OPINION:
The World Central Kitchen is an organization preparing and delivering food to starving people. Unfortunately, seven members of the staff were killed by the Israel Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip. Apparently, the Israeli forces erroneously saw them and the vehicle they were in as a source of danger or concern (“Netanyahu says aid workers in Gaza were killed by an ‘unintended strike’ by Israeli forces,” web, April 2).
When you consider the behavior of Hamas both in the massacre of Oct. 7 and during war, it is easy to see how such a terrible mistake can be made. Contrary to the established rules of war, Hamas has used mosques as weapons storage facilities and sniper nests. It also uses ambulances to transport its terrorists and weapons. It deliberately places other military units in hospitals, which it also uses as weapons storage facilities and fortresses. Worst of all, it makes certain to use civilians as human shields.
The adage “If you’re good to bad people, you will wind up being bad to good people” certainly applies here.
The world would be a lot better if the leaders of Hamas stopped praising the massacre of Oct. 7 and promising to repeat them as many times as possible. An independent Palestinian state adjacent to Israel would pose a great existential threat to the Jewish state.
Considering Hamas is still very popular in both Gaza and the West Bank, a free election in the near future would bring Hamas to power in both areas. A reeducation of the population is absolutely necessary. This was done in Germany and Japan after World War II with great success.
Hatred of Jews and Israel is taught in Palestinian schools, from nursery school and kindergarten up to the university level. That has to change if there is ever to be a Palestinian nation.
CHARLES WINFIELD
Princeton, New Jersey
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