More on Israel

This is in response to reading Patricia Ahmad's letter of Jan. 8, "Both sides are at fault in IsraelHamas conflict."

Ms. Ahmad, you seem to be confusing the people of Gaza with the terrorist organization Hamas. Israel withdrew from the Gaza strip in 2005. The people of Gaza had a chance to start a new life. The border crossings were open. Instead came increased shooting of rockets into Israel, the Hamas takeover of Gaza, throwing Fatah Palestinians from roofs of buildings and torturing their own people in their prisons.

Israel held back from using full force to protect their people, hoping that talks, verbal threats and temporary closings of the border crossings might do the job. The rockets being launched into Israel are all supplied by the Iranians who train and supply Hamas with ammunition.

Hamas started firing rockets aimed at Israel civilians for one purpose only, to kill as many Israel civilians as possible. This is when Israel began closing its borders. The rockets have been firing into Israel for the last eight years, terrorizing women, children and men.

How can you negotiate with people who want to wipe an entire country off the map? How can you negotiate with people who teach their children that Jews are the scum of the earth and creatures that must be killed?

Israel has no interest in fighting except to defend its people. Ovi Lalo Westlake Village