A reader writes:
So it's just that simple? Eye-for-an-eye? As soon as the body count equals that of what the enemy inflicted, the defenders are just supposed to stop defending? Please do tell how us many wars, justified or not, have actually ended in such a fashion at any point in world history. I guess this makes the Afghanistan issue much more simple that you realize. We have, since 9/11, killed far more Afghani's than Americans were killed. By your standards we should have pulled out long ago.
Here is the reality: The response to attacks is not only to retaliate, but to diminish the chances for future attacks. Part of that tactic involves structural damage.
The other part involves changing the motivations of those who would otherwise be inclined to further aggression. It means a show of force that involves something more that just an E4E. If the other side realizes that 100 of theirs will die for every one of ours they kill, well then that might cause them to re-think that strategy now wouldn't it?
Why do you continue to ignore the fact that if the Palestinians never fired another shot, bombed a school bus, or launched another rocket into Israel, there would be eternal peace through those lands? The Palestinians have only themselves to blame for every one of the deaths in Gaza - including the children.
Another writes:
As we say in Philadelphia, bullshit. Your article omits one point, what should the Jews have done to get those bastards to stop firing rockets at them? Sorry, but as the father of Jews, and as the son of Jews, and as the husband of a Jew, I'll take a live Jew without "integrity" over a dead Jew with "integrity" every fucking day of the week.
Another adds:
As a Jewish American who completely supports Obama's recent efforts towards peace in this region, and who generally always disagrees with the notion that if you don't support the neocon, AIPAC model you are a self-hating Jew, I still have to take issue with this post. I feel it is unfair to write about the number of civilian deaths without mentioning that the Hamas members were taking shelter in hospitals, schools and homes. The goal was to raise the level of casualties in order to incur the sympathies of the critics of Israel.