Difficult conversations: Readers react to a Muslim man’s concern over Israeli flags in Baltimore; but we give him the final word | READER COMMENTARIES

A week ago, The Sun published an op-ed from Mansoor T. Shams, expressing concern about the number of flags and signs appearing in his neighborhood supporting Israel, wondering if those who posted them approved of the thousands of Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza, as Israel seeks to root out Hamas after the group's brutal attack against Israelis Oct. 7. Many thoughtful responses came into the newsroom, some of which are included below. But Shams experienced a troubling response in his neighborhood, which he's written about at the end.

Editor’s note: A week ago, The Sun published an op-ed from Mansoor T. Shams, a Muslim man who lives in Pikesville, with The Sun-written headline: “Do yard signs supporting Israel endorse killing of Palestinians? Muslim man questions their purpose” (Nov. 27). Shams expressed concern about the number of flags and signs appearing in his neighborhood supporting Israel, wondering if those who posted them approved of the thousands of Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza, as Israel seeks to root out Hamas after the group’s brutal attack against Israelis Oct. 7. Many thoughtful responses came into the newsroom, some of which are included below. But Shams experienced a troubling response in his neighborhood: Copies of his commentary with his picture superimposed overtop, were posted on electric poles around his neighborhood — an apparent effort to threaten and silence him. We asked him to write about the response he’s received and have included his thoughts at the bottom of this roundup of reader responses. 

This issue is tearing the Jewish community apart

Mansoor Shams excellently and thoughtfully described what I would call the danger of blanket support for Israel’s government. I was pained to hear of his daughter being called a racist in a school. My Jewish family, including my 5th grader, are horrified by the killing of civilians in Gaza and feel that an immediate diplomatic effort to return hostages and bring criminals to justice would have been a far superior path, both for avoiding the unfathomable loss of innocent life, and for ensuring the future security of Jews in Israel. We stand firmly against the actions of the government and army of Israel. This issue is tearing the Jewish community apart, and it has become very hard to say these things publicly. There will be a reckoning in the American Jewish community when this is all done. There are many Jews who absolutely reject the siege, bombardment and invasion of Gaza while having profound grief at the loss of life on Oct. 7. I’m so sorry for the fear he and his family are experiencing, and I thank him for his service.

— Meg Wobus Beller, Baltimore

We support Israel so that all, including Palestinians, can have a better future

Mansoor T. Shams wonders what the pro-Israel signs and flags that adorn homes like mine in the Pikesville area are meant to represent, and speculates that perhaps they are an endorsement of the killing of innocent Gazans.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Neither the state of Israel, nor Israel’s supporters here in Baltimore, seek or celebrate the death of civilians who are cynically employed as human shields by Hamas, and deliberately placed in harm’s way.

The signs and flags that I and my neighbors exhibit express a variety of sentiments: our solidarity with the victims of the Oct. 7 massacre, in which Hamas murdered more than 1,200 Israelis, wounded more than 4,200, and took at least 200 hostage; our support for Israel’s effort to eliminate Hamas, and by so doing, not only remove a deadly threat from Israel’s borders, but also free the people of Gaza from the despotic rule of a criminal gang of terrorists whose focus on the murder of Jews and destruction of Israel has caused the immiseration of their own people; and our confidence that the State of Israel, with the support of the United States, and all people of goodwill, will survive this crisis, and emerge more secure.

We stand in support of Israel precisely so that all people can have a better future, including the tragic victims of Hamas’ misrule of Gaza.

— Jay Bernstein, Baltimore

Israel is exercising ‘its right of self-defense’

In his Nov. 27 Baltimore Sun commentary, Mansoor Shams is puzzled why his Pikesville neighbors “stand with Israel” and wonders whether this is “an endorsement of killing … innocent Gazans.” As a fellow resident of Pikesville, let me explain why I stand with Israel.

On Oct. 7, Hamas brutally attacked Israel, killing more than 1,200 men, women, and children, and kidnapping more than 200 others. Israel then exercised its right of self-defense by attacking Gaza with the aim of eradicating Hamas’ miliary personnel and infrastructure so that such an attack could never happen again. The Hamas military is embedded within the civilian population, often using it as human shields. It is inevitable that any military operation in such circumstances will cause civilian casualties, as we saw in the war against ISIS in Iraq. Israel is taking all prudent steps to minimize civilian casualties without jeopardizing military success. If it were intentionally targeting civilians, I believe the death toll would be far greater.

I wonder how Mr. Shams would have reacted during World War II. Would he have asked for a cease-fire by the Allies so that humanitarian aid could reach the suffering blockaded German civilians? Would he have protested the deaths of tens of thousands of German civilians?

— David Gorelick, Pikesville

Pained by Israel’s strategy, but supportive nonetheless

Mr. Shams expresses his concern with the Israeli/Palestinian conflict raised by the showing of Israeli flags and yard signs in his Pikesville neighborhood. In his commentary, he poses, “Perhaps an explanation next to such signage could help.”

I wish to provide an explanation. I do so as a former member of the House of Delegates, representing Pikesville for 20 years, and as an Orthodox Jew, active in two prominent Pikesville congregations.

Israel’s military strategy is bombing, resulting in Gazan casualties. This strategy was employed by the U.S. in World War II, with the bombing of German and Japanese cities.
Personally, I am pained by this strategy; however, at the end of the day with debate over painful moral issues, the answer to Mr. Shams’ question is: They are living there having to directly deal with the problem. We are living here. It is their decision. We support them.

— Theodore Levin, Pikesville

Displaying Israel’s flag doesn’t mean we don’t mourn Palestinian deaths

I’m sorry that your fourth-grade daughter was called a racist. I’m sorry that you don’t feel safe walking in your neighborhood. But I am not sorry for the overt display of Israeli flags anywhere in Baltimore or elsewhere for that matter.

Displaying the Israeli flag does not say that we stand for the deaths of Palestinians. It does not mean that we don’t mourn their losses as well as our own. It does mean that we will fight for the existence of a Jewish homeland and the right of its people to exist. It means that we stand in solidarity against the savagery of terrorists who have no conscience or regard for human life. It means we support the Israeli Defense Forces as it seeks to eradicate the evil of Hamas from the land of Israel and hopefully any place in the world.

I’m not saying that Israel is not responsible for any deaths, but I can tell you that Israel tries to minimize the death of innocents. Hamas are experts at the art of deception and using their own people for propaganda and as human shields. We all feel for these innocent people.

None of us want war. Israel has always wanted peace. But when you are backed against a wall, you must fight for your life — life of your people and life for your country. It doesn’t matter if these flags went up on Oct. 7 or yesterday. As long as Hamas is still waging war, killing innocent people and holding hostages, we’ll proudly display our flags more so than before.

I read that you are a veteran. Thank you for your service and sacrifices that you have made in the name of this country and freedom everywhere. The Israeli flag symbolizes the same — freedom and sacrifice and more. Instead of feeling distaste for it, I wish that you could feel a sense of pride for what it represents. Your neighbor who meshed together the U.S. and the Israeli flag was trying to make this point. I wish more people could understand that.

— Diane Gensler, Owings Mills

‘I expected criticism, but not hate’

“Signs up … Shame on you,” a Jewish neighbor of mine wrote on a private neighborhood Facebook group, including a picture of my face and the title of my recent opinion piece from The Baltimore Sun: “Do yard signs supporting Israel endorse killing of Palestinians? Muslim man questions their purpose,” (Nov 27). Both the commentary and the picture have been plastered on polls on my neighborhood street. While the U.S. Marine in me was making light of the situation, my wife (who wears a hijab and also happens to be a part of the private group) looked on with despair, concern and a sense of fear. Sadly, the discomfort I had alluded to in my piece turned into real fear.

I expected criticism but not hate. In just mere moments, an opinion meant to express and share some discomforts with members of my community, to provoke thought and self-reflection transcended into accusations, gaslighting and what now feels like, I’m part of America’s Most Wanted..

For me, one of the most painful parts in this whole ordeal is that the neighbors who’ve known my family for over 10 years — some of whom I’ve shared meals with, whose children have played with my children — remained silent and on the sidelines as the open bashing continued on this private forum. Although a few reached out privately, just one neighbor (who also happens to be Jewish) in our community of over 300 homes openly stated how he was proud to call me a friend while also appreciating the thoughts shared in the piece.

Many others from the larger Maryland community, including non-Muslim and non-Jewish communities, reached out to share their connections to the piece. A professor at a community college said she printed the piece and planned to use it to engage discussion with her students. A senior government official expressed how he felt the piece brought forth a worthy perspective. And, a favorite, a member from the Jewish community (a complete stranger) invited my family to join their family for Shabbat dinner (which we gladly attended) with the precondition they would later join my family for dinner at my home as well.

Trevor Noah, the former host of The Daily Show, puts it best: “If we cannot have conversations about the difficult things, if the conversations themselves are now the difficult things. Then what hope do we have of fixing the difficult things?”

A week in, I know many may still wonder where I stand with the whole, “We stand with Israel” signage and raised Israeli flags. So, here it is: Over 2,000 more Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military since my piece last week, bringing the death toll to over 15,000 Palestinians dead (nearly half children). Much of what I’ve unfortunately heard since the release of the piece has been a mix of angered feelings, baseless accusations and what comes across as a deeply rooted nationalistic ideology, ignorant, blind and unable to recognize the immense human suffering taking place inside Gaza. For far too many, the number of Palestinians dead simply does not matter. So, at this point I can’t say I’m in a place where I can dissociate the flags from the deaths, but I’m always open to the conversation. Whose house are we going to for dinner?

— Mansoor T. Shams, Pikesville