This is in response to John Leo’s column March 5 and Klaus Kuck’s letter March 18.

Leo wrote, “… anti-Zionism at any U.N. gathering translates easily as anti-Semitism.” Anti-Zionism is anti-Jewish, not anti-Semite. According to Webster’s Dictionary, Semites include members of a Caucasian race represented by Jews and Arabs. In ancient times, that included Babylonians, Assyrians and Arameans, all using an inflectional language, Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic.

The Jews and the Arab Christians are descendants of Abraham, our father in faith.

Abraham’s wife, Sarah, gave birth to Isaac of Israel; Hagar, his slave woman, gave birth to Ishmael. Ishmael and his mother were banished to the desert, forming the Arab Muslims.

Jesus, son of Mary and his earthly father, Joseph, are descendants of Abraham, Isaac and David.

Klaus Kuck wrote, “A great religion is being desecrated and all we are hearing is a deafening silence.”

The God I worship loves all he created: Christians, Jews, Muslims and people of other religions as well.

Joanna Walsh-Ward, Lewiston