Aug 7: Right piece, wrong place

It would have been better for Denis MacEoin's argument to have been made in the British press.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
letters good 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
letters good 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Right piece, wrong place Sir, - It was wonderful to see Denis MacEoin expose, by implication, the hypocrisy of much of the academic class in Britain, which has overwhelmingly criticized Prime Minister Tony Blair for his stance on the current Israel-Hizbullah war ("'Israel's elimination is being planned, plotted, scheduled,'" August 6). However, it would have been better for this argument to have been made not in a Zionist newspaper but in the British press, which has been unwaveringly hostile toward Israel's case. Can it be that no British newspaper would have the courage to print his piece? RICHARD JOEL MARTEL New York Sir, - Tony Blair is Europe's light. In my country there is little understanding for the war on terror ("Blair's blast," Editorial, August 4). HAKAN JOHANSSON Sweden Conveying the conflict Sir, - I wish to thank you for keeping us informed on a daily basis about the current war. Your excellent reporting, clear and well-written articles have helped tremendously. I can't specify any one article - I read your take on the big stories a few times a day. Your reports have been enormously helpful in my own letters to other editors in other media outlets over the past few weeks. Keep up the good work! SARA ARGAMON Boca Raton, Florida Sir, - Andrea Levin's "Be flippant, and never mind the facts" (July 26) understated the BBC's attitude toward Israel. Reporter James Reynolds, reporting from Haifa on July 23, gave the exact street address where a Katyusha rocket had fallen. Our government has restricted this type of information, which helps terrorists better aim their missiles at targets in Israel. Surely Reynolds knew this when he made his report. I called the BBC in England to complain and sent an e-mail, to no avail. RUCHEL LESLIE Tel Aviv Sir, - You do have friends out there. In Australia there are a group of us trying hard to counter anti-Israel statements in some of our media. The Australian newspaper has published two editorials supporting Israel, as many people here are starting to realize that your battle is part of our war, too. PETER COHEN Melbourne Life-saving surgery Sir, - I liken the present war in the north of Israel and southern Lebanon to a cancer surgeon trying to remove the dreaded disease from a person's body. The person is Israel and the cancer is the murdering terrorists who are raining unguided missiles down on innocent Israeli citizens, noncombatant women, children and old people ("Man, daughter buried side by side in Acre," August 6). The terrorists wanted this war. They started it, and the IDF - God willing - will win it. DAVID DEXTRADEUR Fairborn, Ohio Sir, - It has taken Human Rights Watch only three weeks of war to declare that "llobbing rockets blindly into civilian areas is without doubt a war crime" ("Mother, 2 daughters die as rocket lands in their garden," August 6). Well done, Kenneth Roth. B. ABRAHAMS Tel Aviv Cease-fire Sir, - Hizbullah refuses to accept the cease-fire offer unless the IDF withdraws from Lebanon. If that is the case, why can't the resolution for a cease-fire state that both sides cease firing at the exact same moment, and that sirens of peace go off over both countries? That way no one will be the victor, no one the loser ("Jerusalem pleased with US-French cease-fire resolution," August 6). MARGERY FEINSTEIN Jerusalem Sir, - In truth, there can be no cease-fire in the current conflict with Hizbullah. Apparently, the Middle East is under the governance of the Oslo peace accord, for which many have received Nobel peace prizes. How can there be a cease-fire when there is no war? When the world sees war as war, and warmongers as warmongers, then there will be a possibility of cease-fire. HARVEY HASS Jerusalem Not so intelligent Sir, - "Lack of intelligence" (August 4) described the intelligence of those officers at the divisional level who kept vital dossiers of Hizbullah positions to themselves. Surely it is elementary that intelligence - like all information - is quite useless unless it is in the hands of those who can do something about it? YITZHAK BERMAN Bet El What is a moral war? Sir, - A "moral" war is when the military's and government's first concern is for their own soldiers and civilians. It becomes an "immoral" war when the first priority is the loss of enemy civilians that the terrorists intentionally put in danger. Jewish blood and lives have always been cheap in the eyes of the world. They should not be so in our own land. Thank God the US didn't fight World War II with concern for civilians. If they had, Hitler would be ruling the world. BARBARA GINSBERG Ma'aleh Adumim Worse than 'Rita' Sir, - I work in a large US postal service center, where we are free to express our feelings amongst ourselves on our breaks. Recently, as a number of us talked, we all accepted that our struggles here in Southeast Texas to recover from hurricane Rita pale in comparison to the gravity of the situation in Israel. A large group of us, from all religions, will pray for your soldiers and your people. We believe your mission is just and necessary. Our greatest bond with you - as Americans, Texans and human beings - is our freedom. It is not monetary, it is not religious, it is a total respect for your right, as ours, to be free. AMY CROW Port Neches, Texas Sir, - As a veteran of the US military, a Roman Catholic and the grandson of a US military man killed in France in October 1944, I stand behind the IDF and the people of Israel. You are not alone in this struggle against evil. Let not your hearts be saddened, you have many friends and supporters here. Zei gezunt! FRANK TENTLER Lincoln, Nebraska Continue the fight, Israel. I only wish the rest of the free world had enough guts to stand with you. SHANE BUTCHER Perth, Australia Heed that wail Sir, - I wanted to express my appreciation of the ads your paper is running calling on drivers to yield right of way to ambulances. I am frequently appalled by the stupid attitude of many drivers who ignore a wailing ambulance trying to pass. Your ad expresses exactly the thought that passes through my head - that they should be spared such behavior if ever their lives, or those of their families, depend on an ambulance reaching its destination in time. HENRY KAYE Beit Shemesh Calling all Brits Sir, - As in previous years, Hitachdut Olei Britannia will be holding a national reunion during the intermediate days of Succot. We will meet on Thursday, October 12, at Park Afek and look forward to hosting as many ex-Brits as possible. Come along, bring your families and your picnics. Have a good time meeting old friends and making new ones. For further information call Helen (08) 946-1385 or Ellie (08) 859-2620, or e-mail hob@sdmorris.com ELLIE MORRIS Asseret