Your Editorial “Call Hamas’ Bluff’ (June 6) defies all sensibilities. It states that “Benjamin Netanyahu could have simply said that his government is happy to meet and negotiate with the leaders of the new Palestinian government.” Then you added, “when Hamas announces its willingness to play by the rules.” Surely you jest.
Israel has time and again insisted that it will not negotiate, nor in any way recognize a terror organization that seeks to harm its population. Hamas is one and the same, who murdered thousands of Israelis in suicide bombings, and who unleashed deadly Kassam rockets at Sderot and Ashkelon, after the Gaza Strip was returned. The moral of the story is that never in Israel’s history has it gained a moment’s peace by returning lands, or by capitulating to the enemy.
As you said, since Hamas has weakened, it will remain silent. That is, until it regroups and finds other ways to inflict terror on Israel. There is no negotiation, or peace treaty that will ever stop Hamas from continuing to try to destroy Israel. Whoever wrote this silly editorial needs a serious time out.
East Brunswick, N.J.
Editor’s Note: The point of the Editorial, as noted in its headline, was based on the very premise that Hamas will not agree to reject violence or recognize Israel. It would be to Israel’s advantage to let the world know this by calling Hamas’ bluff.
