Is Netanyahu a saint? Thomas seems to think so

If you’re inclined to look into the abyss, you’re in luck. Columnist Cal Thomas will take you there. Just read his column in the July 31 Gazette. After reading Thomas, one might think Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a saint and 50,000 dead Palestinians nothing more than the cost of doing business.

President Biden warned Netanyahu that anger after a brutal attack by fanatic enemy can escalate into catastrophe like Afghanistan and Iraq. Netanyahu paid no heed.

Let’s look at another set of facts, ones that don’t deny Israel’s right to exist or its right to defend itself.

Gaza is about 150 square miles, about a quarter the size of Polk Co., crammed with 2.2 million souls living with the Israeli guard on the outside and Hama militants on the inside. Hamas is hidden in an extensive network of tunnels, a separate subterranean village. Half the Palestinian Arabs are 18 or younger. Half the adults are women, many elderly, many mothers. Of the men, the range is from non-militant family men, many elderly; to Hamas sympathizers to militants hostile to Israel or terrorists actually members of Hamas.

The hostages taken on Oct. 7 were hidden in the cavernous underground network, so using tear gas was impossible. But dropping bunker bombs was tragic and merciless overkill. Massive casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq did not lead to the locating or killing of Osama bin Laden. That was more akin to police work than air attacks and mass bombing noncombatants.

Gerald Ott

Ankeny