Hamas must pay for tearing up the road map

YOUR editorial comment on the tit-for-tat violence following the publication of the Middle East road map for peace was disingenuous (Irish Examiner, June 13).

Of course it would have been better if the Israelis, under Rabin and Peres, had negotiated with Hamas in 1993, and not with the PLO. But Hamas never wanted any part of any peaceful solution they rejected the Mitchell and Cheney reports and now they don't want to be any part of the road map plan.

If Hamas are the only Arab grouping who don't want peace with the Israelis, then regretfully it must be recognised that they are the obstacle to peace and they have to be dealt with one way or another.