'Israel as the aggressor' is a distortion of the truth

'Israel as the aggressor' is a distortion of the truth
EDITOR:
Israel the aggressor? Israel targeting civilians? Israel in violation of more than 276 U.N. Resolutions? These and other absurd accusations leveled against the Jewish state in a July 17 letter to the editor ("Journalists should report that Israel is the aggressor") are vicious canards that not only distort the truth, but are diametrically opposed to it. No, the attacks on Israel from Lebanon are unprovoked acts of aggression committed by Hezbollah. Hezbollah's goal is to instigate a general conflagration which would lead to Israel's destruction. Hezbollah has no goal but terror and destruction which constitute both its means and its ends.
Israel's retaliation in Lebanon has no goal other than to disarm and dismantle the terrorist aggressor Hezbollah. It is not Israel that has fired rockets into urban areas designed to kill innocent civilians. Israel does not use civilians as shields for terrorist actions. Israel does not train suicide bombers whose specific mission is to infiltrate crowded public areas and kill as many people as possible. These atrocities are committed by the very terrorists that Monday's writer seeks to defend.
As far as U.N. resolutions go, the only one on which the international community is in agreement can be found in United Nations Resolution 1559, which calls on Lebanon to disband the independent militias and fully control southern Lebanon. That means destroying Hezbollah as an independent operator. Since no one really believes that the weak and fragile government in Lebanon is capable of doing that, Israel has been forced to take matters into its own hands and defend itself against the extremist forces, something which President Bush and the Group of Eight world leaders have stated it has every right to do.
Israel has always carried out military retaliation with maximum sensitivity to humanitarian concerns and to the welfare of civilians, and to do everything possible to assure that basic civilian needs, including electricity and water, in Gaza and elsewhere, are met.
Rabbi FRANKLIN W. MULLER
Congregation Rodef Sholom
Youngstown
Judge Bernard should change his ways or his job
EDITOR:
Recently I have seen local news reports about Girard Municipal Court Judge Michael A. Bernard refusing to allow Girard City Council meetings in "his" courtroom. Apparently he thinks he owns it, even threatening to throw city council members in jail for assembling there.
This may sound extreme to some, but it doesn't surprise me. There have been other issues of contention involving Judge Bernard, include granting his employees raises despite budget shortfalls, increasing his budget by 50 percent (from $600,000 to $905,000), for which he is being sued in the 11th District Court of Appeals, and an issue regarding the Girard Lake.
I spent several hours on two occasions observing the court proceedings. I noticed that Judge Bernard had a skeptical and contentious (rude at times) demeanor. He manipulated defendants by entering pleas for them (Not guilty, I believe). He did this to me as well. This plea requires defendants to return to the courtroom at least once, possibly several more times, having my rights taken away.
In the July 5 Vindicator there was a story on the front page describing the feud between the Girard City Council and the judge. Judge Bernard reportedly said he would "bury him," referring to Girard Mayor James Melfi. Then he denied saying this. There were several council members who witnessed him saying this, however.
In my opinion, Judge Michael Bernard has a simple choice: start cooperating with city council and the mayor, stay within his budget and respect defendants rights, or resign for the good of the city and Trumbull County.
CHARLES SLENKER
Youngstown