July 5: What price for Gilad Schalit

Instead of marching to Jerusalem, why doesn’t the Israeli nation march towards the G-8 to demand Hamas’s release of Gilad Schalit?

By JERUSALEM POST READERS
letters good 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
letters good 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
What price for Gilad Schalit?
Sir, – I cannot agree more with Liat Collins’ sentiments (“Out of Step”, July 4) regarding Gilad Schalit. The Schalit’s family’s attempts to draw local media attention have been successful and as a parent, my heart truly goes out to them. I do, however feel, like Ms.Collins, that their efforts have been misguided. The world continues to condemn Israel for “crimes” it committed and demand that we appease Hamas. But where is the rest of the world when it comes to Gilad? Instead of marching to Jerusalem, why doesn’t the Israeli nation march towards the G-8 to demand Hamas’s release of Gilad Schalit? I cannot begin to imagine what anguish the Schalits have been experiencing over the last four years and I hope that no other family will be forced to endure their pain. Eight years ago, however, I lost a friend in the terror attack at the Moment cafe and I’ve had some insight into her family’s anguish over nearly a decade. I can only speak for myself, but knowing the killers are safely behind bars gives me just the little peace of mind I need to let my own children walk the streets of Jerusalem. It is time the Israeli nation demanded an alternative solution to seeing Gilad free.
GINA D. SHAFFER Jerusalem
Sir, – I feel saddened by Liat Collins’ column on those marching for Gilad Schalit. As Ms. Collins said, they are marching in the wrong direction.
The marchers should break up into groups marching on the offices of the International Red Cross, UNRWA, Tony Blair’s Quartet Headquarters in east Jerusalem, the American Embassy in Tel Aviv and the embassies of all those countries now providing aid to Hamas.
They should be sending a flotilla with balloons to the beaches of Gaza. The marchers should be demanding from US President Barack Obama that he obtain the same treatment for Gilad – a prisoner of war – that he has demanded for the prisoners at Guantanamo, who are terrorists.
By putting all the pressure on our prime minister, the marchers have undermined his negotiating position, and the case for all those captured by terrorists and subject to criminally cruel and inhumane treatment.
Those who are the march’s planners and strategists have somehow persuaded themselves – and the public – to transform a proud nation into a cult of abused children, punishing ourselves for the failure of the world to exercise its responsibility to guarantee POW rights for Gilad. The world has abandoned this responsibility to punish Hamas for this disgraceful crime against humanity.
ELIHU D RICHTER
Jerusalem
 A suspended sentence
Sir, – One Jewish life has an unlimited price (“PM: There is a limit for Schalit,” July 2). We should agree to release the most dangerous of the terrorists but on the clear advance warning that should any of them return to terrorism they will be reached by the long arm of our secret services. It will be sufficient for any of them just to commence getting involved in terrorist activities before harming a single Jew to meet an end similar to the fate of every single terrorist who killed our sportsmen at the Olympics in Munich. Let’s call it a suspended sentence!
DAVID GOSHEN
Kiryat Ono
Sir, – In the letter titled “Watch Closely” (July 1), Hedy Resnick says that when we release the terrorists in exchange for Gilad Schalit, “we will just have to watch them carefully, and at the slightest indication that they might return to terror, rearrest them.”
These terrorists will be deported to the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, or some Arab country. How does she think we can watch them closely there? Will we have the IDF watch them round-the-clock? How will we get into the territories in which they’ll be hiding and planning their next act of terror? In no way must we release prisoners with “blood on their hands.” We cannot allow these terrorists to be free to murder hundreds of more Israelis. Gilad must be released, but not “at any price.”
HANNAH SONDHELM
Jerusalem
Sir, – It is most warming that the Palestinian Arabs equate one Jewish soldier – Gilad Schalit – with 1,000 of their people.
This solves all our demographic problems once and for all. Our six million Israeli Jews are now equivalent to six billion Arabs. How do they expect to cope with that?
VELVEL ZEV WEISZ
Jerusalem
 Pro-peace, anti-rockets
Sir, – In his latest effort (“Israelis don’t want peace,” July 1), Larry Derfner accuses Israelis of being anti-peace because any ostensible plan Israelis might adopt for peace is apparently nullified by ongoing feelings of antagonism towards Arabs.
He then goes on to chastise Israelis for failing to trust the Arabs, a trait which apparently was reborn, following, as he says, three suicide bombings in nine days that killed nearly 60 Israelis.
Well, shame on us.
Leaving Gaza apparently was a fluke – whatever that means – and not a heart-wrenching uprooting of people from their homes and farms for the sake of peace. Israelis have become more vindictive, he says, and while I take issue with such a description, I wonder why he fails to factor in the increase of rockets, missiles and mortar fire into Israeli communities and the kidnapping and four-year incarceration of Gilad Schalit.
PATRICIA CARMEL
Binyamina
Empty promises
Sir, – Israel has agreed to reconsider its decision to deport four Hamas lawmakers from Jerusalem if they declare that they do not represent the radical Islamist movement and sever their ties to it (“Four Hamas legislators from J’lem ready to repudiate group to avoid deportation,” June 29). Too easily forgotten are the worthless pieces of paper signed by terrorists released from Israeli jails, promising that they would not revert to murdering Israelis. Many Israeli families can unfortunately testify to the contrary.
YENTEL JACOBS
Netanya
Many corners
Sir, – In her article “A black day for education” (June 27), about the Emanuel saga, Liat Collins admits that women on buses dress immodestly and says therefore that she understands why haredim want gender segregated buses. She writes, however, that turning modesty into the cornerstone of religion is destructive. She gives no reason for her last statement, accepting it as self-evident.
Merely writing something does not prove its veracity. Furthermore, modesty, which also incorporates modest speech and modest behavior is not the cornerstone of Judaism – it is one of the cornerstones of Judaism.
She flippantly dismisses the concerns of the Slonim Hassidim and some Sephardim about their daughters mixing with children who have televisions at home. She does not realize that television presents a way of life and values contrary to Torah Judaism. This is something that does not worry her; she should, however, respect those who hold differently. After all, everybody, including Ms.
Collins, has certain standards which he or she holds by.
EPHRAIM STEIN
Jerusalem
We forfeit Mecca
Sir, – I was thrilled to read the headline in today’s Jerusalem Post that “Abbas Forfeits Claims To Western Wall” (July 4). As a simple courtesy I hope that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu issues a press release to the effect that in the same spirit of compromise we forfeit Mecca.
CHAYIM SEIDEN
Jerusalem
Sir, – Do you want to know why the Palestinians are winning the PR war throughout the world? By always either playing the role of the victim or by looking like the good guys.
Everyone in the world knows that the Western Wall and Jewish Quarter will never be returned to the Palestinians, yet we have the spectacle in the Post of Abbas being hailed the good guy.
GEORGE ROOKS
Ashdod