Come on! Sir, – With regard to “Was Walt Disney anti-Semitic?” (Arts & Entertainment, January 22), come on! So what if he was? What shall we do – boycott Mickey Mouse, Bambi and Snow White? The man is dead, but his wonderful films continue to enchant and give joy to children (and parents) everywhere.FREDI KADDAR
Bitan AharonSir, – In your January 12 Arts & Entertainment section there was an article about Meryl Streep presenting an award to Emma Thompson (“No spoonful of sugar: Meryl Streep calls out Walt Disney as sexist, anti-Semitic”).Unfortunately, the item did not mention that Thompson is very anti-Israel and a BDS activist who badmouths this country at every opportunity. Her comments could be taken with a spoonful of sugar – or maybe a pinch of salt.SALLY SHAWKfar SabaNot the sameSir, – With all due respect to China’s reaction to the crimes of the Japanese in Nanjing and their present- day obeisance at the Yasukuni shrine, and a certain commonality between these and the Jewish reaction to the Nazi genocide in the Shoah (“The Holocaust shall never repeat itself,” Comment & Features, January 21), let’s bear in mind that this is a syllogism, not an equation.The former was a political, even nationalistic, strategy, the latter a genocidal concept. Where the former was indeed a massacre, the latter was a calculated, long-term plan to reinstate the Nordic gods, starting with cold technological calculations of the timing of the transports and ending with the exploitation of human fat to keep the crematoria burning at the required temperature once the initial degree of heat was achieved.Massacres and holocausts (meaning “burnt offerings”) are all too common.But with all respect, let’s guard the unique nature of the Holocaust from being hijacked through syllogisms.BARNEY WAINERTel AvivShameful journey Sir, – In “100 top Israeli business leaders to promote peace at Davos” (Business & Finance, January 21), we read that an Israeli business delegation was to “meet statesmen and economic leaders from around the world to discuss the urgency of a diplomatic settlement” between Israel and the Palestinians.These Israelis do not accept the positions of their government in regard to borders and conditions to make for a secure and lasting peace. Rather than trying to convince people here that it is essential to make drastic compromises in order to settle the conflict immediately, they go to Davos to enlist foreign pressure on their government.They fear that if peace is not currently forthcoming there will be sanctions that cripple the Israeli economy. Instead, their talks with these world leaders might well encourage an avalanche of sanctions.It is surprising that President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu did not use their prestige to convince the businessmen not to make this shameful journey.RAPHAEL BEN-YOSEFRamat GanDon’t bother usSir, – Recently I tried to open an investment account for my new grandson with a prominent bank in Israel. I figured that mutual funds would be the best bet, as they are for the small investor. However, I quickly found out that NIS 1,000 was not enough to open anything save for a regular 1%-interest savings account, which, as we all know, would not even cover inflation.The bank’s attitude was, “We’re too big to be bothered.”I seem to remember that when the baby’s father was born 29 years ago, we were actively wooed by banks that wanted to help our money grow. Now, it seems, they are unwilling to offer any solutions. How is a young couple supposed to save a nest egg or marry off their children?LISA HARRISBeit ShemeshJanuary 24: Come on!
With regard to “Was Walt Disney anti-Semitic?” come on! So what if he was?
