To the Journal editor:

What is happening? Protesters march in Chicago, rioting continues in Paris and London, and U.N. High Commissioner, Nami Pillay, speaks for all of them, accusing Israel of breaking international law by targeting civilians.

Is that true? Is our old friend, and the only democracy in the middle east, going rogue?

Look closer. Israel has signed many peace agreements with the Palestinian Authority since 2006 when Palestinians voted in Hamas as their ruling political party.

In every case, Hamas either refused to agree, or broke the agreement with violence.

Nearly 2000 rockets have been lobbed into Israel’s heartland in the past few weeks, threatening Israeli civilians.

Wouldn’t you find it unbearable if two-thirds of your population were running to bomb shelters routinely to avoid being destroyed by enemy fire?

Meanwhile, back in the Gaza Strip, Hamas positioned their armaments in residential areas, schools and hospitals. Israel warned civilians to flee because they were going to take out the rocket launchers.

The warnings were delivered by email, radio and dropped leaflets over a period of a week preceding military action in each area warned. Many Palestinians stayed anyway.

When Israel blasted the source of the rockets, inevitably civilians were killed. Hamas loved the photo ops, and broadcast images of child victims while claiming Israel had broken international law by targeting civilians.

But Israel did not target civilians. Israel targeted the source of rocket fire!

Hamas targeted civilians by placing their war machines in residential areas, schools, and hospitals. Hamas is guilty of breaking international law by willfully endangering their own civilian population to play media war games.

Unfortunately, many believe the contrived story so pressure mounts unfairly against Israel as they defend themselves from aggressive rocket fire.

Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu said it best, “Israel uses rockets to protect our civilian population. Hamas uses civilians to protect their rockets.” (Fox News interview, July 19)

Let us support Israel in this crises. Call congressional reps and President Obama and exhort them to no longer send financial aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Until the PA accepts the right of Israel to exist and withdraws cooperation from Hamas, it should not receive any of our tax dollars.

It is profoundly offensive to me that my tax dollars help Hamas buy rockets to fire at Israel. How about you?

Lynn P. Hansen

Escanaba