“Israel targets Hamas leaders.” That was the title of a recent story published in the Sun Journal. It’s like many others that have been written since Israel first violated United Nation resolutions that established it as a state in the region while, at the same time, sought to prevent the very conflict that has become a familiar topic.

Israel and Palestine fight, that is what they do, and neither is any more guilty than the other. Palestine is disorganized and lacks the global influence Israel commands, so its attacks look different than Israeli attacks on Palestinian targets. This does not mean, however, that the attacks are any more justifiable.

These are two nations that must agree to communicate and allow their neighbor to handle their own business. You don’t see American troops attacking Mexico in an attempt to force the nation to fix problems that cause its citizenry to seek a life north of the border, with near total disregard for the laws they violate. We should also not see Israeli weaponry reaching into the nation of Palestine in an attempt to teach that country how to control its citizens.

We need to stop funding both sides and force them to communicate through words, not bombs. We hold sway where Israel is concerned and we can hold sway over Palestine if we so desire.

Let’s put an end to this decades-long war.

Jamie Beaulieu, Jay