Letters: Infant deaths

Perhaps they should be placed in the front seat instead. Years ago we did that – and people didn’t forget their babies.

By JERUSALEM POST READERS
Letters 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )
Letters 370
(photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )
Sir, – With regard to the spate of infant deaths after they were left in locked cars on hot days (“Tragedy in Shilo,” July 15), I understand the rationale for putting baby seats in the back, where they should be safer than in front. Perhaps, however, they should be placed in the front seat instead. Years ago we did that – and people didn’t forget their babies.
DEENA SPIGELMAN Jerusalem
Sir, – Although a sticker on the driver’s door is an option in the fight against forgetting infants in locked vehicles (“German adopts sticker campaign to prevent forgetting kids in cars,” July 3), it is not foolproof. How many of us look at the door when we open it? After tragedies so close to another, there is only one way to avoid them, and it should be made law: • If a baby is indisposed, it should be mandatory for a parent to advise the caregiver or preschool teacher that the child will not be coming.
• If after an hour of the usual time of arrival no such message has been received, the caregiver or preschool teacher, or an assistant, should phone one of the parents.
Please, let us not have any more of these heartbreaking tragedies.
M. POPPER Herzlia
Proof, please Sir, – What is your proof that a majority of Israelis favor a twostate solution, as stated in “The right stuff” (Editorial, July 14)?
GIL LIEBERMAN Karnei Shomron
The Editor responds: Public surveys, including ones conducted by The Jerusalem Post, have shown consistently that more than 50 percent of Israelis back a two-state solution.
Lousy atmosphere
Sir, – With regard to “Kerry set to visit again next week” (July 12), the whole Middle East is in turmoil.
Demonstrations in Turkey against the Erdogan regime; civil war in Syria, with the active involvement of terror groups like al-Qaida and Hezbollah, and Lebanon getting more and more involved; Egypt on the brink of its own civil war, whereby terrorists are becoming more and more powerful in the Sinai. All these cruel developments have direct implications for the vital security interests of Israel on its southern and northern borders.
Furthermore, who can guarantee that within the next 12 months Jordan will still be a monarchy? Who can guarantee that our “peace partner” Mahmoud Abbas will not be overthrown by Hamas? In such a state of affairs, a responsible approach to the vital interest of Israel is to freeze the peace process until military and political clarity becomes evident on the ground. Until then, we have to stick to our strategic geographical assets with all our force.
Where are the days of Shamir and Begin?
SHLOMO FELDMANN Givatayim
Waking up Sir, – I wish to commend former deputy foreign minister Danny Ayalon on his recently launched hasbara (public diplomacy) endeavors (“Fresh out of Foreign Ministry, Ayalon joins private ‘hasbara’ field,” July 12).
We desperately need an organization like “The truth about Israel.” What I fail to understand is how Israel waited so long before waking up to the necessity for hasbara, allowing the Palestinians to delegitimize Israel without immediate denials from us.
The Palestinians have pulled out all the stops to berate us. We need as many private organizations as possible to counteract the damage and reestablish our image.
SALLY BERKOVITCH Jerusalem
Happy start
Sir, – As usual, Aaron Katsman provides his readers with sound and practical financial advice in “Women: Take control of your finances after a divorce” (Your Investments, July 12). But while he provides a much-needed “you can do it” attitude for divorced women, he does quite the opposite for those embarking on marriage.
Katsman begins his column with a reference to the upcoming wedding season, but proceeds to write only of divorce – a bit pessimistic, if you ask me. As a mother-of-the-bride immersed in wedding plans, the last thing I want to hear about right now is divorce.
Come on, Aaron, a bit of optimism for those happy young couples beginning life’s journey together!
DEVORAH SEGAL Neve Daniel
Telling a story
Sir, – Ari Remez, director of the play My Name is Rachel Corrie, says: “Forming an opinion of a play you have never seen or read is a mystery to me” (“Judging a book by its cover: The diaries of Rachel Corrie in Jerusalem,” Observations, July 12).
One doesn’t need to see the play in order to know who and what Corrie stood for and whom she was against. She was protesting against the destruction of terrorist homes by the Israeli army. To her, the terrorists were victims and the army the aggressor. I don’t believe it is appropriate to promote her hateful propaganda, financially or otherwise.
I do believe, though, that it is appropriate to oppose government policies when they harm citizens. I am eagerly waiting for Remez to dramatically tell the story about the expulsion of 10,000 patriotic Israeli citizens from Gaza and the destruction of their homes.
IRA NOSENCHUK Jerusalem
Crude and rude
Sir, – Reading Reuven Ben- Shalom’s “Crude and rude”(Observations, July 12), an old joke came to mind: If you want to make a small fortune in Israel, bring a large one. How to reverse this is quite simple.
Last week in Ashkelon alone I witnessed several people on their cell phones while driving. There were cars parked in the middle of the road, their drivers having used their emergency flashers to inform other road users that stopping to buy an ice cream should be considered an emergency.
The were cars flashing their left-turn indicator while making a right turn, not indicating anything at all while dodging in and out of the traffic lanes, and overtaking other cars across a solid white line.
All you have to do is take photographs of traffic violators and claim a small percentage of the fines from successful prosecutions.
Within one month you will be able to retire.
LEONARD BOOK Ashkelon
Sir, – As an immigrant from the US 27 years ago, I admired Israel’s chutzpah and vibrancy, and had difficulty relating to Americans who could not tolerate the in-your-face attitudes.
But certain events have made me realize that there is much improvement needed in many of our antiquated public systems, first and foremost in regard to basic courtesy and respect for citizens’ rights.
Recently I had to deal with our Ministry of Health and the State Comptroller’s office in trying to correct an apparent misdiagnosis in my mother’s health record.
Rather than trying to have a constructive dialogue, the Ministry of Health ignored me, gave me misinformation, delayed giving an answer for eight months, and finally gave an answer that, to be charitable, did not seem to relate to any known facts. Having sent a letter seeking clarification, they are again ignoring me, leaving me to try the judicial system.
Native-born friends laughed at me and told me stories that made my case look embarrassingly small. They told me I was expecting too much from Israeli institutions.
As believers in justice, those of us with American backgrounds should try not to ignore the “crude and rude,” but to expect courteous, fair and trustworthy public systems, making fundamental changes from within.
RUTH ROTMANJerusalem