July 28: Readers send in more letters on war in Gaza

The fate of the world for the coming century depends on the events of the coming days.

By JERUSALEM POST READERS

JULY 27, 2014 21:58

Letters 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Handout ) — Letters 370

(photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )

Sir, – Regarding Ben Caspit’s “A letter to Obama” (July 25), a British soldier in uniform was murdered in a London street by Muslims fired up by their preacher. Christians in Mosul, Iraq, are given a choice: Convert to Islam, leave or die. Some 200 schoolgirls are kidnapped in Nigeria, forcibly converted to Islam and sold as slaves. I could go on with more horrid stories.

Those in the Western world who have ethics and codes of behavior that respect democracy and the rights of the individual are watching the war between Israel and Hamas very closely. If it ends with a decisive and clear victory for Israel, all will feel some relief. But if Hamas is left with anything it can put on its flag, Muslim extremists will be greatly encouraged and further inflamed to kill the infidel.

The fate of the world for the coming century depends on the events of the coming days.

N.N. FROUMIN

Ramat Hasharon

Sir, – With regard to “‘If you’re reading this, my (army) career is over,’ slain Golani soldier wrote” (July 25), the pitiful story of Varda Pomerantz and her “hearing the knock on her door” makes one wonder how the IDF will explain to her the circumstances of her son’s death.

Daniel, together with six other Golani soldiers, died when the army dispatched them in an M113 armored personnel carrier designed over 50 years ago that was no match for Hamas’s stateof- the-art anti-tank equipment.

Kol hakavod to the group of soldiers who subsequently refused, at great risk of court-martial, to enter an M113.

Secondary only to winning the war, it is the responsibility of an army to protect its soldiers.

When this war is over the IDF needs to do much soul-searching.

FRED GOTTLIEB

Jerusalem

Sir, – Yaakov Lappin’s analysis “Stage 3 looms” (July 25) describes Stage 2 as getting rid of Hamas’s tunnels.

It appears possible that we will not be able to complete this stage. Therefore, we must insist that in any peace plan it is firmly agreed that any future attack on Israel through a tunnel, from any surrounding country, would be a deceleration of war and permit Israel to respond accordingly, without discussion.

REUVEN YAGIL

Beersheba

Sir, – Why don’t we adopt the old policy of “divide and rule?” I opine that if we woo Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and shower upon him some favorable gestures to strengthen him in the eyes of his people, we might make Hamas supporters realize how bad the status quo is under Hamas rule.

One more thing we can do: Identify Hamas groups that don’t really like their leaders’ policies, strengthen them and help organize an opposition party to show people how much better off they could be under different rule.

EMIL MURAD

Givat Shmuel

Sir, – I would like to ask Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon why the lives of terrorist/ citizens of Gaza are more important than the lives of our soldiers. In the court of world opinion, no matter what we do we will be condemned. So please stop sacrificing our boys in order to protect theirs!

SUSAN KATZ

Efrat

Sir, – Binyamin Netanyahu is a shrewd politician, excellent in political infighting. But he is not a wartime leader, that is for sure.

The prime minister’s handling of the situation, with constant changes of direction, with his endless and almost senseless cabinet meetings and hesitations, gave time to our enemies around the world to organize huge anti-Israel and anti-Semitic demonstrations. And he gave a chance to US President Barack Obama to harm us more than before. His and his cabinet’s behavior reminds me more and more of the Keystone Kops.

A lot of us miss Dayan, Rabin and Sharon. They were wartime leaders. This leadership must be replaced as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the country

DAVID BARNER

Rishon Lezion

Sir, – In less than nine years Israel has been at war with Hamas three times.

Where are all our leaders who told us that the expulsion of all Jewish settlers from Gaza in 2005 would be a needed sacrifice, a step toward peace with the Palestinians and security for Israeli citizens? Does anyone remember who made these promises? How come none of these great minds will now admit that they erred and misled our people?

JOSHUA J. ADLER

Jerusalem

Sir, – With regard to “Israel denounces UNHRC as ‘kangaroo court’” (July 24), the very idea of the United Nations Human Rights Council investigating Israel for “war crimes” is so appalling that it could be a Laurel and Hardy comedy act if it were not so serious in its implications.

The UN will continue its actions of hatred against Israel ad infinitum unless something is done about it. One action could be to simply stop funding it.

There is always a way to use the power of the purse.

Every nation has priority causes of its own. It is time to bring an end to the desecration that the UN has brought to the world by its championing of Hamas and all the other terrorist groups. No more money for terror!

TOBY WILLIG

Jerusalem

Sir, – Twenty-nine states in the UNHRC voted to ignore the hundreds of deaths caused by Hamas’s deliberate policy of using its own people as human shields, and another 17 did so by abstaining. Hamas’s tactics have been fully vindicated and it will continue to follow and intensify them.

But the world media also bear blame for the high number of deaths. Their focus on the pornography of death and grief without the slightest acknowledgment of Hamas’s culpability actively encourages the Islamists to engineer more situations leading to the death of their own people.

Maybe by focusing on and condemning Hamas’s vile tactics for an extended period, the media can try to shame it into changing its ways. Even if this does not work the media will have the satisfaction of having taken the high moral ground.

ROCHELLE VEEDER

Netanya

Sir, – We have lost too many soldiers in this present round of the conflict to stop now. Our only condition for a cease-fire should be that Gaza be demilitarized and the demilitarization properly supervised.

I don’t really trust anyone, not even the Americans. But do we have a choice?

HENRY TOBIAS

Ma’aleh Adumim

Sir, – As I read each day another soldier’s eulogy I am challenged not to cry. I have failed every challenge. I have new tears and again new tears as I read every day about the death of another brave soldier.

I cry every time I read your newspaper. In all of my 70 years, never, ever did I cry when reading a newspaper.

The war of today is very clear.

The Almighty has reviewed His list of the living. He selected some soldiers for special trials in life and a special life after death.

Every grave is a tunnel to the Almighty. One cannot go deeper. The only way is up.

In life every soldier lives his intention. In the end he gives his life for it. Although we may not see, some of us believe that he has found his unique way to God.

May their souls find love and rest on the heavenly side of the tunnel.

CHANIE KREISEL

Jerusalem