The IDF also has a purchasing delegation abroad that is involved in the aspects of the deal, and there are not that many shipyards that build submarines.
By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Overlooked questionWhile concentrating on the role of a Netanyahu-affiliated lawyer in the purchase of submarines for the Israel Navy (“PM likely to be questioned over role in submarine affair,” November 24), everyone is ignoring the question of why there is an Israeli agent of the shipyard earning a huge commission on the purchase.Submarine purchases over the years have been through negotiations between the German and Israeli governments, with the Germans financing a large part of the purchases, which also require approval by the German government.The IDF also has a purchasing delegation abroad that is involved in the aspects of the deal, and there are not that many shipyards that build submarines.Please have your reporters look into the existence of this agent who, on the bottom line, adds a large cost that is built into the purchase price by the seller.DOUGLAS HANDELMANHoshayaConvenient amnesiaEducation Minister Naftali Bennett is right in raising the opportunity to turn the conversation away from a two-state solution (“Bennett says prime minister must tell Trump there can’t be Palestinian state,” November 24).Over the past 90 years, US administrations have had convenient amnesia about the entitlements of Jews and Arabs in the Middle East. To put the record straight, by virtue of a 1924 treaty with Great Britain, America specifically accepted all the terms of the Mandate for Palestine.The treaty was subsequently approved by the Senate in February 1925, and ratified by president Calvin Coolidge the next month, making the Mandate for Palestine and the Balfour Declaration of November 1917 domestic law of the US.This is a fact of great importance that has been conveniently forgotten, particularly by the outgoing Obama administration, which wrongly calls legally established Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria “obstacles to peace,” and whose expansion it considers “inflammatory and provocative.”As a result of the treaty, the US is legally barred from denouncing or taking any action against Israeli settlement activity in Judea and Samaria.JACK SHEBSONJerusalem Jerusalem for him“Jerusalem could ‘attract 10 million visitors a year’” (November 24) is a good headline and a great goal. As a store owner, I couldn’t ask for anything more.But it seems to me that the attributes of hi-tech and bio-tech, which The New York Times says represents the new Jerusalem, is not all that appealing.I didn’t make aliya to live in Silicon Valley East, where six cold, 20-story mammoths will beckon those minions of visitors to enter our city of gold. I get it, but I relate more to the spiritual Jerusalem of gold that kings and poets once wrote about.I suppose I just lament the fact that, to paraphrase your words, Jerusalem “had it all,” but soon won’t.JACOB HIMMELFARBJerusalemInsufficient responseWith regard to “Arab terrorist shot dead attacking security guard at Kalandiya checkpoint (November 23) and hundreds of previous examples, generally, the Israeli government considers the ruling or sovereign authority to be responsible for any attack from its territory. Under the International Law of War (Third Geneva Convention, Article 5), it is permissible for a sovereign state to take appropriate action against the place of origin of an unlawful combatant.Whenever a missile is fired from Gaza, no matter which terrorist organization claims credit, the Israeli government orders the IDF to attack Hamas installations because Hamas governs there.Similarly, with any attack from Hezbollah, the Lebanese government is considered responsible because it is the sovereign authority there.But in relation to terrorist attacks emanating from the Palestinian Authority, this rule is not followed. Considering these “lone wolf” attacks, the Israeli government only carries out retaliation against the guilty individuals, such as destroying their homes. This is a mistake, since it allows the PA to literally get away with murder.While our citizens are being murdered on a daily basis, the PA, which is both inciting this terrorist violence and rewarding the terrorists who carry it out, is not being held responsible. We should demand that after each attack, a counter-attack be carried out against PA facilities for deterrence.For example, for attacks on Israelis lining up at a rail station in Jerusalem, the road and rail transportation system of the PA should be attacked. This might conflict with Israeli policies that seek to support PA President Mahmoud Abbas, and also might anger our supposed ally, the current president of the United States, but the chief responsibility of any elected government is to protect the lives of its citizens – which this government is demonstrably not doing effectively.I submit that if this government does not hold the PA responsible for terrorism emanating from its territory, another government should be elected to replace it.JACK S. COHENNetanyaRidiculous idea With regard to “Army stands by decision to consider co-ed tank units” (November 23), several former generals and chief rabbis have come out against the idea. I am a feminist and proud of it. However, the idea – promoted by other feminists – is far off the mark.A tank provides the most intimate setting for soldiers. It is where they must take care of their bodily needs in the least modest of circumstances. I ask that women around the country demand that the IDF come to its senses and stop discussing this ridiculous idea ASAP.ARIELLA RUBIN JerusalemTime to move onIn “Defending Keith Ellison” (Comment & Features, November 23), Steve Rabinowitz, a “long-time Jewish Democratic activist” in the US, presents a fair and balanced appraisal of Keith Ellison, a possible appointee to head the Democratic National Committee.Rabinowitz concludes his piece, however, with an unrelated and unbalanced attack against President-elect Donald Trump. Unfortunately, this is typical of the irrational fears of many disenchanted, defeated Democrats.It is time to accept America’s fair and democratic election results: Donald Trump is the next president of the United States.MYRON and DEBORAH LIEBERMAN HerzliyaI get it. Your cartoonist doesn’t like Donald Trump. He really doesn’t like Donald Trump. In fact, his dislike of Donald Trump is so strong that it hardly allows him to move on to another subject even though the US election is now behind us.Does anybody think it’s amusing to equate Trump with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Syria’s Bashar Assad? I don’t.NAOMI SANDLER JerusalemRelief for Pollard Your November 20 editorial “Cruel and unusual,” concerning the sentence and parole restrictions imposed on Jonathan Pollard, speculates that President Barack Obama, before handing his office over to President-elect Donald Trump, will “let Pollard spend the rest of his days in Israel.”With all due respect, that won’t happen.The lame duck president has been bombarded by pleas from rabbis, priests and political dignitaries that he release Pollard from his harsh and unreasonable parole restrictions. While he has released thousands of felons from prison, including drug dealers, his hatred in having cruelly denied Pollard his wish to be at the deathbed and funeral of his father shows that one cannot expect any relief from him.As stated by former CIA director James R. Woolsey, “it is because Pollard is Jewish.” Fortunately for Pollard, Woolsey has been an avid supporter of Trump, and only here will he get his chance to come to Israel.LEONARD KAHN Zichron Ya’acov
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