September 15: Back to the future

If there were any questions about Russia's true intentions in the Middle East, the Russian aid to Iran in its nuclear program should dispel any doubt.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
letters 88 (photo credit: )
letters 88
(photo credit: )
Back to the future Sir, - If there were any questions about Russia's true intentions in the Middle East, the Russian aid to Iran in its nuclear program should dispel any doubt ("Russia prepares to launch Iran's nuke plant," September 9). After agreeing to supply both Iran and Syria with advanced weaponry systems and thwarting UN efforts to impose meaningful sanctions on Iran, the Russians are now committing the ultimate aggression by assisting an Iranian nuclear program aimed at the destruction of Israel. Russia has returned to its pre-1982 Cold War stance. If the US does nothing, the consequences for Israel may be catastrophic. NELSON MARANS Silver Spring, Maryland Free 'em all Sir, -The release of 198 Palestinian prisoners "was a smart and courageous move," Yossi Alpher writes ("In praise of prisoner releases," September 9). Past governments used "draconian sentences as strong deterrent punishment with a refusal to use prisoner releases as confidence-building gestures... One negative result has been the creation of incentives for Palestinians... to kidnap Israelis." So tomorrow, let's empty the jails and send all the inmates to Ramallah! Just think, at once we will have freed up enough trained security personnel to protect our city streets. And instead of giving murderers university educations, we will have an influx of much-needed funds for our schools. Thousands of social welfare cases could be helped by the money that has gone on feeding all those prisoners. And Hamas will have to invent a new excuse for not releasing Gilad Schalit. SHARON ALTSHUL Jerusalem Wronged by whom? Sir, - James Adler is right: "The Palestinians have been wronged" ("Punishing good deeds," Letters, September 9). But by whom? Here are some answers, from others than Israelis: • "The fact that there are these refugees is a direct consequence of the Arab States in opposing partition and the Jewish State." (Emile Ghoury, Secretary of the Arab Higher Committee, Sept. 6, 1948) • "The Arab States do not want to solve the refugee problem. They want to keep it as an open sore, as an affront to the United Nations, and as a weapon against Israel. Arab leaders do not give a damn whether Arab refugees live or die." (Ralph Galloway, former head of UNWRA, in Amman, 1958) • "The refugees were confident that their absence would not last long, and that they would return within a week. Their leaders had promised them that the Arab armies would crush the 'Zionist gangs' very quickly, and that there was no need for panic or fear of a long exile." (Monsignor George Hakim, Greek Catholic bishop of Galilee, Sada al Janub, Aug. 16, 1948) • "It must not be forgotten that the Arab Higher Committee encouraged the refugees' flight from their homes in Jaffa, Haifa and Jerusalem." (Near East Arabic Broadcasting Station, Cyprus, April 3, 1949) • "The Arab governments told us: 'Get out so that we can get in.' So we got out, but they did not get in." (Arab refugee's letter in the Ad-Difaa Jordanian daily, Sept. 6, 1954) • "Arab leaders were responsible for the [Arab] flight, disseminating exaggerated rumors of Jewish atrocities in order to incite the Arabs, thus instilling fear in the hearts of the Palestinians. The Jews haven't attacked any Arab village, unless attacked first." (Ismail Safwat, Commander of Palestinian Operations, in March, 1948. Al-Urdun Jordanian daily, April 9, 1953) • "Villages were frequently abandoned even though they were not threatened by the progress of war." (Glubb Pasha, commander of the Jordanian Arab Legion, London Daily Mail, Sept. 12, 1948) • "We brought destruction on the refugees by calling on them to leave their homes." (Khaled al-Azam, Syrian prime minister in 1949, Memoirs, 1953) The truth has been concealed for too long. MEIR ABELSON Beit Shemesh Direct access Sir, - In "Who's in charge here?" (September 9) Amnon Rubinstein noted that in our country unelected functionaries are more influential than elected politicians. But, in fact, we don't elect our politicians - only parties. The solution is not to tinker with our proportional-party system, as the writer proposes, but to elect our representatives directly to serve us. B. LYNN Efrat Paid leave Sir, - Re "Evacuation compensation cabinet debate unrelated to PA talks" (September 7): Maybe certain MKs would not be adverse to receiving money to leave the Knesset. YONATAN SILVER Jerusalem When 'kosher' means profits Sir, - Further to "TA hotels enforce Shabbat checkout times" (September 8): I think the confusion is caused by the difference between the Diaspora and Israel. Outside Israel, kosher hotels serve mainly the Orthodox community, and are therefore Shabbat-observant. In Israel, even totally secular hotels geared to non-Jewish holiday makers have kashrut certificates to widen their potential market - i.e. to make more money. To us Orthodox Jews, "kosher" = frum; to them, "kosher" = more income. When people book hotels in advance, the hotels must tell them that the checkout time applies even on Shabbat. Otherwise they risk negative publicity, and that equals loss of income! JOSEPH FELD London No mention of God - how odd! Sir, - I noted that presidential nominee John McCain's acceptance speech contained five references to God ("Where Obama was soaring, McCain was sobering," September 7). The Jewish people have held fast to faith in God for 3,000 years, and gave belief in God to the world. It is no less than utterly shameful that the secular leaders of Israel today fail to display any faith in God and studiously refrain from ever referring to Him in their speeches and public utterances. Does this not reflect a serious Israeli identity crisis and call for profound national soul-searching? NAFTALI WAGSCHAL Brooklyn More cures for deficient drivers Sir, - Further to the excellent "Traditional cures for an old dog" (Letters, September 4): Yael Cohen's suggestion of rehab service for violators of driving laws reminded me of something I've been thinking about for years Before receiving their licenses, all applicants should be required to volunteer in a rehab center for a period of time which would depend on the applicant's age, with those under 20 doing the maximum. Hopefully, this would sober people up even before they get on the road. I've also long dreamed of a system whereby someone who's being tailgated could press a button that would light up a sign in the back window, reminding the driver behind to maintain a safer following distance. Just the word Merhak! (distance) would be sufficient. It could even be connected to the brake pedal. NACHAMA KANNER Rehovot Butting out Sir, - Chaim Fachler's letter "Smoky stations" (September 7) urging that smoking in train stations be restricted is a good start. Let's extend it to bus stops. If smokers got ticketed for each cigarette butt thrown on the ground, we would have not only less smoking and lower rates of heart disease and cancer as a result, but also less litter. MACK Jerusalem