November 30: They say it themselves

Fatah doesn’t want peace, or even a “piece” of Israel. They want to be rid of us altogether. So why are we negotiating with them?

By JERUSALEM POST READERS
They say it themselves
Sir, – We must thank the Palestinians for making their position crystal clear to even the most dense of our politicians and the world at large (“Fatah declares: No to Israel as Jewish state, no to interim borders, no to land swaps,” November 28).
What the right wing of our political spectrum has said all along has been confirmed as true, and not fanatical fantasy. There is no Arab “peace partner” – whether Hamas or Fatah –and there never has been.
There is nothing to believe now except that if you are a Jew who wants Israel to exist as a viable, strong country, you must stop talking to the Arabs once and for all. Because here it is: They want us dead. Or out. By any means possible.
Why can’t we believe our enemies when they say so?
Israel is ours, from the river to the sea, from the Golan Heights to Eilat. Let us finally unite in pride over this and defend her with our whole diplomatic might – and with force of arms whenever necessary.
BATYA JERENBERG Beit Shemesh
Sir, – It’s really all so unbelievable. Fatah doesn’t want peace, or even a “piece” of Israel. They want to be rid of us altogether. So why are we negotiating with them?
The PA is certainly no peace partner. It wants everything for nothing in return. It wants all of Jerusalem, all of the West Bank – in other words, all of everything.
I say no to Fatah and its demands. Until the Palestinians are ready to offer concessions, I don’t see any purpose in negotiating.
HANNAH SONDHELM Jerusalem
Sir, – A casual glance through your November 28 issue reveals an attempt to hijack a Syriabound plane (“Hijacker nabbed on plane to Syria”), a Turkish PM who’ll receive a Libyan human rights award (“Erdogan to get ‘Gaddafi prize for HR’”), and a conference against racism that promotes anti-Semitism (“Israel welcomes Canadian decision to boycott UN’s Durban III conference”).
But what really convinced me that I had woken up in a strange, mirror universe was an article about Mahmoud Abbas, who heads both the Palestinian Authority (which ostensibly wants peace with Israel) and Fatah. That’s a conflict of interest that indicates an interest in conflict.
YONATAN SILVER Jerusalem
Sir, – Your November 28 lead story reports on a providential Hanukka gift to the Jews of Israel.
Let us all hope that our diplomats and politicians will refrain from rushing forward with more fawning ideas. Enough. The time has come to stop “negotiating” with terrorists over land they lost to us in 1967 – land that is legally ours.
The whole idea of peace with the Arabs has been a scam. The Koran forbids Muslims from making peace with infidels. We will do quite well without receiving another piece of paper in exchange for land. What is important is that we stand firm in severing our connection with terrorists. They should have been jailed years ago.
Our Foreign Ministry will now have more time to focus on the rest of the world – a world we have neglected for too long. We should establish better relations with South America, the Buddhist countries, China and the Far East, and Australia and New Zealand.
Thank you God, and a Happy Hanukka to you, too.
CHAYIM SEIDEN Jerusalem
Sir, – Once again our Palestinian neighbors have reassured us that we have no one to talk peace with! Let the White House take note that all of Obama’s efforts and all of Obama’s men couldn’t put the peace talks together again.
HAIM M. LERNER Ganei Tikva
Good man, indeed
Sir, – Reader Leonard Zukarov is right (“Amsalem a good man,” Letters, November 28).
I have always wondered why haredim outside Israel can study core subjects as well as Torah and Talmud, and gain high marks in national exams, while here the haredi leadership opposes this. Ask MK Ya’akov Litzman what he learned growing up in the US. The same applies to haredim outside Israel who work to support their families while still being able to devote time to their religious studies for some hours each day.
The answer is very simple: In order for Jewish day schools to receive government subsidies, they have to include core subjects in their curricula and submit to inspections by government officials, who file a report on the schools’ scholastic records. Outside Israel, no one pays for haredim to study in yeshivot, so when they leave the yeshiva and marry, they have to earn a living.
Only in Israel do haredim, who do not believe in the state, feel free to demand and take Zionist money. Could that be one of the reasons why so many come here to study?
MENACHEM SAMUEL Jerusalem
A columnist responds
Sir, – The letter from Efraim A. Cohen (“One man’s monster,” November 28) was a shamelessly dishonest smear.
To support his claim that I “demonize” Israel, he notes that in a past column I opposed the killing of Hamas’s Mahmoud al- Mabhouh – but he leaves out the inconvenient fact that in the same column I endorsed Israel’s attempt to kill Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal. That part was left out because it flies in the face of the claim that I “demonize” Israel.
Instead of the truth, readers of Cohen’s letter were treated to a half-truth, which works exactly like a lie, which is what smears are made of.
LARRY DERFNER Modi’in
Wrong about Davis
Sir, – I have read the one-sided column by Isi Leibler (“The de- Zionization of Anglo Jewry,” Candidly Speaking, November 25), which was very critical of the British Jewish leadership, and particularly of Mick Davis, chairman of the United Jewish Israel Appeal.
During my term as chairman of the Jewish Agency, I had the privilege of getting to know Davis very well and to observe up close his activities for the UK Jewish community and the State of Israel. Every time I approached him for assistance, he unhesitatingly and generously responded.
Every year, members of the Jewish community in the UK increase their contributions to the State of Israel; their massive assistance and investment in the Galilee has particularly borne fruit.
During the Second Lebanon War, not only did Davis and his colleagues raise huge sums of money for Israel, but he personally came to visit in order to assess the needs of citizens living under a hail of rockets. He and others met repeatedly with the prime minister and senior ministers, and his commitment to and passion for Israel were obvious. I was present at some of these meetings and his persistence and unlimited goodwill, as well as his willingness to provide assistance in every way, were plain to see.
Over and above this, every time unpleasant vibrations toward Israel by the British government were heard (which unfortunately still occurs on a regular basis), Davis would meet with the foreign minister of Britain and other relevant statesmen in order to promote Israel’s right to defend itself.
In spite of his onerous and hectic schedule as a successful businessman, he always finds time to promote and support Israel. Recently he expanded his activities together with other European leaders to promote Israel’s interests in Europe and to ensure that Israel’s voice is heard loud and clear.
I have spent most of my life dealing with Zionism, aliya and promoting Israel-Diaspora ties. I have met and gotten to know most of the world’s Jewish leaders, and it is my most fervent wish for the State of Israel and world Jewry to be blessed with more who are of the caliber, modesty, generosity and vision of Mick Davis.
ZE’EV BIELSKI
Ra’anana
The writer is a Kadima MK