B'nai B'rith International sent the following letter to the International Herald Tribune:

To the editor:

In her June 13 piece “Ending Gaza’s Dangerous Isolation” Catherine Ashton left out a vital part of the equation: Hamas. The terror group that took control of Gaza five years ago is curiously missing from Ashton’s prescription for ending the blockade and normalizing relations between Israel and the Palestinians.

It’s impossible to talk about ending the blockade without talking about the destructive role this terrorist organization that does not recognize Israel’s right to exist plays in the region.

How does Ashton propose Israel deal with a neighbor who vows to destroy it? In its war against Israel, Hamas has fired thousands of rockets upon Israeli civilians. Hamas has used its own people as human shields in its effort to demonize the Jewish state. When Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it left vital infrastructure in place. Instead of making productive use of it, Hamas chooses deprivation for Gaza—the better to ratchet up international condemnation of Israel.

“Ending Gaza’s Dangerous Isolation” won’t happen until Israel has a partner that is dedicated to living side-by-side as peaceful neighbors. With Hamas running Gaza, any isolation is self-made.

--Daniel S. Mariaschin

B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President
Washington, D.C.