To the Editor:
America is a friend of Israel. Friends come in many shapes and sizes.
The worst friends provide uncritical praise and support, or worse, remain silent when criticism is needed. True friends, however, try to make their wayward companion see his errant behavior.
For the last several decades, the Israeli government has used disproportionate force against Palestinians and encroached further and further into their territories, yet America remains silent.
For too long, America has been a bad friend of Israel. It is a sad fact that those in America who have voiced criticism of Israel have been largely muted by the American media, or worse, branded as anti-Semitic.
Israel and America are becoming further isolated from the rest of the world. Israel’s attacks in the Gaza Strip will only beget further hatred in the region. It is time for America to be a true friend of Israel.
Christian D. Van Dyck
Gardiner, Me., Jan. 4, 2009
