To the Editor:

Re "Tough Love for Israel?" by Nicholas D. Kristof (column, July 24).

While Mr. Kristof is correct in saying that Israel needs a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as much as the Palestinians, he misses the mark in comparing Israel's reaction to Palestinian terrorism to that of Northern Ireland.

As disastrous for human life that both forms of terrorism have been, the issue for Northern Ireland was never the very existence of the state.  In the case of Palestinian terrorism, it is the poisonous mix of terror against Israeli civilians together with the unrelenting goal of destroying Israel that makes it different and so threatening.

The question remains: What will turn the Palestinians to moderation?  Unfortunately, the Israelis have tried every approach -- tough and soft -- so far without any success.