Opponents and enemies of Israel are in full hue and cry over Israel's attack on the terrorist organization Hamas and its government and military installations in Gaza.

According to the Dec. 28 New York Times, Hamas “is officially committed to Israel’s destruction, and after it took over Gaza in 2007, it said it would not recognize Israel, honor previous Palestinian Authority commitments to it, or end its violence against Israelis.”

President-elect Barack Obama has selected Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and best-selling author, to deliver the invocation at his inauguration.

I have known Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. since before I was elected mayor of New York in 1977. I have both supported and opposed him, endorsing his opponent for the Senate, the then sitting senator, Alfonse M. D’Amato, the first time Schumer ran for that office, and supporting Schumer when he ran for re-election.

Schumer has both supported and opposed me as well in the course of his career. He is now reputed to be ranked No. 4 in the Senate hierarchy and has the confidence of his colleagues, who were very pleased with his efforts at recruiting and supporting successful Senate candidates across the country during the last election and raising huge amounts of campaign funds from Wall Street.