THIS is with reference to the letter ‘A friend or foe?’ (Feb 21), which expressed surprise over the fact that despite receiving loads and loads of aid and unqualified support at various forums, including the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the state of Israel has felt no obligation to return the favours. In fact, Israel feels free to act anyway it likes, including even the deliberate killing of its benefactors’ citizens for some foul objectives.

I think the reason the Israelis behave this way is that the Zionists consider themselves as the ‘chosen people’, and others as inferior, sub-human and even disposable. This explains the Zionist behaviour pattern, as demonstrated also in the USS Liberty incident. This also answers the question whether Israel is America’s friend or foe. Israelis firmly believe it to be a relationship between the master and the slaves, with Israel being the master, of course.

Add to that the sad fact that the pro-Israel lobby manages to buy out the loyalty of most American lawmakers and many top officials in the administration, with generous funding for election campaigns and other ‘incentives’. And then the obliged/compromised American lawmakers and officials dutifully serve the interests of Israel, using the taxpayers’ money to return the ‘investment’ with massive profits and bonus.

As such, the whole thing works as a mutually-beneficial arrangement for Israel as well as most American law- makers and state officials. There are, of course, sufferers who happen to be Americans whose tax money gets utterly misused and, indeed, the Palestinians, who end up losing just about everything; they have; home, hearth, health and life.

S.R.H. Hashmi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2024