Chemical warfare doesn’t discriminate

The letter headlined “Rogue Nations” (Jul 26) is completely wrong to state that “Iran has not gone to war against another nation”.

Iran is engaged in a war of terrorism with Israel through its proxy in the Gaza Strip, Hamas.

Iran’s president has publicly called for the destruction of Israel, and this month’s attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria was caused by Iran, according to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. There were seven fatalities (including an unborn child) and 33 serious injuries.

The US State Department has placed Hamas on its list of terrorist organisations. According to the department’s website, “Iran remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism in 2010”.

“Iran’s financial, material, and logistic support for terrorist and militant groups throughout the Middle East and Central Asia had a direct impact on international efforts to promote peace, threatened economic stability in the Gulf, and undermined the growth of democracy,” the website declares.

“In 2010, Iran remained the principal supporter of groups implacably opposed to the Middle East peace process.”

Israel’s Home Front Command has sent notices to the public to pick up their free gas masks at the local distribution centres.

All residents, regardless of their ethnicity or political orientation, are entitled to this protection, because weapons of chemical warfare don’t discriminate between Jews, Muslims or Christians.

Jacqueline L Mulhern

Jerusalem

Israel