Good or bad news?

One must wonder if this is the good news or the bad news, for Sherman was the chief American negotiator who brokered the nuclear deal with Iran.

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters (photo credit: REUTERS)
Letters
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Good or bad news?
In Michael Wilner’s “Senior party official: Clinton will ensure Democratic platform supports Israel” (June 1), we learn that Wendy Sherman, “a former top State Department official and member of the committee that drafts the platform,” says the Democrats have Israel’s interest at heart.
One must wonder if this is the good news or the bad news, for Sherman was the chief American negotiator who brokered the nuclear deal with Iran.
GERALD SCHROEDER
Jerusalem
The media should give us a 48-hour moratorium on its 24/7 coverage of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
That ought to slow his quest for the White House to a crawl or, hopefully, a full stop.
It would show this loose cannon who’s the real sleaze. It would also give us a well deserved break from his constant whining and yammering.
HERB STARK
Mooresville, North Carolina
It’s all hush-hush
In your June 1 issue, there are two articles relating to Roni Alsheich, one, an analysis on Page 1 (“Police commissioner Alsheich – two steps backward for force?”), the other, a news item on Page 3 (“Alsheich takes blame for omitting Netanyahu’s name on report”). Both reflect the negativity caused by the police force’s lack of communication with the public via the media.
If anyone thinks that a person who spent his entire career with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) would be open about what his current organization is doing and utilize the media to assist in performing the tasks of the police, he or she should take another moment to cogitate that expectation.
In fact, the minister who appointed Alsheich was grossly neglectful for not having given him the infrastructure to counter his expected reluctance to advertise what’s going on. However, we know that “ministerial responsibility” is a concept totally lacking in Israel’s political arena, so what can we expect?
HAIM SHALOM SNYDER
Petah Tikva
PM’s peace moves
Regarding “In surprise move, PM says he’s ready to negotiate based on Saudi peace initiative” (May 31), my only surprise is that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took so long to actually come out and say it.
One has only to recall that after each election, Netanyahu immediately reneged on every promise he made to build in the Jewish land for the Jewish people.
For the Arabs, he certainly kept his word – they even have a new city called Rawabi, together, of course, with ongoing concessions to make life easier for them to kill Jews. Israel is even going so far as to allow more goods into the Gaza Strip, which has enabled Hamas to build itself up for the next attack.
The euphoria over Arab countries that apparently are anxious to recognize us and therefore can be counted on as friends is stupid and dangerous. As anyone with even half a brain can see, all this “friendship” will come back to haunt us.
EDITH OGNALL
Netanya
According to Wikipedia, liberalism is a “political philosophy or worldview founded on ideas of liberty and equality... such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, free markets, civil rights, democratic societies, secular governments and international cooperation.”
Can someone please explain to me how any person who calls himself a liberal and believes in these values can support the creation of a Palestinian state? Do these people believe that this state would be the first Muslim democracy? There are currently 50 Muslim countries, all run by dictators who hang homosexuals and mistreat women and minorities.
Anybody who truly believes in liberal values cannot support the creation of yet another country that eventually will be run by Shari’a law.
ARI SCHWARTZ
Efrat
Two-stage attack
Avigdor Liberman as defense minister was up in the air for some time. I believe that his predecessor, Moshe (Bogie) Ya’alon, launched a campaign against the appointment, both for personal reasons and as an attempt to safeguard the interests of a group of senior officers in the IDF, a clique that is very strong and united.
As every infantry attack is preceded by an artillery bombardment, so every political attack is preceded by an ideological onslaught, in this case “values.”
Ya’alon chose to spotlight the soldier who finished off a terrorist lying wounded in Hebron. I was puzzled by the quick response at the highest levels of the IDF regarding a very minor incident. It is usually a matter for the military justice system. Liberman, of course, detected the beginning of an attack against him and came out in force by showing support for the soldier.
Then there was the Holocaust Remembrance Day speech by Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen.
Yair Golan, who was sent to trumpet an alert about nascent fascism in Israeli society. He received – naturally – the backing of Ya’alon and Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot.
Then came Ya’alon’s resignation speech, devoted entirely to “values” – the second stage of the campaign. It broke into a loud chorus in order to provoke mass hysteria.
Bogie failed in his war.
NAUM VAIMAN
Holon
Distinguished title
With regard to “Baby dies in Ashdod after being left by father in overheated car” (May 31), let it be said that no man or woman who forgets his or her child should be called a father or a mother.
Parenthood is the most distinguished title a person can acquire.
OLGA P. WIND
Holon
Credit he deserves
In “American Jewry: A view from the air” (Comment & Features, May 25), Zionist Union MK Nachman Shai wrote that the act of contributing to the development of this land started only 100 years ago. Sadly, he cut off over a half century.
In 1854, in New Orleans, when the will of Judah Touro was probated, it was revealed that he had left $60,000 to build a hospital in Jerusalem. He instructed that Sir Moses Montefiore take care of the project.
When Mishkenot Sha’ananim was completed in 1860, it came from the money of Touro; not a penny cam from anyone else.
Since that time, though, everything in the area is named Moshe this or Moshe that, while Touro was given tiny plaques that no one can see.
I hope that Richard Sandler, chairman of Jewish Federations of North America, will make an effort to give Touro the credit he deserves as the first American major donor to this land.
DAVID GEFFEN
Jerusalem
Cellular aggravation
 Will someone please explain things to those of us who have been taken advantage of by cellphone companies that raise their prices without giving us time or a method of contacting them to inform them that we do not want to continue with their company at the higher price? I tried calling, but the recorded messages were in Hebrew, which does not help those of us who are not fluent. I resorted to faxes and emails, but to not avail. The cellphone company sent our “delinquent” bill to a collection agency.
There are those who owe billions of shekels to the electric company and nothing is done, but my NIS 75 charge is acted upon immediately.
These cellphone companies need to consider customers who do not speak Hebrew, and give us a number to use for English-language help. There would be less aggravation for the customer.
CHARLIE HERMAN
Jerusalem