While our leadership allows the “Claims Conference” to humiliate the survivors by accepting in negotiations with the Germans laughable sums of money, survivors have never been justly represented.
By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Plight ignoredAs a hidden child Holocaust survivor, I demand that all this “insanity” about who was more responsible for slaughtering six million innocent Jews – among them a million and a half children – stop. (“PM: In no way did I intend to absolve Hitler of his crime,” November 1) It is outrageous that during this time of terrorist attacks, the plight of the survivors has been totally ignored, except for these “twilight zone” scenarios that our leadership keeps coming up with. The Holocaust survivors have been waiting for decades for the State of Israel and its people to find its Jewish soul, its humanity, but it appears it went up in flames with our families who perished.How else can you explain the injustice, the perverse turning of backs on a group of people who should be cherished by our society? Our leaders live lives of luxury and are unconcerned as to how the Claims Conference representatives manage to defraud the survivors all these years. While our leadership allows the “Claims Conference” to humiliate the survivors by accepting in negotiations with the Germans laughable sums of money, survivors have never been justly represented nor have we been respectfully treated by any stretch of the imagination.DOROTHY SCHWARTZ-DORONTel AvivNo substitute Your editorial “Reconsidering BDS” (October 30) was a superb precis of the arguments – the logic and accuracy of which are incontestable for anyone for whom facts are more important than lies, violence, hatred and hypocrisy.My problem was to whom was this editorial addressed? For the large majority of readers this succinct summary only brought a buttress to their pre-existing views and knowledge.For a few journalists and diplomats this was yet another indication that the English-speaking lobby has nothing to offer in the fight except words, irony, hot air and phlegm.I am sorry to say that these reasoned masterpieces of rationality are no substitute for raw action. Our foes are divided between cynical racialists who know the truth but deliberately ignore it, and the larger mass of gullible ignoramuses who are led by the fashion of the streets and salons. These people do not read The Jerusalem Post.At a recent conference of Jewish and Israeli doctors in London, who discussed the tidal wave of BDS activities in medical and scientific arenas, it was proposed that nothing less than a global mass campaign under Israel leadership is necessary. This would involve an appeal by Israel to the many thousands of Jewish organizations and philanthropists all over the world to suspend every other activity, however creditable, and come together in an emergency effort, a true answer to the call of the hour. This is the best way to counter the evil spreading like a cancer all over the world today.ANTHONY LUDER Rosh PinaWhat the editorial on “Reconsidering BDS” fails to consider is the most fundamental fact about the BDS movement. It is that the rationale behind BDS has come about as a result of decades of sophisticated anti-Israel propaganda.The propaganda targeted universities and university lecturers. |In 2005 Amir Taheri, an Iranian-born author, estimated the Islamic propaganda machine bill to be “about $100 billion dollars in the last two decades alone.”This would suggest that trying to change the boycotters’ minds would not be productive.It is better to defend and promote Israel among those who have not fully succumbed to the propaganda.LYNETTE ORDMANNetanyaCannot fathomI was shocked and disappointed by “The Temple as idolatry” (Middle Israel, Observations, October 30) written by Amotz Asa-El, whom I always enjoy reading for his insight and depth despite often disagreeing with him. In this piece I feel he has lost it. If the potential for corruption and stupidity and poor decision- making were the criteria for ceasing to pursue an otherwise worthy project, then we should have left and given up on this Zionist project a long time ago! The Temple is so central to Jewish tradition and law that it is referred to in the Tanach more times than any other mitzva. It is the very center of our purpose in being here, and the core of the sovereignty that Asa-El so rightly emphasizes as paramount in importance.Instead of focusing on the possibly bad things that could happen there, why not focus on how it will eventually be – when the Jews rightly control it and use it for its intended glorious purposes – a central place for all the peoples of the world, of all religions, to unite in the service of the one God. Looking at it that way, I cannot fathom how any Jew would not yearn for that future wonderful time and could possibly suggest that there is something wrong with believing Jews continuing to visit and love this most special spot on Earth.DEBORAH BUCKMAN Beit ShemeshJust an illusionUS Secretary of State John Kerry has finally stated the obvious (“Kerry: Palestinian leaders must stop their incitement,” October 29). But I totally disagree with him regarding his statement that “this is what it will look like if there is not a two-state solution.”How does he know that – can he predict the future? It is purely a guess on his part, but for us it could be life or death. On the contrary, I predict that if there is a two-state solution things will get much worse. The putative Palestinian State will become another failed Arab State which will invite more terrorists in, including Islamic State that is not far away, and the situation will be like we now have with Gaza. Yet another failed terrorist mini-state on our border.To avoid this situation, there needs to be not only a cessation of incitement, but also a recognition by the Palestinian leadership of Israel’s existence as the Jewish state. Without that a two-state solution is an illusion of foreign diplomats.YAAKOV BEN-MEIR NetanyaBlurred linesThe writer of the October 29 editorial, “Terrorism, not terror,” was guilty of distorting reality and misrepresenting Israeli behavior. By citing a few isolated negative events and suggesting they represent a pattern, the author blurred the stark differences between Arabs and Jews. In fact, Arab terrorism resulted in 1,282 Jewish deaths since 2000. These Arab attacks have been premeditated, indiscriminate and unprovoked.In contrast, the editorial mentions by way of example the following Jewish attacks on the Arabs: graffiti, one murder of an Arab youth, an alleged firebombing of a family (no one was ever accused of the crime), farmland disputes, and a verbal confrontation between a resident of Itamar and a “human rights” advocate – hardly a pattern of terrorism! All Jews are not angels. We have our zealots but their numbers are negligible and their violence controlled. Our judicial system will not ignore an unlawful act from anyone.The editorial blows out of all proportion Jewish acts of violence; certainly these acts in no way approach the widespread cold-blooded cruelty of our neighbors. The most harmful effect of attempting to equate Jewish and Arab terrorism is that it fails to separate good from evil.ROBERT DUBLIN Jerusalem
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