Dueling visions

The article (“ICC won’t hesitate to probe alleged Israeli war crimes,” May 23) describing the cynical move of the “pay-for-murder” PA urging the International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli “war crimes” calls for the truth. Israel’s actions to protect its citizens from genocidal mobs of Gazans demands that the world be reminded of Hamas’s stated aims:

“Israel, by virtue of its being Jewish and of having a Jewish population, defies Islam and the Muslims... Muslims will fight the Jews until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: ‘O Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him... I indeed wish to go to war for the sake of Allah! I will assault and kill, assault and kill, assault and kill.’”

How can the global press equate a people whose charter calls for murdering Jews with a people whose Declaration of Independence (see below) calls for peace with its neighbors?

“The State of Israel will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture... We extend our hand to all neighboring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighborliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help with the sovereign Jewish people settled in its own land.”

MEL ALEXENBERG Ra’anana

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar admitted that 50 of the 62 people killed were Hamas operatives. Hamas’s stated aim was “taking down the border with Israel” and “tearing out the hearts from their bodies.” They admit busing women and children to the border fence to put them in front of the crowd who wish to demolish the fence, as Hamas knows that our soldiers hesitate to attack women and children.

Using civilians as a human shield is a war crime. Why does Israel not ask the International Criminal Court to indict the Palestinian Authority for War Crimes (and other terrorist crimes for which they incentivize their people with massive financial rewards)?

Let’s see some real action by our country and its leaders. Attack is the best form of defense!

HENRY ISRAEL Jerusalem