No peace with tit for tat action

BRIAN McGOWAN'S suggestion, (Irish Examiner, July 31) that killing 14 innocent people, including nine children, to assassinate the terrorist leader Shehadeh is a necessary "act of self-defence" on behalf of the "democratic and decent state of Israel".

When I look at the word democratic in the dictionary, this definition appears: "Believing in or practicing social equality." The definition of decent is: "Meeting accepted standards; adequate." Now apply these definitions to Israel. Nonchalantly dropping a 1,000lb bomb on an apartment complex is to practicing social equality as chain smoking is to lung cancer prevention.

I fail to see how Israel can be viewed as a decent, peaceful state after this atrocity. The way to peace is to talk, not to bomb that goes for both sides.