July 25: Sheer madness

Sheer madness

Sir, – It really is a mad, mad world when we, the people of Israel, feel we must prop up Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (“Israel advances PA NIS 180m. to ease financial crisis,” July 23).

This man walked out of peace talks. This man and his cohorts are already lining up at the Arab League to petition the UN General Assembly to recognize the great country of Palestine. The government of Israel has nothing better to do than gift Abbas a check for NIS 180 million so that his PA can continue to harm us? This is sheer madness.

The people of Israel should work very very quickly to prevent such acts of idiocy from occurring again when the enemy takes every opportunity to harm us in every international venue and the court of public opinion.

THELMA SUSSWEIN
Jerusalem

Sir, – Another “goodwill gesture” has been made to the Palestinian Authority. I wouldn’t mind this, as it can prevent a Hamas takeover in the West Bank. But why are we the ones who always have to make goodwill gestures? It’s about time that the PA makes some to us.

Just this past May we handed over the bodies of more than 90 terrorists as a goodwill gesture.

More recently we increased by 5,000 the number of Palestinian construction workers allowed to work in Israel. Does our government really think that all of these gestures will improve our relations with the PA? It never has before and I don’t think it will now. But we can always hope for the best.

HANNAH SONDHELM
Jerusalem

Sir, – I felt physically sick on reading “Israel advances PA NIS 180m. to ease financial crisis.”

What about our own financial crisis and those of the families unable to feed their children or purchase essential commodities – a situation mostly brought on because we are in a constant state of war with the enemy Prime Minister Netanyahu insists on supporting? There must be a serious sickness in this government, which continues to feed the enemy’s machine of death and destruction, all in the cause of the most perverted and shameless surrender to the “peace process.”

As for “PA to seek UN nonmember status” (July 23), Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that once Palestine becomes a non-member state of the UN it will be an entity under Israeli occupation and the territories occupied in 1967 will no longer be considered disputed lands.

Our peace partner – a terrorist in a suit – has to be given credit for his persistence and for not giving up on our destruction.

EDITH OGNALL
Netanya

Can’t stomach her

Sir, – Surely Greer Fay Cashman’s headline, “Is the IBA trying to break the spirit of broadcaster Keren Neubach?” (July 23), is an exaggeration.

Neubach is a broadcaster who gobbles her words, speaks indistinctly and inevitably chooses the same people to comment on current events. No matter how complex the issue she will come up with a pat, populist answer to the problem.

Whenever the Israel Broadcasting Authority even considers making changes it is immediately flooded by accusations that it is undemocratic, becoming fascist or, in Cashman’s opinion, declaring war on women’s organizations. It would be positively refreshing if once a week we heard a morning radio program with a little more balance and a little less self-righteousness.

And yes – Neubach is definitely not telegenic no matter what side of the political spectrum you come from.

YARDENA OSTRAL
Haifa

The real sucker

Sir, – Ari Harow’s sycophantic account of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s approach to a replacement for the Tal Law (“Mofaz’s missed opportunity: He’s the real sucker,” Comment & Features, July 23) contains one glaring omission: Netanyahu’s initial reaction was to renew the Tal Law unconditionally.

The prime minister became a convert to the principle of shared burden only when the Supreme Court declared the law to be illegal and the political opposition forced his hand.

RAYMOND CANNON
Netanya

Sir, – I agree with Ari Harow, namely that Shaul Mofaz has shown himself to be a shallow opportunist.

While the Kadima party is collapsing around him, Mofaz has some nerve criticizing others.

Politics is the art of the possible, but what he has attempted is impossible.

Mofaz should have stayed in the coalition and tried compromise.

Instead, he chose the path to obscurity, following his predecessor, Tzipi Livni.

JACK COHEN
Netanya

Why didn’t he serve?

Sir, – In her passionate defense of Itay Tiran (“The golden boy of Israeli theater,” Think About It, July 23), Susan Hattis Rolef states that efforts to delegitimize him are “undemocratic and repulsive.” She acknowledges that these efforts at delegitimization are based on Tiran’s not serving in the IDF together with other political views that found expression in his refusal to perform in Ariel.

It must be noted that Rolef, when mentioning Tiran’s lack of service in the IDF, surprisingly adds in explanation: “apparently on grounds of conscientious objection.” Do we, the readers, not deserve to be clearly told the reasons behind such a critical issue and not be left with assumptions? Rolef further states that Tiran has done “nothing illegal or illegitimate.”

She thus, perhaps unwittingly, gives her imprimatur of legitimacy to those who do not serve in the IDF.

Does she believe that Tiran’s acting skills permit him to avoid service? I personally feel that it is quite consistent with the definition of a democracy for citizens to take offense and express their objection to those who choose to act against the will, sentiments and values held by a majority of the populace.

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petah Tikva

Our alternative

Sir, – Hirsh Goodman is right (“OK, you’ve won; now what?,” PostScript, July 13) – the Land of Israel supporters have won.

Thanks to pioneers like Rabbi Moshe Levinger and Rabbi Hanan Porat and their colleagues, who immediately after 1967 pushed to restore and create Jewish communities throughout the newly liberated regions of our homeland, we have reached a point where there are about 700,000 Jews living across the former Green Line.

Goodman calls on the public to decide between annexation or a unilateral disengagement.

“What’s your alternative?,” we’re always asked.

An answer to that question was given on July 12 at a well attended conference held in Hebron, titled “The Application of Israeli Sovereignty throughout All of Judea and Samaria.”

The conference was organized by Women in Green in cooperation with Just Peace for Israel.

All the speakers talked about the necessity of applying sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

The lectures are available on YouTube in Hebrew and English.

NADIA MATAR
YEHUDIT KATSOVER
Efrat

The writers are co-chairwomen of Women in Green

CORRECTION
The photograph accompanying “Netanyahu: ‘Historic change’ to come with Ya’alon plan for enlistment of haredim” (July 23) mistakenly identified the person shown to the far left. It is Intelligence Agencies Minister Dan Meridor and not as stated. In addition, everyone in the photo is of ministerial rank except for Tzvi Hauser, who, as cabinet secretary, is neither a cabinet minister nor an MK.