Letter-writer Hiram Cohen recently suggested ("Israel a proven strategic ally," Sept. 17) that it could be anti-Semitic to suggest that the Israeli government has a strong influence on Congress through its lobby AIPAC. I disagree. Anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism.
Long gone are the days when Israel was threatened by its neighbors. Today, Israel by far has the strongest military in the region. In fact, if the Israeli government wasn't predisposed to taking Palestinian land, Israel would be hard-pressed to find a military enemy.
The billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars given each year to Israel are simply a reflection of its effective lobby, not of its need to defend itself.
Kevin P. Reilly
Troy