August 15: Woefully unprepared

Woefully unprepared

Sir,– Your newspaper on August 13 rightly has a prominent story about Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s comments on Iran (“PM: Reports of imminent strike on Iran are aimed at tying Israel’s hands”).

Will we, won’t we go in and when is the leading question of the day, week and month. But no one is answering the question that has to do with the home front.

We are woefully unprepared for any kind of missile attack or sabotage on all fronts. Air-raid shelters remain a mystery. No one knows where they are or how they are equipped. Especially if one is not near one’s home. The public is unaware of how buses or trains will operate, or if there will be other means of transportation.

Are ambulances ready, are hospitals ready for any attack of any kind? The Home Front and Defense Ministry should be answering these questions and many more.

There should be an information bulletin published in every newspaper every week about the home front situation. The Jerusalem Post should be an advocate in this matter as it is a paper of world renown.

TOBY WILLIG
Jerusalem

Rightful reward

Sir, – A tip of the hat to the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation for offering such a significant reward to find out the fate of one of the greatest heroes of mankind (“Foundation ups award to $500,000 for information on Wallenberg,” August 13).

Wallenberg was responsible for saving the lives of tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Shoah, and as such, we owe him an infinite debt of gratitude.

Dr. Yoav Tenembaum, who teaches diplomacy at Tel Aviv University, coined an unforgettable phrase when he referred to Raoul Wallenberg as “a hero without a grave.”

I hope the financial reward being offered by the Wallenberg Foundation will be a proper incentive for reliable witnesses to come up and put an end to this human tragedy and thus enabling Raoul to become a “hero with a grave.”

SARAH GURVICH
Tel Aviv

Capital claims

Sir, – The last telling statement in Simon Plosker’s article “Righting a capital offense,” (Comment and Features, August 13) said “only three complaints against the Guardian, including ours [from HonestReporting], were lodged with the PCC [UK’s Press Complaints Commission]. There were none from any other Jewish or pro-Israel organizations...”

This fact calls into question the position of American Jewry regarding this same shameful stance also taken by the US State Department. With all the hullabaloo created by Mitt Romney’s correct statement that “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,” one wonders where indeed is our US Jewish Diaspora’s voice in this matter.

ALBERT RETTIG
Tel Aviv

Sir, – Although The Jerusalem Post has printed many criticisms of the BBC’s refusal to list Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on its Olympic website, a glaring inconsistency in the BBC’s argument has yet to be reported on.

The BBC, supported by the British Press Council, takes cover in the fact that “although Jerusalem contains Israel’s seat of government, most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv.”

I have complained to the BBC, pointing out that Amsterdam is correctly listed on their site as the capital of the Netherlands, whereas its set of government and all foreign embassies (and indeed the Royal Residence) are all in The Hague.

Attacking the BBC on its back up argument that Jerusalem is not recognized by the international community will always fail, as the statement is unfortunately correct, but pointing out the inconsistency between their listings for The Netherlands and Israel seems to be clear evidence of bias.

ALAN HALIBARD
Beit Shemesh

Good choice

Paul Ryan is the right pick for vice president who will energize the Conservative base (“Romney names Paul Ryan as running mate,” August 12).

He is a very strong conservative leader, who is widely respected for his intellect, his ability to tackle serious issues and his leadership skills which he demonstrated during his last seven terms in Congress.

Ryan is also well respected and liked by independents and Tea Party members. He crafted the GOP’s plan for cutting and slashing the out of control Obama administration spending.

Paul Ryan has a great appeal to the younger generation who will stand to suffer and will have to pay off the deficit created by the current Obama administration.

Romney made a very wise and correct choice in selecting Ryan as his running mate and together they will give us our country back.

AL EISNER
Silver Spring, Maryland

Seat sexism

Sir, – I recently flew El Al from the US and found the service so markedly superior, I welcome an opportunity to say it publicly.

How much more painful then, to read of the incomprehensible failure of El Al crew to respond appropriately when a man refused to let a woman occupy the seat assigned to her (“El Al has bumpy week, with cheap tickets snafu followed by discrimination claim,” August 10). His reasons are irrelevant; would the crew honor such a demand on racial or religious basis, saying it “respects all customers as they are”? What about respecting this woman? If someone refused to sit next to a Jew, which of course, historically, is no theoretical suggestion, would El Al honor this?

Try this rule, El Al, and all of us: If you would not say it about, or tolerate it about Jews, then you can’t say it or enact it about women. The behavior this man manifested – and the El Al crew abetted, and the company, shockingly, is still justifying – is sexism against women. It has to stop, in any and all of its manifestations.

Egged now has the right signs posted on buses: Any attempt to interfere with people sitting where they wish is a criminal act. Such behavior on planes should be, too.

SHULAMIT MAGNUS
Jerusalem

Cooled kudos

Sir, – In my mind it was kudos to Greer Fay Cashman of the Grapevine column for actually abstaining from the mention of President Shimon Peres for two weeks running.

The veteran columnist was able to prove there are other individuals worthy of our attention and admiration. Alas on August 10, (“Nostalgia time,” Observations) she reverted back to her fawning praise of our current president. While many years ago Peres made important contributions to the growth and survival of our nation, for decades he has been a thorn in the side of the late Yitzchak Rabin and oh so many others.

The Oslo disaster is his legacy for which he ought to plead forgiveness from its direct victims and their grieving families.

His constant interference in the political affairs of our nation through the present moment (including whether we ought attack Iran’s nuclear developing installations) is not conducive to the role for which he incredulously has been chosen. The less we hear from Peres and about him the better.

MICHAEL HEYMANN
Jerusalem

Riveting tale

Sir, – You could call me a history junkie. To the bemusement of my grandchildren, modern history interests me. This is why I always read Alexander Zvielli’s wonderful feature, “From our Archives.”

Lately there is a fascinating serialized story about the plight of the refugee ship, Exodus 1947. Each day we read in a few sentences where those poor people were to be dragged to next. So here’s my request.

When we get to the end of this gruesome saga, could Mr. Zvielli print the whole record of their voyage on one page? Meanwhile, my thanks for a fascinating corner of the paper.

THELMA JACOBSON
Petah Tikva