The Jewish state was confirmed on two occasions by world bodies.
By JERUSALEM POST READERSLetters 370(photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )Follow the rulingsSir, – With regard to “Abbas returns to Ramallah, promising Palestinians they will be ‘victorious’” (March 21), it is hard to fathom how come the world is prepared to consider the spurious objections of those who, in total contravention of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181, have endeavored through aggressive force to destroy one of the UN’s creations.The Jewish state was confirmed on two occasions by world bodies. Just follow the rulings of the League of Nations and later the UN. There is no possible reason or legal justification to question these decisions.In 1920, the victors of World War I dismembered the erstwhile Turkish empire into a number of independent states or, alternately, mandates. Britain received the mandate of Palestine for one and one purpose only – to establish a national homeland in Palestine for the Jewish people. It is important to stress that this declaration preceded the Holocaust, which our enemies often cite in trying to explain why the West supports Israel.The tragedies of the inter-war years resulted in a 1947 UN resolution creating an Arab and much-reduced Jewish state in Palestine. It was forcibly rejected by our neighbors. It is historically unique that a defeated aggressor is endeavoring to dictate the terms of a solution to the victorious victim.Finally, it is important to remember that while Theodor Herzl factually translated a messianic dream into political action, it was Christian countries that conceived in San Remo and confirmed at the League of Nations a decision that ultimately gave birth to the nation-state of the Jewish people at the United Nations.It is surely time that those who were responsible for ensuring the creation of the only Jewish state and democracy in the Middle East stand by word and deed with what they helped create.BERNHARD LAZARUSTel AvivNo sign of FMSir, – I searched your entire March 21 issue for news of Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and could not find a thing as to what he has been up to. The Grapevine feature said only that he failed to attend or even send a message to retired Foreign Ministry workers feted at a recent gathering.Where is he? Perhaps he is in Moscow talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin, maybe explaining Israel’s position on Crimea. Maybe he is pondering all the comments by the defense minister on matters Liberman should be dealing with, such as Ukraine, the EU, the UN, the US, and even the world’s delegitimization of Israel.Or perhaps he is working hard at settling the dispute with striking workers who caused our prime minister’s first visit to South America to be canceled – although there was no mention of him at all in “PM cancels trip to Latin America because of Foreign Ministry workers dispute.”Liberman appoints our ambassadors, so he should take care of them.LEON CHARNEY YehudSame stuff Sir, – I find it most curious that as the US comes under no small amount of criticism – this time for its handling of the Russian aggression in Crimea – it should be so offended by the comments of our defense minister (“Ya’alon’s apology,” Editorial, March 21).The whole affair reminds me of something I read early last week. Sir H., a minister in another country who had been promoted and singled out for preferential treatment, got bent out of shape when one of the locals refused to show the “proper” respect and bow down. That local, of course, was Mordechai.Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon seems to be made of the same stuff.RAIZI ROSEN Neveh DanielEnglish lifeline Sir, – On behalf of the English Speakers’ Club of Ashdod (ESCA), I hope the government reconsiders its plan to close the Israel Broadcasting Authority, including the IBA English News (“Erdan says he will submit bill after Passover recess to close IBA,” March 20).For many of our members, the IBA English News is a lifeline, not only for telling us about world events, but because it provides insight into Israel and the Middle East.Please don’t close down this broadcast.CHANA HOCHSTEIN AshdodThe writer chairs ESCAPays quite wellSir, – Thank you for publishing “Crime pays – for Palestinian terrorists” (Comment & Features, March 19) by US Rep. Ted Poe, my former adversarial prosecutor of Houston, Texas.His article saliently points out that “the promise of a generous PA salary [to terrorists freed by Israel] is itself, perhaps, a cause of Palestinian terrorism.” He has correctly placed the blame where it belongs, unlike the baseless and ridiculous accusations of US Secretary of State John Kerry and President Barack Obama, who blame unrest in the Middle East on Israeli settlement construction.LEONARD KAHN Zichron Ya’acovFalse criticisms Sir, – You inaccurately stated in “ZOA leader sees his reelection as vindication of his leadership” (March 18) that Zionist Organization of America president Morton Klein has “come under criticism in recent years.”In fact, only one board member out of 51 criticized Mr. Klein, and it was in the board member’s effort to unseat him as president. The rest of the ZOA’s board unanimously endorsed Mr. Klein’s reelection.During Mr. Klein’s tenure he paid off ZOA’s millions in debt and brought in tens of millions more, resulting in millions of dollars in current operating revenues, even while adding our organization’s Center for Government Relations, Center for Law and Justice, a campus activities department and an Israel office.This is why the Jewish weekly Forward chose him as one of the top five Jewish leaders in America, and the Jewish Exponent named him as one of the top dozen Jewish activists of the century.MICHAEL GOLDBLATT ALAN MAZUREKNew YorkThe writers are chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of ZOA And now, praise...Sir, – I was just on tour in Israel and visited Jerusalem for two days.On one of those days I wanted to take the light rail and tried to get a ticket from the machine, but it would not accept my money. Two young people tried to help, but they could not get the machine to take my bank notes either. Then the young lady paid with her credit card and gave me the ticket. I was both delighted and grateful.I hope you will bring this story to light in your paper and that the young people and others who helped me will read it and accept my thanks. Thanks, too, for good days in your lovely country.BIRGIT LARSEN Hedehusene, Denmark...and appreciation Sir, – June 6 will mark the 70th anniversary of D Day.There cannot be many veterans of this historic event still surviving in Israel, so it occurred to me that it might interest your readers to know that my 90-year-old husband, Norman Cohen, who was under the command of Gen.Dempsey of the British Second Army, Tactical Headquarters, actually landed at Vers sur Mere on that historic day and, in his capacity as a wireless operator, established contact immediately on landing with Gen. Eisenhower’s headquarters in England.Maybe you know of other “D-Day boys” in Israel who could contribute their experiences to a commemorative article.The anniversary should not go by without being noted.LOLA S. COHENJerusalem
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