In his letter ‘Stop these crimes against humanity (Your Views, September 11), Abe Hayeem said Hamas was democratically elected, but failed to say it abolished elections as soon as it  came into office — exactly as the Nazis did in Germany.

He also failed to tell readers that as soon as Hamas came into power, it murdered many 
people who opposed it — in some cases by dragging them from hospital beds and throwing them from rooftops to their deaths in the streets below.

I mention this to give your readers some indication of the evil nature of Hamas and its leaders and also how selective Mr Hayeem is with the facts.

He predictably used the word “disproportionate” when referring to Israel’s actions, so does he believe more Israelis should have been killed?

But while Israel built bomb shelters to protect its civilians, Hamas provided no protection 
whatsoever for its own people, believing their deaths provide good propaganda.

Hamas placed its missile launchers in heavily populated areas, such as schools, mosques and hospitals, knowing full well Israel is reluctant to fire missiles into civilian areas and even aborts actions to avoid causing deaths.

Hamas could have located its missile launchers in the under-populated areas of Gaza and prevented the civilian deaths. Recently, Hamas admitted using its civilians as human shields, which is a war crime.

Why did Mr Hayeem not mention that the Hamas charter states it intends to destroy the state of Israel and kill all the Jews, not only in Israel, but everywhere?

If Hayeem wants your readers to understand how Israel fought the latest engagement, he should refer to what Colonel Richard Kemp, a former British soldier who commanded our troops in Afghanistan, reported to a United Nations inquiry.

He said Israel has the most ethical army in the history of warfare and certainly Richard Kemp knows a very great deal more about the correct conduct of military operations than Mr Hayeem.

Mr Hayeem did not say Israel attacked Gaza to bring to an end the daily shelling into its
civilian areas but instead blames it for the fighting.

He must think again about his endless attacks on Israel and Harrow Times readers must never allow themselves to be misled by him and others who endorse his misguided opinions.

G Bernstein

Mount Stewart Avenue, Harrow