In Kathleen Sutherland’s Aug. 5 guest editorial (“Another View: Threat to Palestinian children demands consideration”), she rightly points out Israel’s threat to Palestinian children but overlooks the Palestinian threat to their own children.

So let us focus this conflict to just its effect on children. Ms. Sutherland defends Palestinian tunnels and Palestinian rockets as the right of the Palestinians to defend themselves by whatever means are available.

Let’s be clear: Tunnels and rockets are designed to instill terror and fear into Israeli children, not to defend Palestinian children from attack. Israel invaded Gaza to protect their children. When they are confident that they are safe, they will withdraw.

Hamas, on the other hand, puts their children in harm’s way by placing rocket sites in congested civilian areas including hospitals, schools and homes where they know children will be killed and maimed by an Israeli response.

Ms. Sutherland states that Israel has made the lives of most Palestinians unbearable. She is no doubt aware that Hamas leaders are either in underground bunkers or somewhere outside Gaza enduring the unbearable while their children are being killed. She is no doubt aware that Hamas leaders squander precious foreign aid on rockets and tunnels instead of critical infrastucture needs that benefit their children, such as hospitals and schools.

Golda Meir, the former Israeli prime minister, once so wisely said: “Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us.” So I ask Ms. Sutherland: Who is the greater threat to Palestinian children – Hamas or Israel?

George Howitt

Portland

Copy the Story Link