Dear editor:

Re: George Heidebrecht’s Aug. 29 letter, “Israel’s right to defend itself,” nobody disputes the right of a country to defend its borders.

However, this does not give any country the option to invade and destroy the very basics of survival of the civilian population by demolishing to the ground, hundreds if not thousands of residences, schools, hospitals etc., at the same time destroying key infrastructure such as water, sewers, power plants not to mention the restriction of much needed food supplies.

This has caused the urgent need for hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians to relocate many times, whereby tens of thousands have been killed in the chaos, which continues to this day.

Hamas has much to answer for, but so do the Israeli government and military. The hostage-taking has given the Israeli government a convenient reason to invade, destroy, kill and attempt to eliminate the Palestinian society.

This is not a fair war, if it’s a war at all. The Israeli military has met limited opposition, but appears intent to annihilate every facet of Palestinian living.

There are international laws, borders and rights which all parties at war must abide or face the consequences.

Who will be the arbitrator to ensure that justice is done or will these wrongdoings by both parties be swept under the sand in favour of an unequal peace, dominated by Israel?

When is enough, enough?

Ken O’Malley
NOTL