It would appear that central to Rabbi Cosgrove’s criticism of the Netanyahu-Trump alliance (“Oy Jerusalem,” Opinion, Feb. 2) is his fear for the future of the sacred “two-state” solution.
One can only wonder why Rabbi Cosgrove is so concerned about the viability of the “two-state” solution when the Arabs (Palestinians) seem little concerned, if at all. In fact, had the Arabs been interested in a two-state solution at any point in the last 80 years (and I go back to the Peel Commission report of 1937 as my reference), they could have easily had their own state. Since it meant living with a sovereign Jewish State on 15 percent of “Western Palestine” in 1937, 50 percent in 1948, what makes the good rabbi believe that they will now settle for an Arab state that leaves the Jews in control of 78 percent of the land? It’s not the size of the Jewish State that concerns the Arabs, it’s its sheer existence.
Why is Rabbi Cosgrove so insistent not “to blur the line between Israel and the West Bank”? The Arabs/Palestinians see no such distinction. Does the rabbi really believe that the Arabs/Palestinians distinguish between Modi’in Illit (which is just over the Green Line in Samaria) and Modi’in which is on the “green” side of the Green Line?
And as for Rabbi Cosgrove giving Prime Minister Netanyahu advice as to how to “ensure the future of a safe and secure Israel,” I humbly suggest that only those whose children and/or grandchildren don the uniform of the IDF (and are themselves citizens of the State of Israel) are entitled to offer such advice and express outrage when it is not followed. In the meantime, we are free to express our opinions but continue to send money.
West End, N.J.
