Terrorism Targets Innocent Civilians

Re “U.S. Jews Cannot Acquiesce to Sharon’s Monstrous Behavior,” Commentary, April 9: Contrary to Robert Scheer’s hysterical and offensive diatribe, Israel’s current actions in the West Bank are fully justified and focused on destroying terrorists, not simply murdering innocent civilians as the Palestinians have been doing. Indeed, these actions should have taken place 18 months ago. Many innocent lives would have been spared.

It is the Palestinians who deliberately have been targeting the innocent. The Israelis have been hunting down the murderers of their men, women and children, who were going about their daily lives. How can any sane, reasonable adult be blind to the stark differences in the goals and tactics being used?

The first sentence of our Constitution sets forth as fundamental responsibilities of government to provide for the common defense and secure domestic tranquillity. Why does Israel not have the same right as we do to protect its citizens against an enemy that observes no rules whatever of human decency?

Stephen J. Makler

Mount Holly, N.J.

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The way that Scheer equates Ariel Sharon, whose forces try to avoid civilian casualties, with Yasser Arafat, who targets civilians, is preposterous. The Palestinian Arabs have themselves to blame for the military retaliation that Israel has taken to protect itself. A majority of Americans understand this, even if Scheer does not.

Gershon Hepner

Los Angeles

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King George II demands Israel cut short its anti-terror mission before it’s completed, reminding me of George I when he stopped the Persian Gulf War before Saddam Hussein was taken out. Do they want to end terrorism or not? Half measures will never do it. U.S. foreign policy is being hijacked by Hussein, who is bankrolling the latest round of suicide bombings to divert attention from the effort to line up support for another war against Iraq. The Bush clan allows him to direct the world’s focus.

Bob Deluca

Calabasas

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When will Bush identify Israel as one of the most dangerous terrorist countries today? Evidently, Sharon doesn’t care about what Bush thinks about the escalating war against the Palestinians. Let’s wake up and recognize that support of Israel is not in our best interests.

Israel is not our friend, we are Israel’s friend--and there is a difference between the two that we are seeing today. All Israel is accomplishing with its violent choices is the cultivating of a new generation of terrorists who will strike at our country in retaliation for our blind support of Israeli “eye for an eye” military policies. Enough is enough!

Michael Pierson

Bermuda Dunes, Calif.

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God is great--suicide bombers are not.

Donald M. Fenmore

Los Angeles