Israel has conveniently been forgotten. How do people find dignity when jobs, education, travel, medical care and other basic human rights have been denied by the occupying army? This has created heroes and martyrs who are glorified by the citizens on whose behalf they are fighting. Take away the need for resistance -- give people back the fundamental rights and dignity -- and support for violence will diminish.

Lynn Cohen

Los Angeles

--

Thanks so much for running the piece by Abu Marzook. His reasoned, factual yet quietly impassioned commentary about the current slaughter in Gaza is certainly appropriate, and provides a welcome start to redressing the balance of the overwhelmingly Israeli-dominated U.S. media.

Randall Smith

San Diego