September 16: Crime...

I believe that Mr. Deri is getting too much coverage in the media.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
letters 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
letters 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Crime... Sir, - Kudos to Jeff Barak for his insightful and straightforward "A run on city hall?" (September 15) about Aryeh Deri's bid for the position of mayor of Jerusalem There is no doubt that Deri is charismatic - his followers' reaction underlined that very strongly when he was convicted and jailed for his crimes against the state and people he supposedly represented. Many white-collar criminals can charm their victims; that's why they are able to do what they do. I believe that Mr. Deri is getting too much coverage in the media. If he becomes mayor, it will be another black mark against the voters and their judgment. JUDY TELMAN Mevaseret Zion ...and punishment Sir, - Re "Pogroms & vigilantism" (Editorial, September 15): If Arabs in the territories behaved in this way against Jewish settlers, the police and army would respond with appropriate force, as they have in the past, and as they should. The question is, why do they not respond similarly to restore law and order when it involves settlers? Why do they not arrest those who incite settler rampages in Arab villages and attack IDF installations and personnel? Does the moral principle of "The bystander is guilty" no longer apply? And one wonders about the settlers who are oh, so religious, whether in their Mishna studies they have never come across Hillel's golden rule: "What is hateful to you, do not do unto others." RABBI URI THEMAL Kiryat Tivon Sir, - The settlers are castigated for their actions against the IDF. But since the IDF's actions against Gush Katif discredited it as the Israeli Defense Forces, why is the consequence of its loss of respect so "contemptible"? As for "We understand that these settlers feel under siege," how generous! The heroes of Yesha are under siege every day. On Jewish land given us forever. PESACH GOODLEY Telz Stone Justice was served Sir, - Whenever there is an article about the trial of the Rosenbergs as atomic spies, it is always surprising that the real reason for their convictions is not mentioned: their refusal to divulge the names of their confederates. While this would not satisfy law professors, it convinces me that justice was served. Indeed! The trial showed that there was an active Communist Party and that the atheistic communism of the imperialist Russia of that time was a real threat to the United States ("Rosenberg transcripts point to accusers' perjury," September 15). SIMCHA RUDMAN Jerusalem Brave and true Sir, - When Yitzhak Rabin succumbed to pressures within and without and shook the hand of death, I, along with Yuval Steinitz and millions of others, succumbed to the belief that the two-state path to peace was the right one. The second intifada shattered that illusion. Because Steinitz is not an ideologue and because he is free from the hubris and personal ambition that afflict most of our politicians, he bravely and publicly changed his mind, and his party. That act and subsequent judgments of his proved to me that he is the one most qualified to lead this country ("Steinitz warns a two-state solution would bring about Israel's demise," September 15). LEO SOLOMON Nahariya Tough spirit... Sir, - A few days ago I again watched Otto Preminger's 1960 epic Exodus. Though "tinged with Hollywood," it essentially depicted the tough spirit of Israelis of yesteryear. As the peace process apparently continues, this inept government seems intent on giving away our fought-for country, piece by piece. Piece process! ("Olmert reportedly offers Palestinians 98.1% of West Bank," September 15.) SARA SHAW Kfar Saba ...like our premier Sir, - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is to be commended on his last-ditch efforts to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians before leaving office. But rather than getting bogged down in irreconcilable issues like Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, why not offer the Palestinians 100% of Israel? If they accept the offer, we will know at last that they are sincere about peace. If they refuse, we can always resort to the well-worn Israeli negotiating tactic in face of Arab intransigence - make a more generous offer. KENNY FISHER Jerusalem Reverse crawl Sir, - Is it not humiliating for Israel to have to beg, bow and scrape to Hamas to get back Gilad Schalit? Would it not be better for a team of carefully trained Israeli commandos to go into Gaza and grab Ismail Haniyeh and, say, five of his fellows? Israel could then hold them against Schalit's release. It would make a refreshing change to watch Hamas come crawling to the Israeli government instead of the other way round, as has been the situation thus far ("'Sunday Times': Dughmush clan claims Schalit is living in a paradise," September 15). DOV AARONS London Sins of omission Sir, - I read the interview with Prof. Avishay Braverman and suffered two disappointments. First, I was disappointed that the MK, touting his desire to be the next education minister, nowhere mentioned Jewish values or Zionism as parallel to the gaining of wealth. Is this to be the solitary ultimate goal of his educational program? ("'We need a better educational system for economic growth,'" John Benzaquen and Sharon Wrobel, September 15). Once upon a time, an Israeli youth was made aware that the Jewish Bible is a legitimate source of history and civilized living. This element of infrastructure as part of a financially comfortable way of life made Israel worth living in and fighting for - but it was absent from Prof. Braverman's program as laid out in this interview. My second disappointment? That the interviewers did not ask him about it. DAN VOGEL Jerusalem God's watch Sir, - Re "Why rabbis are unfazed by quest for the 'God particle'" (September 12): The main reason religious people and scientists are excited is that, as Einstein put it so crisply, "The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible." Or, as Rabbi Akiva said thousands of years ago, "The watch implies the watchmaker." MENACHEM EPSTEIN Jerusalem Come Together Sir, - "Islamic leader threatens McCartney over TA show" (September 15) is but another example of Muslim intimidation. The idea that Muslims alone have the right to determine moral standards for everyone is frightening. Israel is a country which is tolerant of every religion, and of diverse opinions. The Islamic world, in contrast, cannot tolerate diversity. It does not permit freedom of expression, and when a country allows its Muslim minority such freedom, it is immediately berated and blackmailed by this same Muslim minority. Kudos to Paul McCartney for standing up to such blatant bullying, and to the people of Israel who will ever have their Jewish state. TOBY WILLIG Jerusalem