Letters to the editor

Those who rightly insist that revenge should be the role of the state (IDF) need to understand that failure to act by the state can lead to frustration and fear.

By JERUSALEM POST READERS
Letters 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Letters 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
And the good guys?
Sir, – What perfect timing to publish Seth J. Frantzman’s piece on Israeli social media (“Online hearts and minds,” Cover, July 4), just as the IDF Spokesman’s Twitter account gets hacked.
Over four pages, Frantzman tries to condense a very large and complicated topic for the general public to understand.
He also tries to balance the article by presenting it as two sides.
“I think Palestinians are good at using social media to raise attention to themselves and their struggle,” states a young woman who admits to spending two hours a day on Facebook.
The piece gives out links to anti-Israel sites such as Ali Abunimah’s Electronic Intifada and that of the BDS movement, but does not include any pro-Israel sites like Stand- WithUs. There are also many smaller sites, like Israellycool, CIF Watch and Elder of Ziyon, which work daily to counter lies and mistakes in the media about Israel.
Abunimah attacks and slanders Israel every day. His work is vile and sadly accepted by too many. How about a mention of Avi Mayer, who has dueled with him on Twitter on many occasions? The numbers of active users of social media against Israel are great, though their perception is “Israeli media is viewed as dominant and influencing world opinion.” How about helping sharing more information about the good guys, and less about the Israel haters?
SHARON ALTSHUL Jerusalem
Perspective needed
Sir, – Lawrence Rifkin asks “What now,” “What can we do” and “What should we do” (“What now?” Grumpy Old Man, July 4).
Six Jews were arrested for the abominable murder of 16-yearold Muhammad Abu Khdeir, making this conflict even more lethal. Just as the Rabin murder and the Goldstein massacre besmirched the moral compass of Israel’s cause, this atrocity is also clouding the picture.
But one should not lose perspective.
Those few aberrations pale by comparison to the long, ongoing history of Arab barbarism against Jews. In addition, while Israel condemns and punishes those Jews who perpetrate such outrageous murders, Arab society as a whole praises them and conspires for more such attacks. This difference should not be underestimated.
Furthermore, those who rightly insist that revenge should be the role of the state (IDF), and not of individuals, need to understand that failure to act by the state can lead to frustration and fear. Growing anxiety over increased Arab violence and perceived hesitancy by our elected leaders to respond and defend the country will only fuel further bloodshed.
YITZCHAK BEN-SHMUEL Modi’in