Dear editor:

This is in reply to Sophia Voogt’s April 11 letter, “Hamas was wrong, but so was the Israeli government.”

She claims her letter “is not a defence of Hamas in any way,” but then explains away the group’s murderous terrorism because of “the Israeli occupation of Palestine.”

Let’s be clear: Israel has not occupied Gaza since 2005.

Hamas is not interested in fighting Israel over real estate; the terrorist group’s charter, its actions and the statements of its leaders all make perfectly clear that they seek the violent destruction of Israel, and in its place, to create a theocratic regime akin to the Islamic State.

Hamas is a genocidal death-cult that murders, rapes, tortures, dismembers and kidnaps. There is no negotiation with a bloodthirsty group like the Islamic State or Hamas — only victory or defeat.

All Canadians of conscience must stand with Israel as it fights a genocidal enemy, Hamas.

Veronica Balaj
NOTL