Despite the central pitch of the Obama campaign that it would bring "change" to America, virtually all of their appointments thus far have been reruns from the Clinton era.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFletters 88(photo credit: )Changing little...
Sir, - Despite the central pitch of the Obama campaign that it would bring "change" to America, virtually all of their appointments thus far have been reruns from the Clinton era, including Rahm Emanuel, John Podesta, Madeline Albright, and now maybe even Hillary Clinton ("Let the races begin... mending rifts," November 14).
I can't wait to see what job they have in mind for Monica Lewinsky.
JAN SOKOLOVSKY
Jerusalem
...and changing jobs
Sir, - In my opinion, Barack Obama's main strength was his motto of "change." I voted for him in the primary election solely to remove Hillary Clinton from the presidential field of contenders ("Clinton likely to be secretary of state," November 13).
Many voters obviously felt as I did. Mrs. Clinton has been tainted by too much controversy, too much baggage, and she is too headstrong in her demeanor. She shouldn't be secretary of state or hold any diplomatic post that involves patience and tact. Perhaps Clinton is best suited to supervise women's rights in a small office in Kabul, Afghanistan. I feel she is certainly qualified for that.
JAMES A. MARPLES
Longview, Texas
Spend less, suffer more
Sir, - Judy Siegel's report, "Gov't to ease licensing process for immigrant doctors, nurses," (November 12), brings to light exactly the problems facing the health care industry in Israel. The government could improve working conditions, including pay and benefits, for Israeli doctors and nurses who now work in the field, thus attracting more and better qualified Israelis to choose those professions. Instead, the government has decided to lower the licensing and training standards and flood the hospitals and clinics with unqualified foreign workers.
As usual, the Israeli government has chosen to save money rather than save lives. And as usual, the Israeli health care consumer will be the one to suffer, only this time it will be his health, and possibly his life.
KEN BESIG
Kiryat Arba
Double standard
Sir, - In the article, "UN asks Israel to open Gaza crossings" (Internet edition, November 14), it's written that the EU and Oxfam have condemned Israel's closure of the Gaza crossing points. The EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner worries that "basic humanitarian assistance" is not reaching the Palestinians and Oxfam demands that "as a matter of humanitarian imperative, Israeli leaders must resume supplies into Gaza..."
They do not demand, however, an end to Palestinian rocket and mortar fire against Israeli civilians in Ashkelon and Sderot. Apparently they are unconcerned with the "humanitarian imperative" of blowing up young children on their way to school.
Oxfam goes even further to say that the "failure of the international community to act decisively will only exacerbate human suffering and could further endanger chances for peace."
Would that be the "peaceful" digging of tunnels into Israel to kidnap Israelis or the launching of hundreds of mortars and rockets into southern Israel?
Somehow it's the Arab actions that do not "exacerbate human suffering" or "further endanger chances for peace." There is a word for organizations that have one standard for Jews and a totally different standard for everyone else. It's what used to be called anti-Semitism.
ILYA MEYER
Gothenburg, Sweden
Gestures to the enemy
Sir, - Few would disagree with the editor's caption in his commentary on Olmert's address to the Rabin memorial event: "The Wrong Speech" (November 14). Whatever Ehud Olmert may have done to let his people down, he has at least prepared them well for the borders he expects them to return to. He has shown how Jewish towns can be rocketed on a daily basis, how yeshiva boys can be executed in their dorms, how a peaceful Jerusalem street scene can be bulldozed into carnage… and all without any retaliation. His only response is more "confidence-building gestures" to the enemy.
And these have worked. Olmert's legacy is that the Arabs have never been more confident of destroying the Jewish state.
ZALMI UNSDORFER
London
From bad to worse
Sir, - In response to the Post's interview with Naomi Tsur, I have been coming to Jerusalem since 1992 with my husband, and have found myself watching the Jaffa Road corridor deteriorate from bad to worse ("Barkat's top environmentalist vows to green the capital,"November 14).
From the Machane Yehuda market to city hall, every shop on both sides should get an awning allowance and metal hooks installed in the entrance to the shops for hanging baskets of flowers,
I am thoroughly ashamed of what the busloads of visitors must think of the pitiful looking main artery of Jerusalem.
We must not allow our capital city to waste money on fancy bridges, but instead clean and spruce up what already exists.
Come on, Jerusalemites, get this city pretty like any other European city in the world.
MIRANDA SALTZ
Kiryat Shmuel
Sir, - In response to P. Ranney's letter ("Wondering," November 12), I'm simply at a loss for words. After once again reading the unbelievable horrors of Kristallnacht this past week, can anyone actually in their right mind compare it to Israel's supposed treatment of our neighbors, the Palestinians?
NAOMI FEINSTEIN
Givat Ada
Practice what you preach
Sir - In regards to comments made by Binyamin Ben-Eliezer to the crowd at the Yitzhak Rabin memorial in Jerusalem over a week ago that "the next political assassination is right around the corner," it seems we have heard such expressions for far too long in our history, ("Ministers attend Rabin memorial in J'lem," November 4).
Clearly, paranoia and insecurity haunt the Israeli elite.
As an example of similar events in the past, let us recall the ill-founded accusation leveled against the revisionist Avraham Stavsky for the murder of the left-wing Haim Arlozoroff.
While Stavsky was released following his appeal against the death sentence, he became one of 17 Jews who were slain on the Altelena upon the directive of David Ben-Gurion with Rabin at the helm.
Let those who have embraced the very word of peace learn how to create peace from within first, and remove the atmosphere diminishing it through ill-founded judgment.
ALEX ROSE
Beit Shemesh
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