Regarding the Feb. 17 article "Novelist Murakami accepts Israeli literary prize": Congratulations to Haruki Murakami on his Jerusalem award, but his negative comments about Israel show a lack of understanding. The "egg" that he will always defend is a prime target of these Hamas terrorists. Hamas and other Muslim terrorists target soft targets such as mothers and children enjoying a pizza or teenagers awaiting entrance to a discotheque. Suicide bombers always target the "eggs" and never the "wall."

In Israel, a wall or fence has been built to keep these suicide bombers away. It has been more or less successful, so how have the fanatics responded? They shoot rockets in an indiscriminate way, hoping to kill those same Jewish mothers and children. Faced with such an enemy, what is Israel supposed to do?

Israel fights back, but not in the barbaric way of these Islamic jihadists. If Palestinians stop their violence, peace will follow. But if Israel stops defending itself, there will be no more Israel. Self-defense is a right of every nation. The United States had to travel to Afghanistan to defend itself from the perpetrators of 9/11. Israel has the same enemy directly on its borders.

rick martens