Hi everyone. I want to pass on the letter below that I had published in the New York Times.

I think that the battle in Israel between Israel and the Palestinians is a lot like the battle between Dumbeldore/Harry and Voldemort in book 5. Noone wants to see the Palestinians, and the growing Arab activists world-wide, as evil. Just like the Minister of Magic at the end of book 4 and throughout book 5, it's simply too painful to believe that there are people who cannot be convinced of good, or motivated to do good, in the same ways as civilized society. But as Harry Potter fans know, evil can indeed exist even if it's painful to admit, and defeating evil requires first recognizing it. Let's all hope that the world soon comes to its senses and starts to recognize and address the growing evil in our midst.

Letters

The Israeli Commandos and the Flotilla

Published: June 1, 2010

To the Editor:

If the flotilla activists truly wanted to bring peaceful supplies to Gaza, they would have accepted the Israeli military’s offer to relay all supplies to Gaza after checking them for weapons or explosives. But the flotilla activists did not accept the offer.

If the flotilla activists truly wanted to promote peace, they would have accepted the offer of the parents of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held captive, to pressure the Israeli government to let the flotilla through, in return for the flotilla activists pressuring Hamas to allow letters and food packages to be delivered to Gilad Shalit. But the flotilla activists did not accept this offer either.

And if the flotilla activists really wanted to stop the three-year-old Israeli blockade of Gaza, they would push Hamas to stop the rockets that caused the blockade to be imposed. Then Gazans could return to the freedom that they had immediately after the Israeli withdrawal in 2005, when many hoped peace was on the horizon.

When activists can truly work for peace, maybe peace will come.

Bruce Dov Krulwich
Beit Shemesh, Israel, June 1, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/opinion/l02mideast.html