January 18: Obama’s insight

Obama’s insight

Sir, – It is truly amazing that American journalist Jeffrey Goldberg thinks he and US President Barack Obama know what is in Israel’s best interest (“Likud officials accuse ‘vengeful’ Obama of ‘grossly interfering’ in Israeli election,” January 16).

I think we are capable of deciding what is in our own best interests, and choosing our leaders accordingly. What Obama is suggesting has already been tried and was a complete failure.

It would serve Goldberg and Obama well if they were a bit less arrogant.

BATSHEVA RUBACK
Efrat

Sir, – When Barack Obama was running for president the first time he made a well-publicized visit to Sderot, sympathizing with the residents who suffered from unprovoked terror from our Arab neighbors, and, quite incidentally, sending a message to Jewish voters back home.

He made it clear that he would never put up with such life-endangering conduct in his own neighborhood, but would do “everything necessary” to put a stop to it. And he did not mean engaging the neighbors in dialogue or inviting them to help themselves to his backyard.

Now that he no longer needs the Jewish vote, secure in his second term, he can reveal where his true sympathies lie. The Israeli voter, I believe, knows who indeed has his best interests at heart, and it certainly is not Barack Obama.

ELLA BERKOVITS
Haifa

Sir, – Thank you, President Obama, for your support at the UN, even though you now threaten to retract it. Thank you for the military aid your country provides and which Israel then spends in America. Thank you for allowing Israel to be your eyes and ears in this region. But thank you most of all for helping Binyamin Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett gain even more support in the coming elections.

Sir, you truly have been a blessing.

MOSHE KEMPINSKI
Jerusalem

Wait for the invite

Sir, – With regard to “If reelected, Netanyahu likely to meet with Obama in early March” (January 15), as a matter of principal the prime minister’s team should not seek to obtain a forced invitation.

If President Obama wants to meet with Binyamin Netanyahu, the invitation should come solely from the White House.

I strongly recommend that unless Bibi has anything original to discuss, which is doubtful, it would be better to avoid the embarrassing results.

HENRY WEIL
Jerusalem
 
A Zionist will stay

Sir, – I would like to reply in an open letter of my own to “An open letter to candidate for prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, from an American immigrant” (Comment & Features, January 15) by dentist Dan Cheifetz.

Olim come and go in this country. Those who cannot adapt have choices: They can change their profession or means of earning a livelihood, join an existing institution (such as a health fund), or call it quits and return to the country from whence they came if they must work to feed a family.

I do not know how old you are or what motivated you to make aliya. If your feelings are Zionistic enough, you will find a way to stay. Your material life might never be on the same level it was before, but you could stick around long enough to help the rest of us work at improving the system and learning to appreciate some of the great things going on in this ever-changing little country.

JESSICA FISCHER
Michmoret

CORRECTION
It was Maj.-Gen. Tal Russo, head of the IDF Southern Command, who was shown in the January 17 photo with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak (“Netanyahu to Obama: Israelis will determine who best represents their interests”), and not as stated.