Letters to the Editor: Why’s he there?

I find it illuminating to note the choice of words used by MK Zouheir Bahloul, where he complains about the “Israeli security forces” being unable to locate the Duma arsonists.

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters (photo credit: REUTERS)
Letters
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Why’s he there?
 I find it illuminating to note the choice of words used by MK Zouheir Bahloul, where he complains about the “Israeli [emphasis added] security forces” being unable to locate the Duma arsonists (“‘Still not one arrest or even a lead,’” September 8).
Despite his inclusion in the Israeli parliament as a member of the Zionist Union, it is quite clear to me that Mr. Bahloul does not in fact view himself as an Israeli, which begs the question of why he is in the Knesset in the first place.
MENACHEM G. JERENBERG Beit Shemesh
Hammering Bibi
We now have a situation where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is said to have known all along that the western powers’ aggreement with Iran would go through (“Lapid: Netanyahu must admit failure on Iran deal,” September 6), and despite this, he will continue to speak out against it.
After his open support for 2012 Republican candidate Mitt Romney in the race for the White House, as well as his March address to Congress without consultation with the White House (just to name two disasters), I wonder whether our prime minister has become a megalomaniac.
Just who and what does Netanyahu think he is? He is going head to head with the most powerful country in the world – and getting hammered time and time again. I really don’t care about him personally, but I care deeply about the credibility of Israel on the world stage, and its survival.
Who are prime minister’s paymasters – the Republican Party or the people of Israel? Instead of representing the Likud in the next election, he should stand as the Republican representative for Jerusalem.
ARTHUR GREMSON Netanya
Eye opener
I returned from a Birthright trip to Israel a little over a week ago, so I have had some time to think about my experiences. I looked forward to the visit, but I could not have anticipated my reaction.
There was a preconceived notion that a trip like this would be designed to recruit people and indoctrinate them to support Israel blindly, basically turning us into drones. This was definitely not the case. I spoke (and even bunked) with Israelis who were either currently or formerly in the IDF, and who openly criticized their country’s policies.
I realized something very important though: By supporting Israel, I am not denying others of their right to exist or promoting hatred or violence. I am simply supporting Israel’s right to exist as much as anybody else’s.
When it comes to the Israel- Palestine conflict, I will not pick a side, because again, I think everyone has an equal right to exist. I think the more you care about a political topic, the more likely you are to try to ignore evidence that makes the other side look good.
The point of the Israel- Palestine debate doesn’t seem to be to get to the truth of the matter. Rather, it’s a quest in defense of one tribe’s moral superiority.
This makes productive debate essentially impossible.
As things stand, the broken Israel-Palestine discourse admits little in the way of helpful policy thinking.
Meantime, the situation on the ground gets worse, and nobody seems to have any idea what to do about it.
CHRISTIANE BURTON London, Ontario
CORRECTION
Unlike what was stated in the caption of the photo accompanying “Which woman should succeed Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill?” (Comment & Features, September 8), Hamilton was the first US Treasury secretary.