Suicide bombing highlights hatreds

Re “Suicide Bombing Stokes Israel-Hamas Tensions,” April 18

The Times gave us graphic details on Monday’s tragic suicide bombing that killed nine Israelis, but it told us little about the Palestinian context.

A Palestinian college student lost her right eye after being shot by an Israeli sniper last week. In the preceding 2 1/2 weeks alone, Israeli forces killed 26 Palestinians, five of them children, according to the Palestinian Monitoring Group. Israeli forces fired at least 2,300 artillery shells and 34 missiles into Gaza, according to a U.N. report. About 9,400 Palestinians are incarcerated under brutal conditions in Israeli prisons, according to the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian civilians have been killed in far greater numbers than Israelis throughout this conflict.

We are Americans, not Israelis. Please give us the whole picture, not an Israeli-centric one.

ALISON WEIR

Executive Director

If Americans Knew

Los Angeles

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The Times is right to slam Hamas for its response to the heinous terrorist act carried out by Islamic Jihad (editorial, April 18). Obviously, Hamas will never be a partner for peace.

Yet The Times misses the mark when it states that Israel should not marginalize Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. While Abbas condemned the sickening attack, he stated the attack was against Palestinian interests. The implication from this statement is that killing civilians would be OK if it furthered Palestinian interests. Furthermore, Abbas failed to condemn Palestinian schools, media and religious leaders who fill children with hate.

If Abbas were interested in promoting peace, he would have done something about the poisoning of Palestinian youths’ minds, which is the ultimate obstacle to peace.

JOSH BAKER

Bloomfield, Mich.

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You write in your editorial that Monday’s suicide bombing in Tel Aviv “does mean that Israel has cause to crack down anew on Islamic Jihad and institute stronger security measures ... even if that means injuring and inconveniencing innocent Palestinians.” You have actually proved Hamas’ point that innocent civilians are acceptable collateral damage.

MARJORIE COHN

San Diego