Chronicle poll results: Politicians’ calls for a ceasefire
We asked our readers if they thought politicians' calls for a ceasefire, without conditions, in Israel's war with Hamas put Jews in jeopardy. Here's what they said.
Last week, the Chronicle asked its readers in an electronic poll the following question: “Do some politicians’ calls for an immediate ceasefire without conditions in Israel’s war with Hamas put Jews in jeopardy?” Of the 300 people who responded, 89% said yes; 7% said no; and 4% said they weren’t sure. Comments were submitted by 95 people. A few follow.
Anyone who calls for an immediate ceasefire is naive or is not concerned about Israel’s survival as a Jewish state. A ceasefire would enable Hamas to regroup and strengthen for more savage attacks on Israeli civilians, something which it has warned it will perpetuate if able.
Hamas must be destroyed. Then we can talk about a ceasefire.
Until Hamas shows an effort by releasing the hostages, I don’t think Israel has a choice but to defend itself.
Even Bernie Sanders, whose previous public statements on Israel have often been other than helpful, now says that Hamas cannot be negotiated with. Immediate ceasefires lacking some sort of enforceable agreement with an enemy that is willing to sacrifice such a high percentage of its civilian population are pointless. I so wish that this were not true, but it is.
Immediate unconditional ceasefire is immoral and anti-Israel. Do those politicians call for “immediate and unconditional safe return of innocent Israeli hostages”? If they don’t call for that most basic humanitarian need, they are either dimwitted or (more likely) anti-Israel.
Summer Lee is one of those politicians. I will now never vote for her and will actively campaign against her.
Politicians who share this view are not educated on the history of the Middle East. In my opinion, they should not be part of the U.S. Congress or House of Representatives.
It is reckless as they know it won’t happen without release of all of the hostages, setting up Jews everywhere for hostile attack.
They should rather be calling for Hamas to surrender
While an immediate ceasefire without conditions might put Jews in jeopardy, continuing the current assault with so many civilian casualties and minimal opportunities for civilians to evacuate definitely puts Jews in jeopardy, and also put Jews in the position of acting no more morally than the terrorists.
I’m a liberal Jewish democrat who believes that Israel shouldn’t let up until all the hostages are released. Anything less just invites more kidnappings in the future.
A ceasefire will, among many things, slow down the world-wide antisemitic fury around innocent Gaza deaths. This would lessen the increasing threat to Jews worldwide. Anti-Israel and anti-Jewish passions will only worsen until Israel changes tactics in Gaza. That is the threat that needs to be addressed in order to save Jewish lives/property around the world. The tactical change should include a ceasefire in place in Gaza/West Bank with a very strong international monitoring system and conditions, and only last until innocents are both out of the north and well supplied with life necessities….or Hamas breaks the ceasefire.
There was already a ceasefire. Why would Hamas honor another? PJC
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