On April 17, HRC Assistant Director Robert Walker was published in the Chronicle Herald in response to a letter that accused Israel of indiscriminately bombing, starving, and killing thousands of innocent Palestinians.

Walker pushed back, noting that while war is inherently tragic and civilians often suffer, this conflict was sparked by Hamas terrorists who infiltrated Israel and deliberately massacred more than 1,200 innocent Israelis. He emphasized that, unlike Hamas, Israel has made significant efforts to minimize civilian harm while confronting threats from Hamas, the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Iran.

Murderous zealots not in Israel

Re: World peace is possible if there is a will to do so, April 8

The letter writer claims that Israel has “indiscriminately bombed, starved, and killed thousands of innocent Palestinians.”

He offers no evidence for his claims, for there is no such evidence.

War is indeed ugly, and innocent people can pay a price.

But make no mistake: this war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Palestinian terrorists – backed by their patron, the Islamic Republic of Iran – invaded Israel and carried out a wanton slaughter of innocent people.

Unlike Israel, the Palestinian terrorists and their backers in Tehran do not primarily target combatants but civilians. Indeed, in the last five weeks of war, not a single Israeli soldier has been killed by the Iranian regime.

In an even more disgraceful comment, the writer then demands that Jews “more openly condemn” Israel. This is literal textbook antisemitism: holding Jews accountable for the policies of the Israeli government.

Would he demand Islamic leaders condemn Islamic terrorism? He makes no such demand in his letter. Instead, it is Jews – as always – who are blamed for non-existent crimes.

If he so desires peace, he would do well to look in the mirror and ask why he is targeting Israel when the murderous zealots are not in Jerusalem but in Tehran, Gaza, Beirut and elsewhere.

Robert Walker, assistant director, Honest Reporting Canada, Toronto