Letters to the Editor: Israel has a right to defend itself, not to kill innocent Palestinians

To the editor: Loss of life on both sides of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is tragic and demands an immediate peaceful solution. However, Israel’s claim that the strikes in response to the rockets are surgical is belied by the tremendous loss of civilian life, including children. (“‘Huge fire’ in the sky: From Gaza, a view of the latest conflict with Israel,” May 12)

There is no safe place for innocent Palestinians to go. Israel has the right to defend itself, but not to slaughter the innocent.

The Israeli and Palestinian governments need to separate themselves from the intransigents on each side and work out a two-state solution. Israel needs to rein in the rapacious appetites of those members of its population who seek to dominate land in dispute.

The time is now for the Biden administration to broker a peace and further the establishment of boundaries that respect both Arabs and Jews.

Terry Shenkman, Culver City

..

To the editor: Interesting that in the latest Israel-Hamas conflict, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Israel has an “extra burden” to avoid killing and wounding civilians. (“U.S. steps up response to Israeli-Palestinian conflict after slow start,” May 12)

Putting its own people at risk, Hamas fires its rockets from residential areas and is aiming at specifically civilian areas all over Israel. Israel takes the trouble to ask building managers how much time they need to evacuate a building, gives them that time and then, before it destroys the target, pings the building to give any stragglers time to get out.

I would say that that is doing everything possible to avoid civilian casualties.

Hamas, on the other hand, is doing everything it can to target Israeli civilians while using its own people as collateral damage. Now tell me again, who shoulders the extra burden for protecting civilians?

Pauline Regev, Santa Monica