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Israel stops activist boat, Gaza teen dies from Israeli fire

Men wave national flags while riding a motorcycle-taxi, called a Toktok, loaded with tires to be burned during a protest at the Gaza Strip's border with Israel, Friday, Aug. 3, 2018. Gaza's Hamas rulers led several thousand Palestinians in a protest along the frontier with Israel on Friday _ a show of presence by Hamas as Egyptian efforts intensify to broker a broad truce between the Islamic militant group and Israel. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)

Why would the U.S. grant $38 billion in military aid to Israel, which has a long list of human rights abuses? The U.S. certainly could use that money for infrastructure and programs in the homeland, yet the money is spent on the eighth most powerful country in the world. Those are our tax dollars.

The world is full of hunger and thirst, not only for physical needs but for justice. The U.S. Senate, however, passed a measure that would codify into law the defense aid package. "Security" is a fig leaf for abuse. More concern should be shown for the security of Palestinians who endure abuse every day.

It seems that the U.S. Senate got it backward. We should be helping the victims not the perpetrators. You don’t make peace by making war.

Lea Koesterer  •  St. Louis