The first thing I must say concerning the editorial piece, “The Truth About Gaza,” is that it should have been entitled “My Perception about Gaza.” One can supply facts about the situation, but to claim that one has the “truth” about a very complex situation is beyond comprehension.

As a Jewish American I am personally appalled at Israel’s attacks on the people of Gaza resulting in over 1,100 deaths, 300 of who were children. Who is the author to suggest that Israel holds no moral responsibility for the deaths of all these civilians? There are many Jewish peace groups out there who hold Israel responsible not only for the deaths of these Palestinians but for the complete marginalization and oppression of these people.

I used to believe, too, that Israel wanted peace, but sadly, I have seen that Israel is not a shining light to the world. Settlement construction is taking place at the greatest rate ever within the occupied territories while a great wall is being built to segregate the indigenous Palestinian villages and people.

Israel is not serious about peace, if it were it would have returned Gaza to Egypt and the occupied West Bank territories to Jordan when it signed peace treaties with these countries. Sadly, Israel’s charade of wanting peace has been exposed to the world for what it really is: a fraud. Its goal is to push and punish the Palestinians — the indigenous group here — to the very limits of existence.

Even worse is that the foreign policy of the United States, badly mismanaged over the past eight years in particular, continues to be manipulated by Israel and its needs. Until the United States begins to assert some control over Israel, beginning with its requirement that settlement activity cease in the West Bank, this country will continue to lose its esteem throughout the world, weaken its international clout, and continue to put our young women and men in harm’s way in needless battles abroad.

Jewish Americans and others who are appalled by Israel’s behavior should find out about the “Jewish Voice for Peace” which looks at the situation much differently from Glazer. And while Glazer is entitled to his opinion, he must not be mistaken into believeing he has the “truth about Gaza.”