I am writing this letter in protest of the United States continuing to finance Israel’s war in Gaza, killing innocent civilians daily.

This war did not begin on Oct. 7, 2023, with Hamas’ deadly incursion into Israel. It began on May 14, 1948, when the Israel state was established and millions of Arabs were pushed aside and subjected to maintain that state. This is just a recent development in an old problem.

The problem is the United States’ unchallenged support of one side in the conflict, Israel. In this land where all men are created equal we seem to have made one group of people in this ongoing conflict more equal than the other. There may be reasons for this but no sound moral one that I can see.

The other night on the nightly news there was a report about Anthony Blinken trying to negotiate a ceasefire and the release of hostages. In the same report, it was mentioned of the upcoming sending of munitions to Israel, including 2,000-pound bombs. This did not sink in with me until the next day. My reading tells me that a 250-pound bomb is a typical size bomb used in combat. A 500-pound bomb is a very big bomb. A 2,000-pound bomb is a special order bomb not routinely used. What for, in this case? To destroy and demolish those cramped apartment buildings in Gaza.

The madness; talking peace and providing the means to innocent slaughter. Recently, in a civil court in the U.S., parents were convicted for the first time with providing the weapons for the mass murder committed by their son. How are these parents culpable in mass murder and the U.S. not?

We have already paid a high price for our military support of Israel. Certainly our support of Israel was one on the main offenses of the 9/11 terrorists as they crashed into the twin towers and into the Pentagon. In response, we fought and lost two wars, losing the lives of thousands of our own and killing thousands of others for no apparent gain. And we make ourselves the bad guys in a region that is important for its vast oil reserves. We risk needless conflict with Iran as they are on the brink of becoming a nuclear power. Pure madness.

Gerald Thibault

Skowhegan