'Hamas’s charter is itself a declaration of war, and all who join Hamas are automatically sworn enemies of Israel...'

Great letters to the editor, at the Jerusalem Post, "November 16: Readers react to Pillar of Defense":

Sir, – At long last, after so much restraint on the part of Israel, the Defense Ministry has taken much needed action (“IAF hammers Hamas targets in Gaza offensive, November 15).

The Palestinians in Gaza cannot wage an undeclared war against Israel without a real response.

Even the UN Security Council should understand that in no way can Israel exist under a constant barrage of rockets.

Ban Ki-moon persists in asking Israel to show restraint. Instead, he should call a meeting of the Security Council and state his point of view, which should be that Israel must be supported in stopping the hostile actions against it.

We have reached the point in our struggle for our very existence where we must take into account the anti-Israel hostility of practically all the nations of the world because the Palestinians have been so successful in blackening our name – to which we have allowed ourselves complicity.

We are right in doing something drastic about the need to defend ourselves.

We must state this constantly, with no ifs, ands or buts. God bless our soldiers, our citizens and the justice of our cause.

TOBY WILLIG
Jerusalem

Sir, – Hamas says the killing of one of its top terrorists was a declaration of war (“Hamas: This means war,” November 15). But who declared war first? The official Hamas Charter, written in August 1988, says:

1. “Israel exists and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it has obliterated others before it.”

2. “There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors.”

Hamas’s charter is itself a declaration of war, and all who join Hamas are automatically sworn enemies of Israel. The fact that Israel chooses not to attack for long periods of time does not in any way absolve Hamas of its guilt for being in a permanent state of war against Israel for the past 24 years.

When its spokesmen try to influence public opinion by accusing Israel of starting a war, they are the worst kind of hypocrites.

Let no one be deceived: Those who founded Hamas declared war on Israel in 1988, and no amount of media hype can change this.

ROBERT KLEIN
Beersheba

Still more at the link.