Readers respond to the latest 'Jerusalem Post' articles.
By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Full-force slursSir, – I’m so glad that it was the intrepid mayor of Jerusalem who, with his bodyguards, subdued the latest terrorist (“J’lem mayor tackles terrorist seconds after suspect stabs Jewish man,” February 23).Just imagine the whoop-de-do if our (equally intrepid) prime minister had done the same. The whole Left wing – Isaac Herzog, Tzipi Livni and Zehava Gal-On (the gang of three!) would be shrieking “Election ploy!” They would then demand to investigate the poor victim in the hospital. Or, better yet, the victim’s wife.I have lived in this country a long time. Never have I seen a more disgraceful, vicious and shameful election campaign.When do we get to discuss the issues? Channel 10 devotes more than 15 minutes of its nightly “news” broadcasts to anything but news. The first 15 minutes are just character assassination. If we want to see what’s going on in the rest of the world – even as close as Lebanon or Syria – we are left with the skewed reports of the BBC or CNN.Blizzards in North America? Attacks on Jews in Europe? Armed Iranian proxies now sitting on our borders? Who cares, as long as the slurs against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his family are going full-force. Luckily, the Israeli electorate just isn’t that stupid and can easily identify what’s really going on.THELMA JACOBSONPetah TikvaRaising his voiceSir, – Regarding the withholding of monthly tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority (“Jerusalem hits back at claims it is causing collapse of PA,” February 23), our government must state to all concerned (the PA, the US, the EU and Arab countries such as Qatar) that since the Palestinians have not paid their electricity and water bills and now have a debt in excess of $500 million owed to Israeli companies, the withheld funds will go toward paying off the debt.I have been saying this for a long time, but it seems our government has not noticed. Maybe it should.MURRAY JOSEPHKiryat MotzkinGet in, already!Sir, – Regarding “German Jews hide Jewish magazine for fear of attacks” (February 22), when reading the article I thought perhaps I had picked up a paper from 1935, not 2015.When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells European Jews to move to Israel, he is criticized by many in the European Jewish world (e.g., the chief rabbi of Copenhagen was “disappointed” when Netanyahu made his call).It reminds me of the old joke: A man’s house is flooding and his life is in imminent danger. He begins to pray to God to save him, and in succession an emergency vehicle, a boat and a helicopter come to his rescue. In each case he rejects the help and says he’s waiting for God.Sure enough, he dies, and when he gets to heaven he asks God why he didn’t save him. God replies: I sent you an emergency vehicle, a boat and a helicopter.European Jews, get in the damn helicopter!AVI SCHREIBERHashmonaimSame rhetoricSir, – With regard to “First Jew sworn in as US envoy for religious freedom” (February 22), Jewish pride at the appointment of David Saperstein is more than tempered by his acceptance speech.“Even in Western Europe we are witnessing a steady increase in anti-Muslim acts and rhetoric and anti-Semitic discourse and acts of desecration and violence against Jewish individuals, synagogues and institutions and communities,” Saperstein is quoted as saying.Such moral equivalence between anti-Muslim acts and rhetoric, on the one hand, and open, violent and murderous anti-Semitic acts committed by and large by Muslims the world over, on the other, is in itself immoral and scandalous. Ultimately, though, it might be the main reason he was chosen for this rather lofty position, because this is exactly the same rhetoric and attitude that US President Barack Obama has been preaching.Any anti-Muslim feelings in Western Europe are the direct result of Islamic terror and murder in the name of Islam, and not because of some amorphous Western prejudice against Muslims.The role of “chief adviser on religious liberty” means nothing if Saperstein continues to place the worst perpetrators of religious oppression and persecution that the world has known for a long time on the same level as their hapless, helpless victims.GERSHON HARRISHatzor HaglilitBizarre diversionSir, – With regard to “Weinstein to decide on criminal investigation of PM this week” (February 22), what a bizarre, crazy state of affairs! An investigation over an accusation leveled against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by a spiteful, disgruntled employee. Is this what our prime minister has to contend with while preparing to give the speech of his life in defense of our country?ISSY RIEBACKKfar YonaEvil intentionsSir, – So the EU and the US have issued a new threat (“EU officials: Short honeymoon for next PM on Palestinian issue,” February 20).In their pretext to seek justice for the Palestinians, their real aim is to destroy Israel. They are shamefully threatening and openly interfering in Israeli elections by wanting the Herzog/Livni party voted in.This hostile EU/US alliance believes it can put pressure on this duo in order to dictate its own conditions and Palestinian demands for a peace deal that will include giving up all territories won in 1967. Giving up the Jordan Valley alone will spell the death of Israel. Then Jordan will fall, and Islamic State, Hamas, the PLO and other terrorists will rain bombs on every Israeli city.Whichever party gets in, its leaders should heed the words of Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett: “We need to stop being scared; the fear makes them threaten us more... and the world smells fear” (“Bennett: No land concessions, strong IDF and proud Jewish identity are keys to our security,” Frontlines, February 20).Why are our leaders not countering the evil intentions of the EU/US alliance? We should be exposing them loudly and consistently. There are many righteous people in the world who would like to hear the truth.ELAINE SNOWBELLEfratYouTube hatred Sir, – As a regular viewer of You- Tube, I am astounded to have become painfully aware of the tsunami of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish hate that’s allowed to engulf the website. It ranges from subtle references to the imaginary “Illuminati,” or Jewish cabal, supposedly controlled by the Rothchilds, the Bildenbergers and even the Free Masons, whose symbols adorn just about everything! By far the most vicious of the anti-Semites is a gentleman who goes by the name “Brother Nathanael” and appears in a monk’s outfit complete with crosses adorning his top hat and frock. (He claims to be a Jew by birth!)His venomous sermons are never complete without a tirade against the Jews, starting with the Jews having murdered Jesus to the Jews having murdered the tsar of Russia. Included in one of his sermons is the claim that the Jews dominate the International Monetary Fund and are a cause of Greece being virtually bankrupt. I am amazed that YouTube can tolerate such vindictive diatribes.Is there no way they can be stopped?LEN KOHLLHerzliyaCLARIFICATIONIn “Chatham House meets Israel” (February 22), Michal Grayevsky is identified as the “Israel representative of World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder.” The WJC wishes to make it clear that Grayevsky has absolutely no role in the organization.Priority is given to letters that are brief and topical, and which bear the writer’s name and place of residence, as well as the name and date of the Post item being referred to. They may also be edited and shortened. letters@jpost.com
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