January 7: Anti-hero

The release of Tali Fahima makes us look like fools and is a black mark in the annals of justice.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
letters good 88 (photo credit: Courtesy)
letters good 88
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Anti-heroine Sir, - The release of Tali Fahima, who considers having helped the Aksa Martyrs Brigades a feather in her cap, makes us look like fools and is a black mark in the annals of justice ("I am not sorry,' Fahima declares upon release," January 4). Fahima deserves to be scoffed at. But instead she is surrounded by young people, and older ones, who view her as a heroine. Our educational system had better wake up and put love of country as a priority. There is a vast difference between seeking justice for all and treason. TOBY WILLIG Jerusalem Screen & scream Sir, - Iran is threatening to eliminate us. Our government can't or won't defend us against rockets, bombs and threats from our neighbors. I cope by coming home at night and sitting down to high-level shows on BBC Prime, which remove me from our very scary reality for a short time. Now my cable TV server is eliminating BBC Prime and replacing it with an erotic channel - an insult. Let's call and complain to HOT, then go out into the streets and get rid of this government. MYRNA BENNETT Haifa Dear Jews... Sir, - Hostility to the Jew by the present and past Iranian rulers has always been condemned by the Iranian people as a reprehensible and disgraceful act. The history of our country shows that Iranians have always treated minorities with respect and that our people, drawing on lofty Iranian traditions, have lived in peace and harmony with their neighbors for centuries. Unfortunately, however, the fate of our country is at present in the hands of a bunch of fanatics who see their survival only in making the Middle East ever more insecure. Thus, making illegitimate use of the resources of the Iranian people, they spend huge amounts of money to prevent the Palestinian people from living side by side with Jews in peace and harmony. The Iranian National Front, which has always tried to make the true voice of the Iranian people heard by the world, declares once more that the present Iranian government and leadership are not the true representatives of the Iranian people. The fanatics now in power strive to divert attention from the crimes and tragedies taking place in Iran by disputing the Holocaust, one of the most ghastly events in the history of mankind. And this, in a country where, 25 centuries ago, Cyrus the Great liberated the Jews from the yoke of Babylon, for which act he is praised by the Jews in their Holy Book! Many Jewish researchers of the Holocaust have named Iranians who helped and gave shelter to the Jews in France and elsewhere during World War II. We find it a pity that the world is oblivious to the ordeal of the people of Iran and its freedom fighters under the present regime. It reminds us somehow of the indifference of the Allied forces to the atrocities to which the Jews were subjected, as if those powers did not know what was happening to the Jews. We reaffirm our belief that only a secular and democratic Iran can bring peace and security to the region, and that helping realize such a development would be much less costly than the Baker and Hamilton schemes. Dear friends and fellow human beings, dear Jewish people, we condemn the shameful act of the anti-national Iranian government in distorting history and insulting your feelings. We apologize for our government's and president's preposterous behavior and hope that all freedom-loving people will do their best to bring our voice of resentment to the attention of the world public. DR. DARIUSH AHMADI Iranian National Front Europe What will it take? Sir, - The chief of staff, reviewing mistakes that occurred during the Lebanon war, noted that the IDF's inability to stop or even minimize the daily Katyusha rocket attacks was the number-one failure of the war. Stopping Katyusha fire should have been defined as a primary goal. He went on to say that orders should have been clearer and a broad-scale ground incursion initiated earlier. "He said the transmission of orders, as well as the dialogue between the General Staff and the Northern Command was 'not good,' adding that orders were even in some cases unclear. 'There were logistical errors. We knew about the lack of supplies and did not act quickly enough to replenish them... Logistical issues were dealt with inefficiently.'" Lt.-Gen. Halutz admitted that many of the internal military inquiry committees' accusations were correct and accepted personal responsibility for the war's errors in one or two instances. All the above wartime failures took place under his watch. So we ask him: What else has to take place for a wartime commanding general to be removed from his post or his resignation requested? ("If Winograd panel says go, I will, Halutz declares," January 3.) JERRY AND SYLVIA DORTZ Ariel Practice, then preach Sir, - Perhaps Prof. Asa Kasher should get down from his ivory tower and go and live full-time in Sderot before lecturing anyone on what is ethical as a response to perpetual Kassam rocket attacks ("Policy of restraint in face of Kassams legitimate, IDF code of ethics author tells 'Post.' Chance of fatality from rocket deemed not high enough to warrant risking hitting innocents," December 29). PETER SIMPSON Jerusalem Numb, number(s) Sir, - If there was betting action on mass murderer Marwan Barghouti being released from jail, I would take the action. His release is guaranteed. And when Gilad Shalit is exchanged for 1,200 to 1,500 terrorists, there will be a new reality and a new guarantee: more kidnappings and attempted kidnappings by the same group of terrorists within a very short time. How many shall we release then - 5,000, 10,000? ("Hamas claims Shalit progress, Israel says it's all 'spin,'" January 3). BENNETT OSTROV Efrat Bad scene, good piece Sir, - Compliments to you and Etgar Lefkovits on "Internal fighting delays WJC appointment to head Israel office" (January 1), exposing the shenanigans of the New York office of the World Jewish Congress. I am shocked that a bureaucrat in the WJC's New York office would singlehandedly try to determine policy, structure and personnel for the Israel branch of the WJC. I am appalled that he would try to destroy the Israel WJC by withholding funding for months. For years Edgar Bronfman's good name and the WJC's were one. I can only hope he will step in and put an end to the manipulative and underhanded techniques being used to control, from America, the independence of the WJC's Israeli executive. SHARON ZELINGER Edison, New Jersey Well done Sir, - My irritation at mistakenly receiving a copy of Metro instead of In Jerusalem with the December 29 weekend edition of your paper disappeared upon reading your UpFront section. Among several excellent articles the most insightful and informative were "Ehud Who?" by Jonathan Rosenblum and Yehuda Avner's "Battle of Britain - Part 2." The high quality of your columnists is much appreciated, even when the views expressed are contrary to mine. ELAINE SARID Jerusalem