Letter to New York Times

Dear Editor,

It would be too lengthy to cite all the insidious distortions in Rashid Khalidi's article, "What You Don't Know About Gaza" (Jan. 8, 2009). But Khalidi sets his own trap. He states, in describing Israel's blockade of goods, that it began in 2006 - when Hamas took over. But the Gazans have been firing rockets at Israel since 2000. So even according to Khalidi, Israel's embargo occurred after years of being hit by rockets and it was a non-violent response at that. The Gazans started it, proven by Khalidi, and every country in the world has a right to defend itself -even Israel. The Gazans were fortunate that Israel tried non-violent means for years. But the hundreds of rockets fired on Israel in one week, after Hamas ended the cease-fire, were too much for even Israel to take.

Michael Berenhaus