I lived and worked in Israel for 1 1/2 years in the late '70s. I take great exception to the Rev. Ron Ely's anti-Semitic remarks regarding that country.

Israel has never attacked its Arab neighbors unless in response to terrorist activities. It was Egypt and its allies who attacked Israel in the Yom Kippur and Six-Day wars for example. During my time, there were a number of indiscriminate bombing of outdoor markets killing/injuring both Arabs and Israelis.

There was also an attempted attack by sea to cause havoc among beach goers but that was foiled by the Navy.

As far as dominating its neighbors, why did Israel give back land it had captured during its various wars? Or returned thousands of captured Arabs to their home countries?

Israel has always sought peace with its Arab neighbors since the war of independence. But was rebuffed at every turn especially by Arafat of the PLO.

I visited the West Bank several times and witnessed little or no infrastructure and much poverty. Yet the Palestinian leaders live quite well. Without Israel providing work for the Palestinians, the situation would be more dire.

And Ely's assertion that no Iranian leader has called for the annihilation of Israel is so blatantly false it defies logic.

Because of the Holocaust, when 6 million Jews were exterminated, Israel has vowed to never again allow such a horror to occur.

Israel will attack Iran, with or without U.S. support, it will strike first if the threat becomes an almost certainty.

I don't know which school of divinity the Rev. Ely attended, but it apparently left out several books of the Bible and a few commandments.

His beliefs appear more closely aligned with the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka than what most Christian churches in our area believe and teach. Shalom, Rev. Ely

Lee Staab

Hays