Letter: An open letter to Kamala Harris on peace in the Middle East

As you know, today (October 13) is Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. I should fast and be in synagogue. Instead, I’m writing to you.

As Vice President, you worked closely with President Biden and with our efforts, you will be our next President. I have written to each of you many times.

President Biden is right: Netanyahu is a son of a bitch.

I am of Jewish-American descent, named after the family of a Holocaust victim, and have relatives in Israel. I mourn the massacre of 1,200 Israelis on October 7 and the hostage-taking by Hamas. I also mourn the 42,000 Palestinians, the destruction of their meager slice of occupied land, and the bleak future of peace in the Middle East. Today is the day of reconciliation: we share responsibility for helping Netanyahu kill tens of thousands of people in the Gaza Strip, mostly innocent women, children and Palestinian civilians.

Netanyahu is not interested in the hostages, the peace process, the Israeli people, much less the Palestinians, the future of the Middle East, or American opinions. He just wants American money and weapons to stay in power and avoid The Hague.

Netanyahu is Israel’s trump card, a bad actor, an untrustworthy ally. He has spit in the face of diplomacy and is unwilling to broker peace at every turn. A majority of Israelis want a ceasefire and new leadership. It is long overdue that we cut support for him. Oppose Netanyahu’s misleadership and support peace-oriented Israelis instead.

America has immense influence: encourage President Biden to use it! Peace-oriented leadership in Israel will create the opportunity to build a shared future, enable Israel to reclaim its place in the community of nations, be a necessary conclusion to President Biden’s amazing legacy as POTUS, and give you as our next President the opportunity to… Powerful start to your first term in office. It’s a win-win-win-win!

Maybe I’m a bad Jew. I do not believe that. Still, I want to be a good person. Blessing.

Dinah Kudatsky

Dinah Kudatsky lives in Amherst