As a struggling actress who happens to be a Mexican-American Jew, I find a great sense of joy and pride when a fellow Latina/o or Jewish performer makes it and finds that elusive dream of success in show business. That was always the case whenever either one of you have had a successful project.

That is why I am so dismayed by your recent remarks about the war IMPOSED on Israel by Hamas.

Both of you have accused Israel of committing genocide against innocent Palestinian children. Seriously? Are you aware that this war was started by Hamas? Do you know that Hamas has violated every single cease fire they have agreed upon? Do you understand that Hamas launches its rockets from civilian neighborhoods, hospitals and schools? Do you know that Israel drops leaflets, makes telephone calls to Palestinian households, and then drops markers on intended targets before launching a DEFENSIVE strike, and that Hamas prevents their own people from evacuating?

Do you want to talk about occupation and genocide? Let’s talk about what your ancestors did to mine when Columbus got lost looking for India and landed in America; or perhaps you would prefer to talk about the expulsion of all Jews from Spain in 1492.

If Portugal initiated a relentless missile attack on Spain, and all of your neighbors called for your complete annihilation, what would you like your government’s response to be? Would you remain inactive while your people were threatened? Would you call for restraint? If Spain defended itself and its people, and your army was stronger than your enemy’s, would you call your actions unjustified genocide?

Since Israel declared its independence in 1948, it has been forced into war time and time again. Israel’s enemies do not want territory, they want their complete and utter annihilation!

I will resist the temptation of labeling you an anti-Semite; that’s what people on your side do when anyone disagrees with their position or ideals: they resort to name-calling.

I want to believe you’re misinformed and misguided, influenced by a mainstream media that will not tell you the truth.

With that in mind I invite you to spend a week in Israel; perhaps when you hear the alarms go off several times a day, when you have to run to a shelter for cover knowing it is not a drill, or a scene where someone will yell “cut” you will understand the concept of self-defense.

If spending a few days in Israel facing the true horrors of terrorism is not something you would consider, maybe you will take five minutes to watch this video, where my friend Dennis Prager explains in clear terms the conflict in the Middle East: www.prageruniversity.com/Political-Science/Middle-East-Problem.html.

If watching a five minute video is too much to ask, at the very least, please download the free app Red Alert Israel, which will warn you every time Hamas launches a missile from Gaza to Israel.

I know you’ve both issued statements saying your remarks were misunderstood, but until you retract your original statements and apologize I will do everything I can to influence every decent human being into not patronizing your projects, including your movies and endorsement liaisons, such as Lancome.

Let me conclude by saying that nobody (except perhaps Hamas) likes to see images of dead children. I, too, dream of a day where the lion can lay with the lamb, but to paraphrase the wise words of rabbi Yoshi Zweiback, until then, Israel cannot be the lamb!