Disagreement on Gaza protests

Re “Israel defends killings at protest,” April 1

The statement from Israeli Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis is a type of propaganda that we will see deployed more frequently by those who commit state violence.

He wrongly frames a protest that was organized by Palestinians as an “act of terror,” thereby upholding the killing of at least 16 and the injury of more than 500 from groups of men, women and children demonstrators.

We should be wary of official statements when such disproportionate violence is levied by an occupying military or security force, as if simply uttering the phrase “act of terror” justifies these horrendous killings. Derek Jordan San Pedro

Re “15 Palestinians slain in protests,” March 31

Are you really so naive as to accept Hamas’ word that it staged a “longplanned campaign of nonviolent protests”?

Why were so many innocent Palestinians pushed to the border armed with rocks, burning tires and firebombs? Here are some facts you neglected to print about the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip:

First, it’s run by a terrorist group; second, Hamas’ goal is Israel’s destruction, pure and simple; third, rather than develop the infrastructure of Gaza, Hamas uses its resources to plan attacks on Israel; fourth, Hamas has no problems using civilians as human shields; and fifth, the Gaza Strip also has a border with Egypt.

By the way, no one has ever asked Arab nations to give their homes back to the hundreds of thousands of Jews expelled from those countries. Shelley Rivlin Encino