30 Years of Aggression

To the editors:

The Staff’s condemnation of Israel’s recent missile strike against an alleged terrorist camp in Syria is egregiously oversimplified (Editorial, “Nations Are Not Terrorists,” Oct. 15). While arguing with merit against the logic of Israel’s attack, The Staff’s characterization of the conflict between Israel and Syria is woefully lacking in basic history.

The Staff claims that Israel’s attack “ended the 30-year truce” between Israel and Syria. Funny that the “truce” was not ended by the Hezbollah mortar and rocket attacks on northern Israel that have persisted over that 30-year period. Hezbollah has always been based in Syria and in fact receives funding from the Syrian government. But despite this 30-year history of deadly terrorist incursions into northern Israel by a group supported by Syria, the Staff identifies Israel as violating the supposed truce that only it had been upholding after an isolated incident.

To tactically debate the merits of Israel’s recent attack is one thing. But to cry out against Israel as the sole aggressor in this storied conflict is just wrong.

Alan J. Tabak ’07

Oct. 15, 2003