Charles Krauthammer in his column, "No good options for U.S. in Syria," May 14, wrote that Israel "will not permit the alteration of its strategic military balance with Hezbollah" to occur and thus Israel was justified in its recent attacks in Syria. These attacks reportedly killed 300 people.
Israel has another choice. For more than 10 years, the leaders of all 22 Arab nations have offered to Israel real peace in exchange for Israel withdrawing to its pre-1967 war borders. The leaders of the more than 50 predominantly Muslim nations have made a similar offer. Israeli and U.S. leaders are insane to reject these offers.
Hezbollah's rockets and missiles are more numerous, accurate and with longer ranges than in 2006 during the last war. What kind of weapons will Hezbollah have in 20 or 30 years? Instead of duking it out, Israel and Hezbollah may nuke it out.
Israel cannot make peace with most Arab and Muslim nations until it ends its military occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the siege of Gaza, Palestinian land confiscations and Jewish settlement construction on Palestinian lands.
Israeli leaders would rather continue enlarging their nation than make peace, despite the growing risk of devastating war and a near-worldwide consensus opposing Israel's illegal and immoral Palestinian policies.
Making peace has its risks, but after a genuine peace is agreed to and irreversible steps taken to implement it, tensions will be reduced, prosperity will flourish, and disarmament can begin.
Tom Ellis
Albany