Israel Assassinates Hamas Leader Rantisi

Re “Israel Kills New Leader of Hamas,” April 18: War is hell, and those who practice it live in hell. But Hamas leader Abdulaziz Rantisi is dead, a victim of war and his own twisted ideology. God bless the Israelis who found him and took him out. May they find the strength and the means to continue this battle for their existence, and bring Hamas and its terrorist brothers to their knees. Still, because war is hell, may they also do so as quickly as possible.

God bless the Arabs; may they come to their senses quickly and realize that Israel and the Jews are there to stay, and that Israel and the U.S. will make sure of it. May they also realize that their leaders are fighting a losing battle and will always lose so long as they deny Israel’s right to exist and try to exterminate Jews.

Eric Potruch

Westchester

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Israeli diplomat Zalman Shoval tries to convince us that the Palestinian suicide bombing in Erez only proves that Israel doesn’t have “a real peace partner on the other side.” Meanwhile, the Israelis send a missile into a civilian area, injuring a dozen innocents, justifying it because they also happen to be killing the Hamas leader.

Save the rhetoric, Israel -- neither side is making efforts for peace. And if terrorism is disregard for civilian life, both sides are just as guilty of that too. Not that anyone is counting, but let’s remember that since the second intifada, about 2,400 Palestinians have died to Israel’s 900.

J.D. McMillan

Brea

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Re “Doctor, Strategist, Leader, Target,” April 18: How about terrorist? Your article on Rantisi never uses the word “terrorist,” completely missing what he was and what he stood for. He was a founder of Hamas and responsible for the coldblooded murder of hundreds of innocent Israelis, mostly children, women and the elderly.

Deborah Koken

Costa Mesa

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With full support by the Bush administration and our tax dollars, the Israeli government continues to murder its opponents -- and a number of uninvolved bystanders in the process.

I wonder whether the thought behind this outrageous policy is to increase the hatred toward Israel and the United States further. The question would be why.

Elke Heitmeyer

Sherman Oaks

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Israel should be commended for its targeted killing of despicable mass murderer Rantisi. As one of the ringleaders of the Hamas terror organization, Rantisi helped plan the indiscriminate murder of hundreds of innocent babies, children, men and women in Israel.

In the 1940s, European Jews were defenseless against the murdering hordes of Germans, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Latvians and others. Now, thank God, the men and women of the Israel Defense Forces go after the enemies of the Jews wherever they can be found. Israel deserves our praise, not our criticism.

Joseph Strapp

Los Angeles

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Once again President Bush has damaged America’s image by not joining the international community to condemn Israel’s killing of Rantisi. This irresponsible act by the White House can only bring harm to America.

Our leaders should act in America’s interests and not in the interests of some foreign apartheid state or its domestic lobby.

Ghayth Adhami

Corona