October 29: Solutions for Gaza...

Solutions for Gaza...

Sir, – Can anyone explain why our yellow-hued government agreed to a cease-fire after a bombardment of more than 80 rockets against the South (“Gazan terror groups hold their fire,” October 28)? It doesn’t make sense at all.

It is way beyond time for serious action. People are suffering.

The world is never going to give us permission, yet we have to do it: Reclaim Gaza and get rid of the terrorists once and for all.

FREYDA ABRAMS
Netanya

Sir, – We are fed up with the standard and pat answers our government has to offer – more protective construction in the target areas of Gaza’s rockets.

Notify the Hamas government that it has three hours to evacuate its buildings and then use pinpoint bombs to destroy them.

That is the only way to bring the Palestinians to their knees.

What does our government have in mind when Gaza’s rockets reach Tel Aviv?

NACHUM CHERNOFSKY
Bnei Brak

...and for migrants

Sir, – I have two questions raised by articles that appeared in the October 26 Jerusalem Post.

With regard to “State to court: Stay out of migrants issue until a final decision is made,” can you please tell me why there is no information about the UN’s responsibility for these people?

Millions are being spent for Syrian refugees and for 64 years on Palestinian non-refugees. Why can’t these African people be housed in refugee camps instead of being rounded up and locked in prisons?

As for “Bishops seeking to revive Catholicism are worried by Islam,” has any thought been given to applying the same growth idea to our own religion and people? Could not an approach be made to the Africans who might be willing to learn about Judaism and cast their fate with ours?

This is certainly not an eccentric idea, as the great diversity among Jews shows that there must have been some serious proselytizing in the past. Why not now?

IDA PLAUT
Netanya

Pay it forward

Sir, – Regarding your article “Dichter says earthquake could cost Israel up to NIS 150 billion” (October 26), can our elected leaders really overlook the fact that severe earthquakes have happened in places where buildings were built or modified to withstand severe shaking, resulting in minimal damage and loss of life?

Let’s spend some of the billions before the next natural disaster and save lives.

BARRY LYNN
Efrat

Give us the facts

Sir, – The intellectual potential of a nation depends in large part on the quality of its universities, and that quality depends on the ability of universities to maintain a delicate balance among academic freedom, academic responsibility and academic excellence.

The crisis at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’s political science department, as described in “BGU politics department threatens to take Council for Higher Education to court” (October 25), is a case study in how not to deal with these important matters.

Instead of presenting and analyzing relevant evidence on what transpired, supporters and critics of the department are engaging in obfuscation, name calling and saber rattling.

Presumably, the Council for Higher Education, which is trying to resolve the crisis, has evidence that led to its censure of the department. It is incumbent on the council to publish the complete record of these findings and circulate them widely so that the public, to which the universities are ultimately responsible, can penetrate the fog and arrive at informed judgments in this matter, holding those who are in the wrong to account.

HARVEY LITHWICK
Meitar

Measure of mitzva

Sir, – I read with interest “Saying goodbye to reserve duty” (Comment & Features, October 23), in which Betsalel Steinhart quotes Rabbi Haim Sabato as saying of miluim: “It is the biggest mitzva one can ever do.”

Yesterday I had the honor of meeting a person who donated a kidney. I was humbled by the discussion with such a brave hero, who was willing to save the life of a complete stranger by the removal of an organ from his body with no materialistic gain whatsoever. The recipient, suffering from renal failure, was being kept alive by dialysis and had been praying for a miracle.

Sorry to disagree, but I personally consider becoming an altruistic kidney donor to be the biggest mitzva one can ever do.

RUTH POSNER
Beit Shemesh

An exaggeration

Sir, – Izhar Ashdot was censored from performing on the IDF’s radio station (“No right to perform on Army Radio,” Comment & Features, October 22).

But I’m more concerned about the musician’s exaggerated description of Israeli soldiers as hating Arabs.

My grandchildren and the thousands of other youngsters who are serving in the army do not hate the Arabs. They despise having to defend their country against unending hostility and threats. Despite the hatred and hostility on the part of Arabs, despite the incitement and vilif cation that we all encounter here in Israel, we do not hate them.

Virtually every Israeli wishes and prays that we could live in peace, that the Arab incitement would end and they, too, would realize the value of living peacefully with Israel.

My question to Ashdot is why he chose to accept Arab propaganda and side with our enemies.

Where did he get the idea that it is our hatred that is the cause of their enmity? For more than 64 years we have lived under the constant threat of war and terrorism.

Do our soldiers in Judea, Samaria and along our borders love the patrols they participate in, the roadblocks they man? Does Ashdot really believe that our boys hate Arabs and only want to kill them? Where did he get this distorted and exaggerated view? Why does an Israeli singer take up the political struggle by siding with our enemies?

RON BELZER
Petah Tikva

Blind fools

Sir, – It is so sad that Josh Scheinert (“Canada’s CIJA doesn’t speak for all of us,” Comment & Features, October 22) cannot find a place for his “progressive” Zionism in the Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs. Certainly, there are many, many organizations that would love to have him as a member, like Peace Now, Not in My Name, Jewish Voice for Peace and any number of pro-Israel, pro-peace organizations aimed at giving us the “tough love” we need and the moral compass we are so obviously lacking.

It is even sadder for Scheinert that the majority of Canadian Jews do not accept his progressive Zionism, blind fools that they are. Thank God, they see more clearly than him and understand the true nature of our so-called peace partners.

YISRAEL GUTTMAN
Jerusalem

Check your compass

Sir, – Recently, The Jerusalem Post has been reporting that neighborhoods such as Gilo and Pisgat Ze’ev are in “east Jerusalem.”

Anyone with a minimal knowledge of the city knows that, relative to the center of town, Gilo is to the southwest and Pisgat Ze’ev is due north. Neither could reasonably be described as being to the east.

Let me suggest that in the interest of fair and accurate reporting you describe neighborhood locations by their true geographic descriptions.

HAROLD E NEUSTADTER
(Central) Jerusalem

CORRECTION: The Hebrew date of the death of the matriarch Rachel is Heshvan 11, and not as stated in “Asking mama Rachel to intercede” (October 28).