Letters Submitted to The New York Times
Over the years, I've submitted many letters to The New York Times, generally critical of biased, anti-Israel items published in The Grey Lady. Except for an innocuous letter I submitted when I was a teenager, they haven't published any of them despite the fact, in my humble opinion, they were often better letters than others published on the same issue.Or, perhaps that is why they weren't published. I noticed, when I've been made aware, because of my involvement with PRIMER-Connecticut, of letters sent to Connecticut newspapers, the letters actually published were often the weakest of those submitted.
I've kept a record of most of the letters I've submitted to The New York Times since 2003 and posted them here. In each case, you can read the letter by clicking on the date.
2024
January 8: America must face up to the fanaticism and extremism of Israel's enemiesMarch 15: Why Biden Isn't Pressuring Israel Even More
April 20: Republicans Wanted a Crackdown on Israel’s Critics. Columbia Obliged
2023
January 4: What's so provocative?January 16: Khalidi is barking up the wrong tree
March 22: No Palestinian Arab rioting and terror on the Temple Mount would mean no broken glass in Al Aqsa Mosque
June 4: There's a good reason CUNY's School of Law became a target
July 13: Typically distorted perspective of Thomas Friedman
August 1: Netanyahu Scores Another Victory, but at What Price?
September 10: Fiction in The New York Times: The Threads of Identity in a Palestinian Craft
November 21: A Reporter's Journey Into Gaza - Not actually sent as a letter for publication, but comments on the double standards in a podcast
November 26: Don't Malign Israel Using Phony Statistics Provided by Terrorists
December 13: Re 'indiscriminate' bombing in Gaza
December 24: Talk about tough love
2022
April 18: Still Feeling the BernMay 7: The New York Times' Systemic Discrimination
May 9: Iran doesn't consider it merely symbolic
June 5: We know why Shireen Abu Akleh got killed
July 17: What The New York Times got wrong in its editorial 'What Biden got right on his trip to the Middle East'
July 18: Where has Tom Friedman been for the last three decades?
August 16: A Small Step for The New York Times
August 27: No, Peter, you and those formerly human rights organizations are the ones who have lost their way
September 17: Of course Israel can do more to prevent civilian casualties
September 19: Poor choice of victim to highlight
November 19: No mud in your eye in Qatar
December 2: Incomplete Review
December 22: What about a slightly different debate at Berkeley Law?
2021
January 16: America UnitedFebruary 6: NY Times blames Israel for PA bumbling
April 30: Fact check on HRW Apartheid Libel
May 15: I agree with Bernie Sanders
June 18: Misleading subhead and the real lesson obscured by article about destroyed Gaza building
June 24: Re The Ezra Klein Show Transcript: Ezra Klein Interviews Sarah Schulman
July 23: Ben & Jerry's board has destroyed its soul
August 11: The New York Times Needs to Start Telling the Truth About Israel
September 12: Thanks for the belly laugh
September 24: Time to ostracize The Squalid Squad
December 28: An Israeli Wonderland Where You Can Almost Forget Where You Are
2020
January 4: The war didn't start when America struck backJanuary 5: Conflict With Iran Threatens Fight Against ISIS
January 16: The Campus Anti-Israel Craze
February 1: Kershner and Halbfinger present distorted picture
March 13: Arab United List unacceptable not because it's Arab, but because of its policies
March 26: Using coronavirus to spread venom
April 3: Time to release the Palestinian Arabs
May 9: The Israeli Attack on Covid-19
May 22: What about the other side of Mahmoud Abbas' mouth?
June 10: Accidental Admission by PLO Leader
July 3: Clarity on "Annexation"
July 8: Wrong Again, Peter - Palestinian Arabs do have the right to vote
July 24: For Palestinian Police, Much to Lose if Israel Annexes West Bank Land
September 12: Maybe Bahrain believes Abbas when he says he's president of the State of Palestine
September 17: Right conclusion, but flawed analysis
November 28: Iranian officials maintain their mutual ambitions are for peaceful purposes
December 20: To understand how far the standards of The New York Times have fallen, read "To Understand Red-State America, He Urges a Look at Red-State Israel"
2019
January 10: Article mischaracterizes BDS movementJanuary 20: What Silence?
January 29: Good news for the Democratic party
February 13: Ilhan Omar's "Very Bad Tweets"
February 14: Netanyahu is more dovish than Rabin was
March 3: Commission needed to examine UNHRC
March 20: When did The New York Times decide to start rewriting history
April 15: The New York Times' Next Test
April 30: Time for some soul searching
May 21: Self-inflicted misery
June 2: Slap of the century
June 8: Misleading headline
June 24: Abbas rejection no surprise
June 29: Palestinians still want a world without Israel
July 7: Whatever happened to the automatic snapback?
July 24: Wrong Analogy
July 28: An exercise in obfuscation
December 5: Incitement, if only
2018
January 2: Re Emboldened Israeli right presses moves to doom 2-state solutionJanuary 5: Mindless two-state solution mantra an obstacle to peace
January 9: One State Solution? Not a Chance!
January 28: Israeli Failure
February 12: Hamas has an obvious option: peace
March 20: Lauder's Ignorance
March 24: Why life keeps getting worse in Gaza
April 18: Palestinian Arab "Nakba" was not caused by Israel's reestablishment
April 20: Understanding Gaza and Gideon Levy
July 4: Rewarding terrorists violation of Oslo Accords
July 31: Israel's "Unequal Citizens"
August 10: Why won't the Labour Party's anti-Semitism scandal go away?
August 25: A Palestinian neighbor responds with a closed mind
September 4: Yes, boycotting Israel is hate!
September 12: The Palestinian "rights" cause opposed by Marcus
September 20: The Broken Pieces of Peace In the Mideast
September 22: Anziska presents warped view of Camp David Accords
December 7: Michelle Goldberg is both right and dead wrong
December 15: Interview shows antisemitism is mainstream again
December 19: The New York Times seems to have lost its moral compass
December 31: Important news deemed not fit to print
2017
January 30: Times gives Palestinian lies "dog bites man" treatmentFebruary 1: Refreshing admission from Ian Fischer
February 10: Muslim Brotherhood doesn't promote brotherhood
February 14: Trump needs to avoid mistakes of predecessors
February 16: No good options available
February 17: Trump's Nonsensical Statement
March 2: Still no partner for peace
March 9: No welcome mat for people trying to kill you
March 11: Hamas proposing to dupe willing idiots
April 17: Irresponsible omission merits apology
May 29: Opposition to Sarsour isn't a free speech issue
June 3: Orwellian analysis
June 6: How the 1967 war came home to Hanan Ashrawi
June 15: Looking at both sides of Roger Cohen's fun house mirror
July 31: Unenthralled by analysis of brewing war in Gaza
August 7: Missing moral compass
October 2: Enough of the phony moral equivalence
October 11: President Obama set precedent of breaking promises of predecessor
November 9: It's the phony "peace process," not "peace," that's become toxic in Israel
November 13: Feeling safe eating under the gaze of a terrorist
November 24: Why Won't Israel Let Me Mourn My Father?
December 8: Roger Cohen got one thing right
December 19: It's not just Trump who seems confused about Jerusalem ... and honesty
2016
January 1: Jewish-Arab love story not excluded from Israeli classroomsJanuary 5: Traitors and Human Rights Organizations
January 28: BDS abuse of human rights movement
January 30: The Times applies double standard for Israel
February 11: Who are the true heirs of Jeffersonian democracy?
February 19: White House Goes Overboard Criticizing Schumer
March 15: Netanyahu's unwillingness to make peace
March 23: Straight talk from Bernie Sanders
April 5: A distinction without a difference
April 12: Don't make another mistake in the Security Council
May 3: The British Left's Zionism problem is also their Jewish problem
May 4: When the right wing is more liberal than the moderate
May 22: Bergman Op-Ed implicit tribute to Israeli democracy
May 31: Contrast between Palestinian Arabs and Israelis
June 6: Stated goal of BDS founders omitted
June 9: Americans murdered by Palestinian terrorists treated as less than fully human
June 14: Opposition to boycotting anti-Semitic boycotters hypocritical
June 20: Be thankful for small favors
August 6: Security-State Models?
August 28: Israel and Arab states can't openly be friends because of decades of Arab demonization of Israel
September 1: Appeals decision deals blow to "No Justice, No Peace"
September 5: Stop endorsing ethnic cleansing
September 25: Wisdom of Golda Meir
September 29: Throwing stones constitutes violence
October 3: Ashrawi stays in character
October 7: Please, President Obama, don't do any more damage
October 20: How to Ensure the Iran Nuclear Deal Survives the Next President
October 29: Cohen should write about why the Palestinian Arabs refuse to make the choice for peace
November 29: Obama Should Reject Carter's Bad Advice
December 1: President of "Palestine" admits it doesn't exist, so why recognize it?
December 3: Why does Rachel Kushner ignore the elephant in the room?
December 13: End the absurdity (of placing the American embassy outside Jerusalem)
December 17: Don't let the tail continue to wag the dog
December 24: Mr. President, have you no shame?
2015
January 1: The real reason there will be another Gaza war.February 4: A Bad Mistake Politically, A Gift to America.
February 25: Rein in the Forces of Violence
March 4: New York Times Should Support a Good Deal with Iran
April 8: A Sobering Thought About Iran
April 10: UN Responsible For Peacekeeper's Death
April 18: Double Standard on the Temple Mount
May 14: Key to Mideast peace is the vision of peace
May 28: Give the Red Card to the Palestinian Authority
June 1: El Ad's Charade
June 2: As Iran's Nuclear Stockpile Grows, Congress Must Do Its Job
June 9: Taiwan isn't the capital of China and Tel Aviv isn't the capital of Israel
June 16: The truth hurts
June 23: Human Rights Commission promotes next Gaza war
July 20: Not such a good deal
July 30: Kristof is only half right
August 4: Reject an imperial presidency
August 10: Proponents, not opponents, of Iran treaty spreading false claims
August 13: Ugly and flawed deal worse than alternatives
August 15: Red Cross Red
August 24: What's the benefit of the JCPOA?
September 11: Iran Filibuster Shameful
September 16: Thank God for Outdoor Exercise in the West Bank
September 24: Palestinians still wedded to infamous three no's
October 1: Abbas' underwhelming announcement
October 6: Abbas' frustration illogical
October 9: Historical Certainty Proves Elusive Only for The New York Times
October 10: It's hard to teach an old terrorist new tricks
October 16: There is no cycle of violence in Israel
October 28: Lies should be distinguished from truths
October 29: Been there, done that
November 9: Obama and Netanyahu: A Story of Slights and Crossed Signals
November 13: EU is morally bankrupt
2014
January 27: Op-Ed by Carl Levin and Angus King use invalid argument against the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act.March 7: The New York Times asks the wrong question to the wrong party.
April 16: The New York Times writes it's pointless to assign blame for the collapse of negotiations and then unfairly blames Israel.
May 1: Mahmoud Abbas' words and actions contradict assertions that he believes in negotiations.
June 10: If Fatah has renounced violence, then it's done it in a very strange way.
June 20: "The Death of Klinghoffer" is a hateful piece of propaganda masquerading as art.
June 26: It would be difficult to find a single assertion in Marwan Bishara's op-ed with which a knowledgeable, reasonable person would agree.
July 8: The New York Times is an impediment to peace.
July 18: Yes, The West did pave the way to war in Gaza.
August 7: To Save Gaza, It Must Be De-Terrorized.
August 8: Back to Square One.
August 20: The Cease-Fire Ended When Israel Fired Back.
September 4: First, the Arabs Have to Want a Palestinian State.
September 23: Talk in Synagogues Shows Unified Support for Israel
September 28: How Israel Stifles Dissent, Not!
October 7: No Group Scrutinizes Itself As Much As The Jews
October 8: Mahmoud Abbas Wont' Make Any Concessions
October 12: Make this the last time we have to rebuild Gaza
October 15: House of Commons Sends the Wrong Message to Israel and to the Palestinian Arabs
November 18: American Needs to Protect its Citizens from Palestinian Arab Terrorism
November 19: The Palestinian Arabs Dancing in the Streets Didn't Consider the Horror a Tragedy
November 20: If Only The Palestinians Would Fight Back Against Their True Oppressors
2013
May 29: The New York Times unfairly questions Israel's commitment to peace but ignores the blatant actions demonstrating the Arabs aren't interested in peace.August 13: Arab insistence on the release of murderers is not a sign of a commitment to peace.
September 15: Ian Lustick strangely argues that people who cannot agree on living separately in two states would live peacefully together in one state.
November 29: Iran is playing games with its commitments under its agreement with the P5+1.
2012
August 14: Israel has made it clear that it prefers a diplomatic solution to the threat caused by Iran's nuclear weapons program.September 28: Contrary to The New York Times editorial, the Israeli prime minister is trying to get the world to effectively deal with the Iran nuclear weapons program while avoiding the need to resort to military force.
November 15: The New York Times pretends the launching of thousands of rockets and mortars at Israeli civilians does not violate a cease-fire.
2011
April 25: The New York Times ignores all the generous proposals Israel has made over the years along with all the constant rejectionism of the Palestinian Arabs.2010
December 15: Mahmoud Abbas' own words give lie to the assertions of Hussein Agha and Robert Malley about his alleged willingness and an alleged Israeli unwillingness to compromise.2009
January 25: Ethan Bronner's article inadvertantly illustrates the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict: the unwillingness of the Arabs to accept Israel's very existence.August 6: Contrary to assertions in The New York Times editorial, the Obama administration's pressure on Israel encourages the continued intransigence on the part of the Palestinian Arabs.
2008
December 15: While the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times believes "the word terrorist is politically loaded and overused," it certainly hasn't been overused in the case of the massive number of Arab terror attacks against Israelis.2006
November 1: Ahmed Yousef preconditions his proposal for a ten-year "hudna" on Israeli capitulation to demands that would be outrageous even in exchange for a real peace.March 16: It's become traditional to condemn Israel for actions we eventually realize should have been praised.
2004
May 26: Michael Tarazi's references to "Israel's border" contradict the terms of the 1949 armistice agreements.October 29: The plans for an Israeli disengagement from Gaza should arouse mixed emotions for reasons far different from those given by The New York Times.
2003
March 18: Jack E. Cohen is incorrect about three of the four motivations he blames for the continuing Arab-Israeli conflict. As Golda Meir recognized, peace will only come when the Arabs love their children more than they dream of the destruction of the democratic state of Israel.April 24: Thomas Friedman's prescription for fixing what went wrong with the Oslo Process is a prescription for repeating the same disastrous errors that caused it to fail.