June 14: Despicable act

Despicable act

Sir, – The desecration at Yad Vashem (“Police say haredim behind graffiti attack at Yad Vashem,” June 12) is absolutely terrible.

The perpetrators are not yet known, but many people involved with Yad Vashem and the police are saying that the perpetrators are super-religious.

They certainly are anti-religious in the sense of being Jewish.

If these people, whoever they are, are caught and brought to justice, they must be given sentences that are meaningful. We should all pray that they are apprehended very quickly and that these terrible incidents of desecration of holy places, national memorials and other venerable institutions are treated with the seriousness they deserve.

THELMA SUSSWEIN
Jerusalem

Sir, – The desecration of Yad Vashem is vandalism of the worst kind, especially if caused by fellow Jews.

If the culprits are found, I suggest a prison term with hard labor and the withdrawal of all financial benefits they receive from the state.

JULIUS COLLINS
Nordia

Sir, – Words fail me! The impact of the utterly despicable act of vandalism perpetrated at Yad Vashem has left me with feelings of total shame and disgust.

I have a suggestion. Currently there is much talk about deportation.

Consider that those responsible for this abhorrent act do not deserve to live in our fantastic and beautiful country, and deserve to be exiled far away from us.

RONALD BEAR
Ra’anana

Sir, – As one who lost many family members in the Holocaust, I am at a loss for words.

ZELDA ENDLIN
Petah Tikva

Please explain

Sir, – Re: “Israel has shown us no mercy” (June 12), Interior Minister Eli Yishai has declared his intention to expel most if not all of the tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from South Sudan presently living in Israel in poor conditions.

I find it odd that Yishai is apparently unconcerned about the specific biblical edicts that commit the Jewish people to befriend and care for strangers in its midst. Here are just two: “If a newcomer lives in your land and abides among you, do not reproach him, but let him be among you like one native born.

And you shall love him as yourselves.

For you were also newcomers in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33, 34).

“He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. Love the stranger, therefore, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt” (Deuteronomy 10:18).

I cannot but wonder how come Israel’s religious politicos ignore God’s clear injunctions not to harass, hurt or be cruel to the strangers in our midst. I would certainly appreciate an explanation.

JOCK L. FALKSON
Ra’anana

Sir, – These infiltrators do not come here from Sudan or Eritrea.

They come here from Egypt! So what about Egypt’s international obligations – or is Israel the only country with such obligations? Do we know how many of these infiltrators, especially the Muslims, come here to be “sleepers” to be activated when the time comes? Maybe the spate of attacks and rapes we are now hearing about is because the “sleepers” have been activated in order to spread fear and fuel an anti-infiltrator mood in order to harm Israel’s international image? I would suggest a very simple solution: Send all present and future infiltrators to the PA. After all, the Palestinians are “experts” on the subject of refugees. If the migrants are lucky, maybe UNRWA will add them to its register.

EMANUEL FISCHER
Jerusalem

Reader was wrong

Sir, – Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz has found a subject over which to flex his muscles (“Mofaz: Kiryat Arba building plan being reconsidered,” June 12).

The sole reason Kadima was founded was to expel Jews from Gaza. It has continued since then as a left-of-center party that has also tried to give away parts of Judea and Samaria, as well as Jerusalem, and to establish a two-state system no matter what it costs and no matter what the danger to Israel and its inhabitants.

I thought that if an an ex-IDF chief of staff were to take over leadership of that party, more sensible ideas would prevail and the pros and cons of such actions would be considered in depth. It seems I was wrong, and true to the aims of his party Mofaz objected to building more homes in Kiryat Arba, which the Bible tells us is Hebron.

For 1,300 years Jews were denied access to the original piece of ground used as a cemetery for their patriarchs and matriarchs. It was bought with money, 400 shekels, by the founder of Judaism, Abraham.

After the 1967 Six Day War, Jews were once again able to enter and visit the burial place of the founder and his sons, and their wives.

Does Mofaz think Jews will willingly abandon Hebron, which is Kiryat Arba, and the Cave of the Patriarchs therein, and deny themselves willingly and voluntarily the opportunity of visiting this most ancient Jewish holy site, which predated the Temple in Jerusalem? CYRIL ATKINS Beit Shemesh Sad that it’s news Sir, – Regarding “Family of deceased 46-year-old donates seven organs to save others” (June 12), my heartfelt sympathy goes out to the Karo family for its sudden loss of a wonderful member. My congratulations and admiration also go to them for the most humanitarian decision to donate Gil Karo’s organs in order to help five others in dire need of a transplant.

What is dismaying, however, is that this very generous action resulted in such an avalanche of newspaper articles, TV news items and internet activity. It must be an indication of the insufficient response of the public to this urgent program.

The donation of organs ought to be so common that it is no longer news.

CHARLES TICHO
Rishon Lezion

No truce on typos

Sir, – Typos are inevitable. But the quote attributed to our prime minister in “PM injured in soccer match” (June 12), that he “intended to advance tourism in Israel to present the truce face of the State of Israel,” is in fact an unintended declaration of our reality among the nations today.

Sadly, while praising the Lord, we must pass the ammunition and hope the current truce will become true acceptance in our turbulent neighborhood.

ESTER ZEITLIN
Jerusalem

The Editor responds: As much as we try to prevent them, typos are indeed inevitable. The word should have been “true.” The Post will never declare a truce on typos.

Dismal science

Sir, – Regarding Herb Keinon’s “Bill will end low prices for new Hebrew books” (June 11), it is sad that the Knesset is attempting to “repeal” the law of supply and demand.

Economics is often called the “dismal science” because it dashes the hopes of politicians and central planners everywhere who do not wish to be told that there are limits to their powers. It is simply contrary to all economic science to declare by fiat that authors must be paid a percentage of the final profits. This is not how economics works.

Authors are to be remunerated according to their marginal productivity, according to the value of their specific contribution to the final utility of the consumer good, alongside all the various other factors of production (e.g., paper, ink, land, workers, etc.).

Only the market can determine these rates.

MICHAEL MAKOVI
Jerusalem