Worry, pride, and grief
Since October 7, I – like most Israelis – have read everything I could, watched what I could see, and even written some of my thoughts. I have donated, prayed, volunteered, paid shiva calls, and walked around with a heavy heart, while trying to continue with everyday life with as good spirits as possible.
But it wasn’t until I read Yitz Greenberg’s poignant “The Binding of Isaac and Israeli children” (November 30) that warm tears welled up in my eyes. By comparing the experience of Israeli parents today who send their children into the army with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son, he brought to the fore the worry, pride, and grief which face all Israeli parents today.
I remembered an incident from many years ago. When I was congratulating a young mother during the bar mitzvah festivities of her first son, she turned to me and said: “Yes, but this is the moment when every Israeli mother begins to think of the day when her son will enter the army.”
May we all have the strength and wisdom of our forefathers, and may the time come that we are no longer tested in such a manner.
MARION REISS
Beit Shemesh
Talented wordsmiths
Kudos on the rich selection of opinion pieces on December 1. Avi Mayer’s “Where are our allies?” pointed an accusatory finger with deadly accuracy at the hypocritical so-called progressive populist movements that seek attention and empowerment but turn a decidedly antisemitic blind eye to one very specific minority.
Herb Keinon, as always a keen observer of the Israel reality, reflected on the emotional turmoil we are all experiencing (“A week like no other in Israel’s history”). Last, but certainly not least, was the weekly article by Liat Collins (“Parting shots and freedom”).
Liat is arguably one of the most talented wordsmiths I can ever recall, and it is with a note of sadness to see her depart her “beat,” though I am reassured that we will still see her weekly column. I wish her many years of rewarding retirement in good health and spirit.
Finally, I would like to appeal to the editorial board to consider bringing the author and journalist Douglas Murray on board as a weekly contributor. I have followed his appearances on various media platforms since the black Simchat Torah, and found his reporting factual and his commentary both sympathetic and objective. He can offer an insightful contribution to The Jerusalem Post.
JOEL KUTNER
Jerusalem
The modern Hitler
I hope our war cabinet has read the December 1 Jerusalem Post, starting with David Weinberg’s “Enough truce.” He wrote very clearly about what has concerned me. Why has Hamas been so anxious to negotiate repeated “pauses” in the war? What are they doing during such pauses?
I fear that they have been planting traps, and bombs to be detonated, as our soldiers advance in the war, starting with the northern end where we have already fought to decimate the Hamas underground bunkers and command posts.
In addition, I fear that Yedidia Stern was right in “Israel’s Achilles’ heel.” Hamas, and in particular Hamas-Gaza head Yahya Sinwar, the modern Hitler who was one of those released in exchange for Gilad Schalit, knows firsthand of this Israeli trait.
His life was saved by Israeli surgeons when he incurred a brain injury. We value each and every life, even that of our enemies, and we will do almost anything to save a life. But Hamas will not give up the last few hostages unless we surrender. We cannot wait for that.
As Yedidia Stern suggests between the lines, we may have to fight and bomb Gaza even while risking the lives of remaining hostages. We need to bomb Gaza so totally that the Hamas will surrender all the remaining hostages in exchange for their own lives. That may be the last card up their sleeves, as their last resort to save their own necks, may that day come very soon.
SHIMON GALITZER
Jerusalem
The most moral
Regarding “US: IDF must protect Gaza civilians in war” (December 1), this is the epitome of chutzpah. Many important statesmen agree that the IDF is the army that is the most moral and concerned with protecting civilians during conflicts. Who has ever heard of armies dropping leaflets warning civilians of upcoming assaults? Who has ever heard of clearing roads for the evacuation of civilians so that they can avoid the conflict, and giving them safe passage even though the terrorists try to prevent it? Who has ever heard of organizing safe zones to protect civilians?
Was America concerned with the loss of civilian lives when it dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Was America concerned with civilian losses among the Vietnamese during the Vietnam War? Were the Allies concerned about the loss of civilians when they bombed Dresden? What about the fact that they could not spare some bombs to destroy the railways which were taking the Jews to the gas chambers?
Most probably there must exist some Gazan inhabitants who do not agree with the Hamas terrorists, but from all accounts the majority enjoy it when Israelis are killed, even distributing candy to celebrate the loss of life and congratulating the killers. These are the people who the US wants Israel to safeguard. This is disgusting.
HANNAH GERSHON
Jerusalem
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that “Israel must put in place a civilian protection plan that minimizes the loss of [Gazan] civilian life.” I challenge the secretary to name even just one country at war in the history of the world that was required, or even asked, to protect the civilians of their enemy.
It is totally absurd that he should ask Israel to direct the IDF to risk our soldiers’ lives to protect Gazan civilians. If he is so concerned for Gazan civilians, why doesn’t he put pressure on Hamas, the rulers of Gaza, to protect its citizens. If that doesn’t work, which is very likely, he can also reach out to all the countries which consistently defend Hamas in the UN to put pressure on the terrorist organization to refrain from using its “innocent” civilians as human shields.
RAYMOND ARKING
Modi’in
Naive French envoy
I should like to thank the French ambassador for his “warning” to Israel as described in “French envoy warns: Israel’s security ties with Jordan and Egypt may be at risk” (December 1). If the Gaza war spirals, he claims, Israel may lose its special relations with Jordan and Egypt, since the displaced hordes of bloodthirsty butchers may infiltrate into those countries.
So what would he have us do? They cannot stay in Gaza on Israel’s flimsy doorstep. Egypt has barred them for many years. Jordan massacred them in “Black September” and the fragile Jordanian social structure is already stretched to its limits. One wonders if the naive French envoy would like to welcome them to the French Republic, already overrun by similarly-motivated Muslims?
Who knows? They may even make their way, like so many others, illegally across the English Channel to the UK. This brings to mind the wonderful bittersweet story of the four Muslims in a small boat apprehended by British customs control and asked what they were doing.
They replied that they had come to conquer England. The customs officer asked: “What, just the four of you?” They replied: “No, the rest of us are there already.”
LAURENCE BECKER
Jerusalem