In regard to Marina Kassis' letter ("Time we all had peace," Lodinews.com, April 24): The citizens of our country know that not all Palestinians are terrorists, but it is hard to sympathize with people who condone such terrorists acts.

After Sept. 11, Palestinians were on Kettleman Lane waving Palestinian flags and cheering. How can we sympathize when we don't know who the enemy is?

The same goes for the Israelis. They don't know who the terrorist is and who is the innocent and to call the Israeli Army a killing machine is unwarranted.

It is also hard to believe that the children in the Church of the Nativity were willingly staying in such horrific conditions. I can only feel that they were either held against their will or had been told such horrific lies as to what will happen to them if they left, and so they stayed. Even if the children wanted to stay, if the Palestinians had any compassion in their hearts, they would have sent the children, sick and elderly out immediately. This is child abuse to the max.

I very much sympathize with the Palestinians, especially the children who are brainwashed into believing they are doing God's will by training to become terrorists. The only ones who can bring peace are the Palestinians and the Israelis, as no one person or country can force either side into it. So it has to come from within Palestine and Israel.

The Palestinians must not only condemn terrorists acts, they must prevent them. I am sure that the parents of the Israelis in the military would welcome this, as no normal parents want to see their child involved in any form of violence.

Peace can only come if the Palestinians and Israelis want it.

Alexandria Loring Galt

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