To the Editor:

Re, "Killing of 4 Israeli Settlers on Eve of Peace Talks Rattles Leaders on Both Sides," (Sept. 1).

The story's misplaced focus on "the issue of Jewish settlements" in the forthcoming Israel-Palestinian negotiations obscures the fact that this was, first and foremost, an unconscionable act of murder by a terrorist organization bent on destroying the Jewish state.

Hamas came to the West Bank and murdered four Israelis, including a pregnant woman, in cold blood, leaving behind seven orphaned children.  Their intent was clear: Hamas is attempting to derail the peace process and to promote its view that the Jewish state should be eradicated.

Murder is murder, and Hamas certainly doesn't make distinctions between soldiers and civilians, settlers and children.  They will murder Jews at every opportunity.  To bring up the settlement issue in the context of this terrorist atrocity is to create a false linkage.