Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut is opposed to a so-called "public option" and/or reducing the eligibility age for Medicare; Joe says that we can't afford it. Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska is opposed to any bill that does not increase restrictions on abortion services.

Both of these senators are long-time supporters of Israel. I find it both ironic and hypocritical that these honorable gentlemen would deny their own constituents something that every Israeli citizen is entitled to.

Thanks to the generosity of benefactors like Lieberman and Nelson, the Israelis are able to provide their citizens with a generous, comprehensive, nationalized health-care plan. The Israeli plan even covers abortion services. Estimates are that nearly 20,000 legal abortions are performed in Israel every year.

If Joe Lieberman truly cared about stopping wasteful spending and if Ben Nelson really cared about stopping state-sponsored abortions, they would join forces and lead the fight to cut US aid to Israel.

JAMES E. KNIGHT, SPENCERPORT