To the editor: It seems widely understood that the long-term goal of Hamas is the elimination of the state of Israel. In view of its heinous acts on Oct. 7, it is clear to me that Hamas considers keeping hate alive as vital to its goal of preventing peace and destroying Israel. (“As Biden visits, rage spreads amid dueling narratives from Israel, Hamas,” Oct. 18)
The injured and killed in Israel and the Gaza Strip have been intentionally sacrificed by Hamas precisely to keep hate alive. Since keeping hate alive is its immediate objective, the goal of those opposed to the elimination of Israel must be to resist giving into that.
I know that will be tremendously difficult, and that is the evil genius of Hamas. The natural human reaction to the actions of Hamas is precisely to keep hate alive.
Jack Quirk, Porter Ranch
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To the editor: The Palestinians experience daily rage under occupation. It only explodes into world consciousness when their rage breaks through to impact the Israelis, under whose occupation they try desperately to live.
Can we consider for a moment that maybe the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian people needs to end? Perhaps sending more U.S. weapons to a well-armed nuclear state in support of an occupation isn’t the answer to peace after all.
Safieh Saib, Santa Clara, Calif.
