That’s not rainSir, – Given the latest and carefully calculated move by Turkey’s prime minister to further downgrade bilateral relations (“Erdogan bars IDF flights over Turkey,” June 29), the article’s sub-headline – “J’lem officials: Turkish PM not exactly inspiring Israeli efforts to improve ties” – raises a very basic question: Why are we still bothering? Are we that naive, or perhaps so frustrated by our international isolation that we simply refuse to see reality? Turkey has made its intentions abundantly clear, and it seems that not a day goes by without another concrete and significant sanction against Israel being announced – and implemented – by Erdogan.It’s time we woke up to the stark reality that whatever strategic, cultural, military or even economic relationships we once enjoyed are obviously no longer of interest to Turkey’s Islamic government. We should face the albeit sad necessity to see Turkey in a very new light and make the proper preparations for another potential enemy. How much longer will we be spat upon by Erdogan before we realize that, despite our desperate need for water, it is not raining?GERSHON HARRISHatzor HaglilitThrow away the keySir, – Khaled Mashaal (and the whole world) knows he is a lackey of Iran, which intentionally keeps hostilities going between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in Gaza (“Mashaal warns more soldiers will be kidnapped,” June 29). The last thing Iran wants is a peace.So let’s call his bluff. Let’s agree to his list of terrorists – suddenly, there will be another Hamas delay.Once Mashaal releases Gilad Schalit, the world will forget that Gaza exists. We at that point will lock the gates of Gaza and throw the key away. The curse on Gaza will thus commence and continue for many, many generations.DAVID GOSHENKiryat OnoEven more shamefulSir, – Haredi Judaism as practiced by some elements within that community is nothing more than haredi hooliganism (“The decline and fall of haredi Judaism,” June 28).What is even more shameful, however, is that desecrations of Shabbat in the name of Shabbat observance, as well as other equally absurd activities, are apparently condoned by rabbis who are supposed to be revered Torah scholars.These men are definitely familiar with the Talmudic principle that “silence is agreement.”Therein lies the real hillul hashem (desecration of the Lord’s name).HAIM M. LERNERGanei TikvaNow we get itSir, – After a compromise was achieved in the Emmanuel affair, Deputy Education Minister Meir Porush goes and gives the game away by claiming “the superiority of the Torah lifestyle of the haredi populace...”(“Emmanuel school girls will study together – for three more days,” June 28).So that’s what it was all about: “We are better than you, not merely different.”Is that discrimination or not?M. VEEDERNetanyaTypical solutionSir, – The article “Hamas-Fatah fuel spat leaves thousands of Gazans in the dark” (June 28) ends with UNRWA saying “It’s a Palestinian problem, made by Palestinians, and causing Palestinian suffering. So let’s have a Palestinian solution.”What is the typical Palestinian solution? Blame Israel.LOIS GREENKadimaPro-active, not pro-destructiveSir, – How absolutely right Tom Friedman is (“War, timeout, war, time...,” June 28). He spoke for so many of us.We have been subjected to months of uncertainty and brainwashing, yet the prime minister has not once addressed us and spelled out what he intends to do on any issue.It’s all about blaming someone else.We are strong, but we need to clean up our backyard. We can only do that when we diminish the threat to our existence by aligning ourselves with those whose views, stated publicly or not, coincide with ours.We have to be pro-active and not pro-destructive.ZELDA HARRISTel AvivBeyond contemptSir, – I wish to use the medium of your esteemed newspaper to express my utter indignation at the treatment meted out to my son-in-law (among hundreds of others) by the staff of the consular section at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv last week.After submitting an application for a visitor’s visa for the purpose of a two-week vacation with his family, he was invited to a personal interview at noon on June 28. When he reached the building, he found a long line of what looked like hundreds of people waiting outside in the hot sun, with no place to sit. After checking, he learned that all of them were there for the same purpose, and all with appointments for approximately the same time.Once he reached the building (and was asked to deposit his cell phone), he found a place to sit – and wait, for three full hours. He was unable to call any of the people who were dependent upon him.The appointment itself took less than five minutes! I think this treatment of Israeli citizens, whose sole desire is to be granted a visa to visit the “golden land,” is beyond contempt, and I wonder whether the same system is in place in any other country.RINA REINESSPetah Tikva
July 4: Israel's Sadat
Doubtless the world would hail our leader as the generation’s great peacemaker.
That’s not rainSir, – Given the latest and carefully calculated move by Turkey’s prime minister to further downgrade bilateral relations (“Erdogan bars IDF flights over Turkey,” June 29), the article’s sub-headline – “J’lem officials: Turkish PM not exactly inspiring Israeli efforts to improve ties” – raises a very basic question: Why are we still bothering? Are we that naive, or perhaps so frustrated by our international isolation that we simply refuse to see reality? Turkey has made its intentions abundantly clear, and it seems that not a day goes by without another concrete and significant sanction against Israel being announced – and implemented – by Erdogan.It’s time we woke up to the stark reality that whatever strategic, cultural, military or even economic relationships we once enjoyed are obviously no longer of interest to Turkey’s Islamic government. We should face the albeit sad necessity to see Turkey in a very new light and make the proper preparations for another potential enemy. How much longer will we be spat upon by Erdogan before we realize that, despite our desperate need for water, it is not raining?GERSHON HARRISHatzor HaglilitThrow away the keySir, – Khaled Mashaal (and the whole world) knows he is a lackey of Iran, which intentionally keeps hostilities going between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in Gaza (“Mashaal warns more soldiers will be kidnapped,” June 29). The last thing Iran wants is a peace.So let’s call his bluff. Let’s agree to his list of terrorists – suddenly, there will be another Hamas delay.Once Mashaal releases Gilad Schalit, the world will forget that Gaza exists. We at that point will lock the gates of Gaza and throw the key away. The curse on Gaza will thus commence and continue for many, many generations.DAVID GOSHENKiryat OnoEven more shamefulSir, – Haredi Judaism as practiced by some elements within that community is nothing more than haredi hooliganism (“The decline and fall of haredi Judaism,” June 28).What is even more shameful, however, is that desecrations of Shabbat in the name of Shabbat observance, as well as other equally absurd activities, are apparently condoned by rabbis who are supposed to be revered Torah scholars.These men are definitely familiar with the Talmudic principle that “silence is agreement.”Therein lies the real hillul hashem (desecration of the Lord’s name).HAIM M. LERNERGanei TikvaNow we get itSir, – After a compromise was achieved in the Emmanuel affair, Deputy Education Minister Meir Porush goes and gives the game away by claiming “the superiority of the Torah lifestyle of the haredi populace...”(“Emmanuel school girls will study together – for three more days,” June 28).So that’s what it was all about: “We are better than you, not merely different.”Is that discrimination or not?M. VEEDERNetanyaTypical solutionSir, – The article “Hamas-Fatah fuel spat leaves thousands of Gazans in the dark” (June 28) ends with UNRWA saying “It’s a Palestinian problem, made by Palestinians, and causing Palestinian suffering. So let’s have a Palestinian solution.”What is the typical Palestinian solution? Blame Israel.LOIS GREENKadimaPro-active, not pro-destructiveSir, – How absolutely right Tom Friedman is (“War, timeout, war, time...,” June 28). He spoke for so many of us.We have been subjected to months of uncertainty and brainwashing, yet the prime minister has not once addressed us and spelled out what he intends to do on any issue.It’s all about blaming someone else.We are strong, but we need to clean up our backyard. We can only do that when we diminish the threat to our existence by aligning ourselves with those whose views, stated publicly or not, coincide with ours.We have to be pro-active and not pro-destructive.ZELDA HARRISTel AvivBeyond contemptSir, – I wish to use the medium of your esteemed newspaper to express my utter indignation at the treatment meted out to my son-in-law (among hundreds of others) by the staff of the consular section at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv last week.After submitting an application for a visitor’s visa for the purpose of a two-week vacation with his family, he was invited to a personal interview at noon on June 28. When he reached the building, he found a long line of what looked like hundreds of people waiting outside in the hot sun, with no place to sit. After checking, he learned that all of them were there for the same purpose, and all with appointments for approximately the same time.Once he reached the building (and was asked to deposit his cell phone), he found a place to sit – and wait, for three full hours. He was unable to call any of the people who were dependent upon him.The appointment itself took less than five minutes! I think this treatment of Israeli citizens, whose sole desire is to be granted a visa to visit the “golden land,” is beyond contempt, and I wonder whether the same system is in place in any other country.RINA REINESSPetah Tikva