Exacting revenge no way to achieve peace

Exacting revenge no way to achieve peace

Israel has a right to defend itself. The actions of Hamas are contemptible (‘‘Blast leaves Saudi deal in tatters’’, October 20). However, retaliation and revenge are not defending oneself. They are very differently motivated. Cutting off water, electricity and fuel supplies to more than 2 million people is not defending Israel. It cannot degrade Hamas’ capacity for violence without first causing massive loss of life to civilians. Such actions are more likely to make Israelis and Palestinians less safe by generating new waves of bitter people from whom extremists on both sides will be recruited.

Peter Marshall, Captains Flat

No one can condone the killing of hostages: innocent people, including children. What drives men to even consider such abominations?

The only way Hamas can be defeated is to empower the Palestinian people to deal with their own. To the Israeli people I say, let Palestine live as you do. When you want some land, ‘‘You shall give him his wages, for he is poor, so that he will not cry against you’’ (Deuteronomy 14-15).

David Ramsay, Bexley

It’s heartening to see at least some Labor MPs having a more balanced and realistic outlook than their premier (‘‘Labor MPs split over war’’, October 20). The premier could take a leaf from the prime minister’s book by being more consultative with his team.

Julius Timmerman, Lawson

It is time for the world to take action against Hamas and Israel to protect the people in Gaza and Israel from any more horrendous attacks. Why else do we have the UN? We can’t just stand back and let these atrocities pile up without intervention. It is time for the world to act.

Oliver Freeman, Rozelle

The US president flies to Israel and, after hours of consultation with Benjamin Netanyahu, achieves: permission for 20 aid trucks to cross from Egypt into Gaza. How can Gaza’s population of more than two million ever begin to thank him?

John Peel, Woollahra

We are all horrified by a hospital being hit by a missile, but we do not know where the projectile came from. From our armchairs on a very distant island, we will never know the full story behind this war until it finishes and the future historians dissect each action. In Australia, we cannot and should not condemn Australian Palestinians or Jews for the actions of other countries. We are Australians first. We should remember and cherish our heritages, but we should not fight other countries’ wars here.

Peter Rayner, Newcastle