By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)A resounding yes Reader Yehuda Gross takes exception to Dov Lipman’s suggestion that haredim who block traffic be put in jail (“Enough is enough,” Letters, October 23). He says the handicapped people are doing the same thing and asks: “Should we throw them in jail for at least six months and punish their leaders?” The answer to that question is a resounding yes. They are breaking the law and seem to find it within their rights to make everyone else suffer secondary to their grievances.I know misery loves company, but the company does not deserve to be miserable.Even the ultra-Orthodox would have to agree that it is forbidden by the Torah to make your fellow man (woman, child, secular or modern Orthodox) suffer.AVRAHAM SCHWARTZJerusalem Long time comingWith regard to “Police: We handled haredi draft protesters carefully and cautiously” (October 22), it might be factual, but failing to do so in a timely fashion is what is irksome – and aggravating to most. It is also debatable whether these protesters should have been handled so “carefully and cautiously.”There was more than a 12-hour warning of the impending closures. A mere minuscule percentage of the larger haredi sect, the so-called Peleg Yerushalmi was able to bring a country to its knees for much of the day, robbing precious time from thousands of commuters, causing the canceling of work for many and stranding thousands of working people and schoolchildren.The police knew beforehand, and many thought they were preparing to prevent these intolerable protests. Instead, the despicable, irrelevant minority “allowed” the police to proceed with careful and cautious behavior.Putting aside the irony of their hefty list of sins against a Torah they claim to hold dear (in addition to breaking laws), let’s compare a protest that actually had the basis and affected a greater percentage of Israeli citizens on the physical and emotional level – the Gush Katif protests of 2005, when police behavior seemed to border on brutality.Where was their concern to handle the protesters “carefully and cautiously”? A considerable number of school-aged girls were jailed for weeks at a time for their crime of standing on street corners, not blocking anybody and exercising their freedom of speech. Theirs was a legitimate cause – and a tragic ending. Peleg Yerushalmi’s cause is stupid, sadly resulting in only law-breaking and the breeding of civil hatred.Bravo to the police, who have perhaps come full circle and perhaps are doing penitence for their past behavior.PHYLLIS HECHTHashmonaim Legally ownedRegarding “State: Hebron building must be evacuated” (October 22), why does the government pursue the legal settlers of Hebron to the point of harassment? Their case is very sure. They purchased the building legally.Unfortunately, the government has not backed the settlers when it should have. The settlers cannot be abandoned because they desire to make sure that there is a Jewish presence in Hebron.It is most important that the purchase documents be inspected by international lawyers whose opinions will be independent and neutral, and thus completely above suspicion. Then let those poor families reside in the building they legally own.THELMA SUSSWEINJerusalem Buying time In “Peace conditions” (Editorial, October 22), you write that Hamas was forced to finally “admit its utter failure in governing Gaza.” This implies that Hamas actually has tried to govern Gaza.Cement provided to Gaza has gone to build tunnels, not hospitals.Who runs the schools there? The UN. Where are the farms for growing food and the sewage treatment plants to treat and protect the water? Why must Gazans seek medical care in Israel? Hamas has never tried to govern Gaza. The reason for asking the Palestinian Authority to do so?Hamas now realizes that the people might overthrow it for neglect before it succeeds in destroying us. Hamas is simply trying to buy time.BARRY LYNNEfrat #metooIn “#metoo in Israel” (Editorial, October 20), the writer states that “self-control and personal integrity are largely lacking in the modern world.” The implication is that sexual harassment is worse than ever before.Can this be backed up with facts? I’m willing to bet that the situation was far worse 50 or 100 years ago.I remember my father’s pride in this story: Many years ago, during a meeting of the central committee of the now-defunct Mapai party, Golda Meir fondly put her hand on his knee. Maybe she needed his vote.These days, he would call the cops.YIGAL HOROWITZBeersheba We continuously read in the media the names of men who have sexually harassed women. These men and their families have already paid overwhelmingly with their degrading reputations for immoral and disgraceful actions. Why is it necessary to keep on reminding us?WOOLF KANTORHerzliya View of a treaty It is clear that Iran’s refusal to allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect its military facilities (“Trump’s ‘calm before the storm’ is a message to North Korea and Iran,” Comment & Features, October 10) means the Iranians can advance their nuclear ambitions in contravention of their obligations to the nuclear deal.This behavior is consistent with the Prophet Mohammed’s dictum that a treaty is simply a convenient arrangement to further the cause of Islam against the infidel and can be abrogated whenever the circumstances allow – such as advancing the Iranian cause.WILLIE STEINBERGJerusalem Views of TrumpWhen the swamp stinks of a specific odor left from eight disastrous years of rule by an administration that for the first time in US history promoted and led an anti-American agenda, it should and must be drained. It should be drained as quickly as possible so as not to infect and contaminate the salutary waters of the great American nation’s freedom.Ex-president Barack Obama was neither a liberal nor a democrat – he knew only how to exploit the artfully liberal feelings of Americans to promote an agenda that wasn’t American at all.President Donald Trump, please make America great, Godly and American again! Drain the muddy swamp so that the blind leaders of the blind won’t drown the nation! May the Lord bless you in fulfilling this mission!PETER ROTBERGRamleDuring a bereavement call to the widow of a soldier killed in Niger, President Donald Trump said: “He knew what he was getting into.”He was simply saying: “Don’t blame me.” It was cowardly, which is why our president said it.It also says: “Blame your son for your sorrow,” a brutal statement, which is why our president said it.It also says: “Though this is a bereavement call, I offer you my excuse from responsibility as your son’s commander in chief and a brutal sentiment to add to your grief.” It was an incompetent and vicious statement, which is why our president said it.DON KRIEGERPittsburgh, Pennsylvania With 80% of Puerto Rico still without power, President Donald Trump rates his handling of the catastrophe a “10.”I beg to differ. I would rate his effort a “10” – below zero. Of course, anyone who dares to challenge him would be flipped off with the usual “fake news” retort.Good grief, can’t anyone in this sorry excuse for an administration get through to him?HERB STARKMooresville, North Carolina
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