Israel's Move Into Gaza Provokes Strong Responses

In "Israel Is Committing War Crimes" (op-ed, Jan. 10) George E. Bisharat calls Hamas's repeated launching of hundreds of rockets into Israeli civilian population centers "misdeeds," while characterizing Israel's reaction to these provocations as war crimes. Hamas does not deny that its intent is to kill as many Jews as possible, including women and children. It openly proclaims that its aim is the destruction of Israel.

It is the declared intent of the aggressors, and their actions, that makes for war crimes. Israel does not ever target civilians; as a matter of fact, the Israel Defense Forces constantly risks the lives of its soldiers in order to minimize civilian casualties. It is Hamas's fighters, who shamefully and cynically shield themselves behind women and children, who are causing and are responsible for the death and suffering of their civilian population.

Edward Ovadia
Hastings-On-Hudson, N.Y.

I am an Israeli who served in the Israeli army. I want to commend the Journal for publishing the piece by George Bisharat. My father was a general in the Israeli army, and a former military governor of Gaza. It is clear that in the recent attacks on Gaza, Israel has completely abandoned its own moral codes and is killing and injuring innocent civilians with a carelessness that is unprecedented, and for which it must be held accountable. There are 800,000 children living in Gaza with no protection. The international community must demand that Israeli commanders, and cabinet ministers if need be, be investigated for their role in the massive civilian casualties caused by Israeli attacks on Gaza.

A. Miko Peled
Coronado, Calif.

In response to the welcome George Bisharat piece on the tragedy of Gaza: The standard U.S. heroizing of whatever Israel does, and the demonizing of all resistance, is getting tedious.

Thanks to the Journal for printing Mr. Bisharat's thoughts. He speaks for so many of us, both here and in Israel, who are without voice or value in the eyes of our leaders.

Dorothea M. Jackson
Six Mile, S.C.

Under any interpretation of the laws of war, the presence of civilians does not render a military target immune, nor does the commandeering of civilian institutions. The documentary and video proof of Hamas's exploitation of schools, mosques, hospitals and cultural centers to carry out its attacks is overwhelming, and responsibility for any civilian deaths that follow should fall on Hamas's shoulders.

Anne Herzberg
Legal Adviser
NGO Monitor
Jerusalem

In light of the thousands of Kassam rockets and Grad missiles that Hamas has been able to launch over the past two weeks, shouldn't one be asking how these armaments made their way into the hands of the Hamas terrorists? It is almost universally accepted that most of them were smuggled in tunnels from Egypt, with the pace of this effort picking up dramatically over the past six-month "truce" period. Given that the borders were sealed precisely to prevent the smuggling of weapons, one can only ask whether Hamas could have used the same resources to bring food and legitimate goods into the territory. In fact, had Hamas and the Palestinian Authority agreed to do precisely this after Israel left Gaza in 2005, there would be no hostilities to talk about today. The sole reason for today's hostilities is Hamas's unrelenting and fanatical desire to annihilate Israel.

Seymour Shapiro
West End, N.J.

Prof. Bisharat shows expert knowledge of the American-made fighter jets and helicopters deployed by Israel, but is mute about who supplied Hamas with its deadly rockets. Should the rocket suppliers be held accountable? Following Prof. Bisharat's logic, these are just "minor" events. He should know that there were no refugees prior to the war declared by Arab nations on the day of the establishment of the State of Israel by the United Nations. Hamas is a terrorist organization that hijacked Gaza and is using it as a staging ground for an armed struggle to remove Israel from the face of this earth. Can Prof. Bisharat point to the international law that will justify the prosecution of the Hamas leaders by an international tribunal?

Michael Katz
Woodland Hills, Calif.