Letters to the Editor | July 25, 2025

I do not believe Benjamin Netanyahu belongs in Cheltenham High School’s Hall of Fame. He belongs in prison for the war crimes that have been committed and continue to be committed under his watch. Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorists, but the wholesale slaughter of innocent men, women, and children in Gaza is wrong and must stop. Netanyahu can negotiate peace, but he seems intent on trying to eliminate the Palestinian population. Terrorism will never be eliminated until people learn to live in peace and acknowledge the rights of every country to exist.

Kathleen Clements, Philadelphia

I am disgusted that The Inquirer devoted space to an op-ed promoting Hayim Leiter’s view on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Once I would have agreed, but today this opinion flies in the face of reality. Any fair-minded, knowledgeable person can see that Netanyahu is hell-bent on committing genocide against Palestinians. The writer appears to be at one with the right-wing fringe in Israel, quite comfortable ignoring the fact that Netanyahu will stop at nothing to remain in power to avoid prosecution for corruption. Netanyahu’s Israel continues to defy international law in expanding Israeli settlements in the stolen occupied territories. Many of those settlers also continue to attack innocent Palestinians nearby and burn down their only sources of income with state-sponsored impunity. The list of Israeli indignities and attacks against Palestinians is long, and all Netanyahu approved. I applaud the Cheltenham high schoolers who choose to concern themselves with human rights.

Rebecca Alexander, Philadelphia

For years, Emil J. Bove III has been Donald Trump’s personal defense lawyer on criminal cases, including for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. In return, Bove was rewarded with leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Justice, and now a nomination to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, which serves us in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. In a letter, more than 75 former federal judges point to his “egregious record of mistreating law enforcement officers, abusing power, and disregarding the law itself.” There has been so much outcry leading up to Bove’s hearing before the judiciary committee that the chairman, Chuck Grassley, didn’t allow any questions, but instead rammed this nomination through to a vote. At which point, Democrats on the committee walked out.

I’m calling on everyone: The Inquirer, City Council members, our chambers of commerce, and our police officers. I’m calling on every person who values a fair and independent court that respects and serves all of us Americans. This president may only be around for another term, but federal judges serve lifetime positions, making decisions that shape our communities and our lives for a long time. The National Council of Jewish Women, with over 3,000 members in Pennsylvania, joins more than 240 national organizations to oppose Bove. Let’s all call on the Senate to do its duty, debate, and reject the worst judicial nominee we’ve ever seen.

Eleanor Levie, Philadelphia

Regarding the recent column by Solomon Jones, “With Trump bent on destroying Black progress, we must stand together.” It’s disheartening to see opinion pieces that distort facts, assume the worst intentions, and inflame fear and resentment. Yes, President Donald Trump rescinded a 1960s executive order (EO 11246) that barred discrimination in federal contracting — but that’s only part of the story. Federal contractors are still bound by laws like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. More importantly, Trump’s new order (EO 14173) aims to end race-based preferences in contracting — and to do that, it had to repeal the mandate for affirmative action embedded in EO 11246.

Brian Suckow, Palo Alto, Calif.

During my residency in emergency and internal medicine here in Philadelphia, I worked through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I saw overcrowded hospitals, patients on ventilators, and families devastated by loss. That experience showed me how quickly a global crisis can hit close to home — and how fragile our systems truly are. Scientists have warned that pandemics like COVID are tied to environmental destruction and biodiversity loss. Since 1970, global wildlife populations have dropped by more than 70%.

As we destroy habitats, we increase the chances of viruses jumping from animals to humans. Protecting biodiversity is not just an environmental issue — it’s essential to public health. That’s why I’m deeply concerned about the Trump administration’s attempt to rescind billions in already approved international aid. These programs support global health, clean water, food access, and climate resilience. Cutting them will cost lives and leave all of us more vulnerable to the next crisis. We can’t afford to step back from global health, climate, or humanitarian commitments. A healthier, more stable world is in all our best interests.

Z. Weisner, Philadelphia

I thank Jim Sikorski for his recent letter to the editor in which he criticizes automated traffic enforcement. I have been trying unsuccessfully for over a year to expose the injustice of automated red-light enforcement (ARLE) systems; not in concept, but in how they are sometimes implemented. One instance is in Warrington Township, where, depending on the vehicle’s location when the light turns yellow, the driver has little or even no chance to successfully and safely navigate the intersection without triggering a red-light violation.

Math and physics reveal that the yellow light duration is too short. These violations can be by tens or hundreds of milliseconds, but nonetheless trigger the automated system, resulting in a citation. Warrington issued nearly 10,000 ARLE citations in just nine months in 2024. The National Motorists Association’s website has an entire section dedicated to the pitfalls and unfairness of ARLE systems. I have petitioned PennDot, my state representative, local law enforcement, and various media outlets, describing the issue and proposing an easily implementable solution. None of whom seem to care or have the stomach to open this can of worms.

Dave Zeidler, Warrington

The recent article detailing the deadly fire in a Massachusetts assisted living facility offers a striking example of the need for increased resources and more rigorous code inspections for senior living spaces. Located in one of the poorest cities in Massachusetts, this facility was reported to have multiple safety concerns, including a broken elevator, inadequate staffing, and a lack of fire drills. Residents of these facilities are often some of the most vulnerable in our communities, requiring assistance for daily tasks such as eating, bathing, ambulating, and dressing.

As a resident physician, this story resonates deeply with me, illustrating how the most marginalized groups in our society are at the highest risk for injury and death. According to the American Health Care Association, there are more than one million individuals living in assisted living facilities in the U.S. Considering the recent Massachusetts fire, there is a clear need for appropriate resourcing and more stringent regulatory inspections to help improve the care of residents within these facilities. How many more elderly residents must die before we take action to address these underlying issues?

Rosalie Sleppy, Philadelphia

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