R G Granmore (Letters, April 4) said: "We are witnessing a second holocaust, led by a second Hitler, in Palestine."

Disregarding the vileness of his language, any country other than Israel, would have blanket bombed an enemy that incited suicide bombers to carry out indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

Israel, instead, despite great danger to its own people, has managed to penetrate centres harbouring terrorists and arrest them. It has tried to destroy the bomb-making infrastructure, yet avoid civilian casualties.

How different from the Palestinians, who direct their massacres primarily at women and children.

Ehud Barak, on behalf of Israel, offered more than 90 per cent of Arafat's demands for a Palestinian State but this was rejected. It is now obvious why. Neither Arafat nor the Palestinian terrorists were prepared to agree to anything less than action to drive every Israeli Jew into the sea.

Israel is leading the world in a battle against terrorism. If it loses, let there be no doubt that terrorists will then turn to other shores.

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