By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Diskin’s diatribe One hardly knows whether to laugh or cry at the “ominous” words of a former Shin Bet head (“Religious Zionism ‘on its way to taking over,’ Diskin warns,” August 9).Perhaps Yuval Diskin can enlighten us as to what he believes is the reason the Jewish people returned, with God’s help, to our ancient homeland, the Land of Israel, after 2,000 years, if not to resurrect the Biblical and historic values of religious Zionism? It is the height of irony that the daily, nefarious Arab terrorist attacks – responsible for over 2,000 murdered and more than 6,000 wounded Israelis since the Oslo so-called “peace process” – did not impel Diskin, when he headed the Shin Bet, to warn about the danger of accelerated Arab violence against Jews, which threatens the very survival of the Jewish state! His diatribe against those of his own brethren who uphold Torah laws that have kept the Jewish people alive for generations depicts an abysmal display of arrogance and ignorance.SHIFRA HOFFMANJerusalemIncidents concerning acts of violence against civilians should always be condemned. However, media reports lacking context also require redress.That a few Jewish hotheads should take the law into their own hands should not result in the castigation of an entire segment of the Jewish populace. Why have the media failed to quantify the thousands of terrorist acts perpetrated against Jews by Islam’s finest and thus demonstrate some form of balance? And why not question the in-your-face parade by members of Jerusalem’s gay society, when these people could have utilized the democracy afforded them in a more appropriate setting? The conclusion to Connor Cruise O’Brien’s 1986 tour de force The Siege has only 11 words: “What is not in sight is an end to the siege.” Had he completed his book today, he would not have differed in his conclusion.ALEX ROSEAshkelonLet them die Regarding “Lawyer: Israel planning to force-feed hunger-striking Palestinian security prisoner” (August 9), the time has come to heed the voice of the international community.We must stop force-feeding prisoners who are on hunger strikes.We cannot rationally release them, as this would invite all prisoners to act similarly. We must let them die.SAMUEL ROSENBLUMBeit ShemeshUnfunny cartoon Your August 9 Cartoon Kronicles was totally unnecessary trash! Not funny. Bad taste. How did this get by your editors? Shame on you!ELLEN JAFFEJerusalemIran deal Congratulations to Caroline B.Glick for her recent Times Square anti-Iran-deal address and her more recent and continuing expose “Obama’s enemies list” (Column One, August 7). I (and, no doubt, all realists) trust it is feasible that not only President Barack Obama’s hazardous incompetence, but his lack of allegiance to both Israel and the US, will not just be read between the lines, but will be publicly questioned and exposed before time runs out vis-a-vis both the Iran deal and the next US election.God willing, this will come to fruition when both the US House and Senate reject Obama and his catastrophic deal, and simultaneously burst his dangerous and narcissistic anti-Israel and anti-US bubble.ALAN CROOCKKfar SabaIn the preface to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the official name of the agreement between the P5+1 and Iran on the latter’s nuclear program, the effort is described as “ensuring that Iran’s nuclear program will be exclusively peaceful.”The futility of the deal is revealed in its first few lines since, as noted in “Amidror’s analysis: Whether Iran cheats or not, it’s en route to nukes” (August 7), Iran’s nuclear program has no civilian element. With 10 percent of the world’s known petroleum reserves, the country has no need for a civilian nuclear program.Two other factors should be borne in mind when assessing the dangers of the plan.1. Iran cannot be trusted. It is a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. This states that the sentence of death can be imposed only for the most serious crimes, generally understood to mean intentional murder. Despite this, Iran has carried out more executions than any other country except China – which is not a signatory to the covenant (“UN: Iran must halt death penalty,” August 6).2. The nuclear deal signed in Vienna makes no provision for surprise inspection visits. Thus, Iran can violate the provisions of the plan, secure in the knowledge that if an inspection visit is ever agreed upon, it will have plenty of time to hide the signs of forbidden activities.The sanctions against Iran were biting. Eventually, Tehran would have had to agree to terms preventing it from going nuclear.Apparently, it was more important for those negotiating with Iran to have a done deal than to hold out for an effective one.GERRY MYERSBeit ZayitUS President Barack Obama, in his recent address at American University in Washington (“Obama: We have a choice between diplomacy and war,” August 6), compared the Iranian nuclear situation to the Cold War.He conveniently overlooked the difference between the situations.Russia possessed nuclear bombs. Iran does not. What a difference! Additionally, doesn’t President Obama know what happened with the negotiations that took place with North Korea? Pyongyang fooled the West! I. SIEGMAN Beit Shemesh Obscene... and sad Every other Wednesday, I enjoy reading Judy Montagu’s thoughtful In My Own Write columns. It was no different when I read “What’s deemed obscene” (August 5).Not an English speaker by birth, I want to point out another aspect of using obscenities. I have problems watching modern English-language movies and TV series. English is such a rich language, but it is being killed by using the F-world on every occasion, appropriate or not.I think this is very sad.RUTH SCHUELERJerusalemYouth power Being gay, I attended the protest rally in Tel Aviv following the stabbings at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade (“Thousands of demonstrators attend anti-violence rallies around country,” August 2).During the rally, I heard many words of wisdom from the mouths of young gay folks, some of whom had attended the deadly parade. Courageously, they spoke about the necessity to keep marching despite the fear.It made me proud to see ideologically driven youth who are actively involved in working with and for the community, and fighting for the future of their democratic country. I felt awed watching these people. I felt something so sad, yet so powerful.Unfortunately, the media focused on the reluctance of the some among the crowd to allow certain politicians to speak.Regardless of whether they were right or wrong, I am angry at the leaders of the gay community who, it seems, were trying to use the gathering as a lever to pressure politicians who, in turn, were seeking to use the event for their own political gains.The words of the young members of the community who spoke attest to the power of the community, as well as the power of Israeli youth at large. This power is not, and can never be, handed down by politicians. It is the power to stand up, proud and fierce.TALYA RECHAVITel Aviv
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