Wondering how so

In “Hamas will never be able to surprise us” (February 19), your reporter quotes Israel Navy Lt. Guy Banspach, commander of a Super Dvora patrol boat, as saying: “The IDF is either at war, or training for war. Even though we might not be at war right now, one can always break out so we must be prepared.” How so, I wonder?

Hamas is always the one to instigate the war, always the one that has the tunnels ready to attack us. It’s the one that sets the time for the temporary cease fire to which we always agree, even though this means we are leaving bodies of our soldiers behind.

Hamas has been surprising our governments since it was just a small band of thugs. Astonishingly, it has been allowed to grow into a strong and extremely lethal army that sets the tune and rhythm to which we dance along. It is therefore no surprise that it can set its own conditions, especially as it has been told by our prime minister that he has no intention of destroying it.

As for “Hamas: Release prisoners, we’ll release soldiers’ remains” (February 19), it seems that Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman told Hamas co-founder Mahmoud Zahar that the Gaza Strip could become the next Singapore if Israelis being held captive in Gaza were returned.

In an interview on the official website of COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories), Liberman was quoted as saying “Let’s talk.” In return, he got what he deserved. In an interview of his own with Palestine Today, Zahar said: “If we wanted to turn Gaza into a Singapore, we would do so with our own hands and not as a favor to anyone else.”

At least the terrorists have their pride.

PHYLLIS STERN

Netanya