The Israeli media have to be balanced, but at the same time they must be vigilant and critical.
By JERUSALEM POST READERSLetters 370(photo credit: REUTERS)
No crimeSir, – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says that the creation of Israel was a “crime” (“Denouncing nuclear arms, Iranian leader calls on J’lem to give up arsenal,” September 27).The State of Israel’s creation and existence is no crime. What is a crime is the lack of understanding regarding the creation of all the countries surrounding us.All life and politics in this region is tribal. When the British created the mandate for Palestine after World War I, they also helped create Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Syria and Lebanon without regard to tribal affiliation. Had they paid close attention to this and not to their greed for oil, internal strife would not exist on such a massive scale.We are a crime? No. What was created after that war was the crime. We are the victims of that crime.A. WEINBERG RehovotEye on the citadel Sir, – As usual, I find myself nodding in agreement with every sentence by Martin Sherman in “Like a man in a bucket (cont.)” (Into the Fray, September 27).But it might not be so hard to beat the Left-leaning elites on their own terms.Their anti-Zionist positions are based entirely on standards and principles deriving from the Christian West (one of which happens to be Jew-hatred), which are different from – and in some cases alien to – the Jewish tradition. If the Zionist Right can refortify its own positions solidly on Jewish history, literature, languages, law, philosophy, etc., the Left will be unable to respond.For this to happen, the Right has one very important citadel to take: Israeli education. From preschool to 12th grade, our children should learn what being a Jew is. Israeli universities might likewise be urged to strengthen the Jewish content of their curricula – minds capable of bringing this about are present in abundance.Right-wing Zionist philanthropists could help here greatly.In a generation or so, the Zionist intelligentsia Sherman seeks could be created, and the anti- Zionist Left would fade into welldeserved oblivion.MURRAY ROSOVSKY HaifaProcess of listening Sir, – Uri Savir’s latest column (“Process of peace, process of conflict,” Savir’s Corner, September 27) beggars belief.A simple look through a dictionary (try The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles) will reveal more than a column used to elaborate on the various meanings of the word “process.” Savir also brings in a German meaning for an English word noted for Middle Eastern, French and Latin sources.Luckily, this appears beneath Sarah Honig’s “Thanks for the revelations” (Another Tack), which sums up all the reasons to listen to Arab dialogue.Europe? In the process of being overrun by Islamic immigration that could threaten countries with the atomic bomb! As for Palestinians, where was that term before 1967? And they are “grappling with a fundamental dilemma,” that dilemma being to determine the best way to totally annihilate the only democratic state in the Middle East.The least Savir could do is listen and relate to what the leaders of neighboring countries are saying.EZRA BEN-MEIR Nahariya Exemplary friendship Sir, – “Why I am going to be a rabbi in Krakow, Poland” (Observations, September 27) touched my heart.Poland was in many ways different from other European states when its kings and governors invited Jews in countries of persecution to find a haven of rescue.It was in this land where we became 10 percent of the population.Poland was the first country in Europe and the second in the world to introduce a constitution with true human rights for everyone.Most leading founders of Israel had a Polish background.And, coincidentally, some words in Israel’s national hymn express a similarity to the anthem of the Polish people.In our time, since Poland’s freedom from oppression by foreign nations, every one of its presidents has stood by the Jewish people and its state. None tried to deny any of the atrocities committed against Jews by Poles under German or Soviet occupation – indeed, they appealed to Israel for forgiveness.During many visits to the land of my birth, I have sensed among its people a genuine love for Israel.Having just celebrated the Jewish New Year, I would be extremely delighted if The Jerusalem Post published my wishes: Niech zyje Polska! (It is similar to Am Yisrael chai!) May the renewed friendship be exemplary and prevail.HILLEL GOLDBERG JerusalemAn insult and untrue Sir, – I would like to refer to “A Zionistic media – utopian?” (Media Comment, September 25) by Yisrael Medad and Eli Pollak.These two gentlemen seem to claim that the Israeli media are dominated by post-Zionist journalists, and they mention Channel 2’s Amnon Abramowitz and Yonit Levy as examples of journalists who “have little contact with the Zionist ethos which led to the creation of the State of Israel.”This statement is an insult and untrue.Abramowitz was born at Kibbutz Nir Am, of which his parents were founders. He was awarded a citation by the chief of staff for bravery during the Yom Kippur War. He served in a tank, and at the end of a long fight that he conducted single-handedly he was very badly wounded, with burns all over his body.Many of the pilots and paratroopers who fought in the Six Day War and Yom Kippur War were secular, left-leaning kibbutzniks.All had very close contact with the Zionist ethos. For Medad and Pollak to claim otherwise is a distortion of history.The Israeli media have to be balanced, but at the same time they must be vigilant and critical.The existence of such media proves that this is a healthy, vibrant and democratic society.A. REMINI Modi’inSpare the effort Sir, – I want to congratulate Israel’s security forces for the speedy capture of Tomer Hazan’s murderer (“Palestinian lures, murders soldier in West Bank attack,” September 22).In light of that, I would like to recommend that the government release the terrorist now to save the Hazan family from having to grieve twice – now and when the terrorist is released in some future deal.YOSEF GLAZER Elazar Supplemental praise Sir, – I want to say a huge thank you for the outstanding Succot supplement (September 18).Every article was a treasure, but to me the most amazing and emotional one was the account of the flight that had to divert to Gander on September 11, 2001 (“The kindness of strangers”).What an incredible story! In an age when nearly all the news is about the terrible atrocities in the world, to read this really heartwarming article was an absolute delight.Equally, the article “Thirsting to be a Jew” by Yosef Begun was extremely moving. The amazing courage shown by him and all his fellow refuseniks was nothing short of breathtaking. Their bravery against the backdrop of the oppression in Russia and the risks to their lives that they undertook in their struggle to preserve and sustain their Judaism give pause to all us Western olim who never knew such persecution in our old countries.This supplement is truly a gem to be kept as a collector’s item.Thank you.GABRIELLE J. HALPERN Ra’ananaSir, – Your Simhat Torah supplement (September 25) appeared in a new font. This was most welcome.It was good to look at, easy to read, clear and attractive.It added to the enjoyment of all the articles.Thank you for this modernization.ANITA ELLIS Jerusalem
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