To the Journal editor:

The historic significance of what President Jimmy Carter Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin did in September 1978, cannot be overestimated. They established a framework for a historic peace treaty concluded between Israel and Egypt in March 1979 and is still holding firmly to this day.

That treaty was the first such treaty between Israel and any of its Arab neighbors and officially was titled the “Framework for Peace in the Middle East.” The agreements became known as the Camp David Accords because the negotiations took place at the U.S. presidential retreat at Camp David. Sadat and Begin were awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1978 for their contributions to the agreements.

And yet, as we all know, no one can really claim that the benefits of such an heroic and brazen act had actually become a foundation for other Arab countries and Israel to build on, with the exception of Jordan. Decades later and because of how “unbalanced” the Israeli response to a most deadly Hamas attack seem to be actively displayed on the news daily. The brilliant commentator, Farid Zakariya, referred to the Middle East for America to be “Hotel California” because of the lyrics “you can never leave.” Nothing can be more descriptive, except nothing about the current carnage is funny. At least so far, the Middle East has not lost its dangers.

Another brilliant commentator, Tom Freedman, reminds us of one of the main reasons why Israel had decided on its current nature of military response to a massive terrorist attack. Those critical of Israel and those who are not, had realized how “twisted” Netanyahu is to protect himself from serious legal prospects if he loses his current post.

However, Israel cannot create a sustainable post-Hamas regional alliance or permanently stabilize Gaza while Netanyahu reigns as the prime minister of Israel.

Another however is that even the most peace-oriented Israelis may be realizing that while “Bibi” must go, it is not exactly lunatic for Israelis to fear adding a turmoil of a hasty election during what seems to be an ongoing caldron.

In fact, if one should be able to separate whatever his/her traditional political stand and view from what is happening in Gaza, and quite likely to be also begin in the West Bank in not the very far future, one might realize the lunacy of those promoting reviving Hamas. Simultaneously, the protestors against the Israeli response have been using the very same old slogans of protesting without offering anything new.

Seriously, we must be focused on simultaneously achieving three objectives: 1) preventing the expansion of the conflict; 2) limiting civilian casualties, including locating, and freeing the hostages; and 3) ensuring that humanitarian relief supplies can reach Gaza freely so that Palestinian civilians have access to necessary food, medicine, and shelter. The United States should be clear with the Israelis that Israel’s right to defend itself is not a blank check to undertake any military operation that might recklessly disregard the civilian consequences.