The election-eve letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Israel seems like an in-kind contribution to Vice President Kamala Harris, aimed at stopping the loss of Arab-American voters in Michigan (“Blinken’s Odious Letter,” Editorial, Oct. 16).
The Biden administration has also asked Israel to avoid striking Iran’s oil and nuclear sites after Tehran’s second round of ballistic missile attacks. It raises the question: Whose side is the Biden-Harris administration on?
James Hyland
Beechhurst
Blinken’s letter is all talk. He’s not truly threatening Israel. In one part, he suggested ways Israel could relax restrictions on food and aid to Gaza — as if Israel would heed his advice. Blinken has been unwavering in his support of Israel, even as it has acted aggressively toward Palestine for over a year. This letter won’t change anything.
Leon Baader
Brooklyn
American forces are positioned near Israel, signaling our readiness to stand by our ally. But the Blinken letter and debates over what Israel can or can’t target weaken that message. The anti-Jewish faction within the Democratic Party is a problem the party should address, though it seems unlikely.
Leonard Toboroff
Miami, Fla.
So, let me get this straight: A country is attacked, and its ally tells it to hold back? The Biden-Harris administration’s weakness is undermining its allies.
Philip Vallone
Ossining
The Biden-Harris administration has mishandled its foreign policy, betraying Israel in the process. Instead of assisting Israel, the administration has interfered in Israel’s domestic policies, undermined its leadership during wartime, and threatened to cut off munitions while trying to dictate Israel’s military strategy.
Stanley Rubin
Fresh Meadows
On the upcoming vote in New York on the confusing ballot item, Proposition 1:
Proposition 1 adds categories like age and autonomy as protected traits. Adding these will essentially make children wards of the state, sidelining parental authority. This measure won’t help society but will lead to state control over personal behavior.
Linda Cebrian
Rhinebeck
Eustis doesn’t seem to realize that some transgender people discover their identity without exposure to what she calls “radical transgender ideology.” Children are individuals who need support, not property to be controlled by their parents’ politics. As a mother of kids with transgender friends and with adult friends who have transitioned, I see Eustis’ fears as unfounded. I support Prop 1 for a free society with equal rights for all, including trans people.
Katherine Dieckmann
Manhattan
