To the Editor:

Re: “Gaza Razed: Will Israel Be Held Accountable?,” Opinion, Jan. 29

I was deeply disturbed by Munier Salem’s Op-Ed, “Gaza Razed: Will Israel Be Held Accountable?” I am sincerely saddened by the loss of Palestinian civilian life, and I will not claim to agree with every specific action Israel takes. Nonetheless, Mr. Salem’s insistence on Israel's total accountability for the conditions in Gaza reflects a lack of understanding about the situation. Israel is simply pursuing its right to self-defense, a right guaranteed to all nations by Article 51 of the U.N. Charter.

Mr. Salem mentions his belief in the ideals of our Constitution and the Enlightenment, but this belief does not bear out. Hamas’ charter advocates the killing of Jews. Where is Mr. Salems’ outrage over this disregard for freedom of religion? Hamas has been violently targeting members of Fatah, its opposing political party. Where is Mr. Salem’s outrage over this disregard for free speech? Over the past eight years, Hamas has fired over 8,000 rockets into Israel with the specified intent of killing civilians. It further uses its own citizens as human shields to protect its stockpile of weapons. Unless Mr. Salem wants to defend this action with the Second Amendment, where is his outrage over this total disregard for the inherent right to life?

In stark contrast to Hamas, Israel takes every reasonable precaution to avoid civilian casualties. Furthermore, it guarantees to all its citizens the basic rights of our First Amendment. The situation in Gaza is truly regrettable, but its primary cause is Hamas and its radical ideologies.

Zachary Shapiro ’10