The Palestinians want a Jew-free state, but this does not bother the Europeans.
By JERUSALEM POST READERSLetters 370(photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )Name the objectiveSir, – Before any negotiation can start, the objective has to be clear.As quoted by Herb Keinon in his excellent “‘Wanting it more than the parties themselves’” (Analysis, July 22), on September 1, 2010, US President Barack Obama defined the purpose of Israeli-Palestinian talks: “These negotiations are intended to resolve all final-status issues. The goal is a settlement, negotiated between the parties, that ends the occupation which began in 1967 and results in the emergence of an independent, democratic and viable Palestinian State, living side-by-side in peace and security with a Jewish state of Israel and its other neighbors.”It is obvious to me that if, for example, I go to a car rental company and start negotiating, the objective is to rent a car. Or, if I go to a real estate agency and start negotiating, the objective is to buy a house.I think that before the start of peace talks, both parties, Israel and the Palestinians, must agree that the purpose of the negotiations is the emergence of an independent and viable Palestinian state, living-side-by side in peace and security with an independent, viable and secure Jewish state of Israel.JOSEPH M. SCHWARCZ Ganei Omer The EU and Israel Sir, – With regard to “Europe hypocritically lashes out against Israel” (Candidly Speaking, July 22), it would appear that the Europeans dislike US President Barack Obama even more than they dislike the State of Israel and the Jews.It is unavoidable to escape the conclusion that they timed the announcement of their position in order to sabotage any possibility of renewed talks between the Palestinians and Israel. After all, if the Palestinians can reason that they are receiving so much without lifting a finger and continuing their defamation of Israel, why meet? The Europeans showed no special love for the Jews during World War II. Indeed, some of those countries were actively involved in slaughtering Jews. Now they want Israel to give up the Western Wall and major universities and hospitals located in east Jerusalem, and give the Palestinians a state in the “West Bank,” knowing full well what became of Gaza when Israel vacated it.The Palestinians want a Jew-free state, but this does not bother the Europeans. Apparently, old hatreds and prejudices do not easily go away.It is much easier for them to attack a benign Israel than do anything about the slaughter of 100,000 people in Syria. But the Europeans will find themselves on the losing end, for why should Israel now approve any European projects to assist the Palestinians when the EU has made its prejudice so clear for all to see? HENRY BORENSON Jerusalem Sir, – So the arrogant, anti- Semitic European Union continues the continent’s age-old hostility, discrimination, prejudice and violence toward the Jewish people by proposing to penalize Israel because hundreds of thousands of Jewish Israeli citizens have the temerity (and courage and right) to reside, study, work, etc. in Judea and Samaria, the heartland of the Jewish people’s 4,000-year-old homeland.To be consistent, shouldn’t the EU also withhold its wellpadded financial grants/wages to those Israeli NGOs that are practicing their trade beyond the 1949 armistice lines? The fact is, EU-employed, far- Left, anti-Israel, Israeli NGO workers spend most of their long, hard days in Judea and Samaria collecting, spying and usually fabricating venomous “evidence” of “offenses” committed by the so-called “settlers” against local Arabs for the EU itself. In turn, these Israeli NGOs employ and generously pay local Arabs to collect “incriminating” data on Jewish residents (and the IDF).It stands to reason that as these workers are making a very good living beyond the 1949 lines, the EU must also penalize them financially or, better still, sack them out of hand.TRUDY GEFEN Kiryat OnoSir, – The prime minister has an easy response to the EU (as well as the UN and all those who display their venom and anti-Semitism): No more peace talks with the Arabs until outsiders desist in setting pre-conditions; no more peace talks until the self-called Palestinians stop spewing hate and anti-Israel propaganda in their media; no more peace talks until the Palestinians stop teaching their children to hate and kill Israelis; no more peace talks until the EU, UN and others stop demanding that Israel release murderers, which is something no other country would do.In the 18 years I have been living here, nothing has changed – except more demands on Israel, more hatred of Israel and more vile acts against Israel.Nothing would please these people except the demise of Israel, and I, for one, am tired of appeasing them, doing their bidding by offering “confidence- building” measures or otherwise contributing to my own destruction.I am tired of foreigners, even Jewish foreigners, telling me how to lie down in the street and be run over.I would add thousands of housing units in the disputed areas every time the UN, EU or US makes demands that threaten and diminish the one democracy in the entire Middle East. It is long overdue for this country to act in its own selfinterest and stop being the Jew who walked into the gas chambers.SONIA GOLDSMITH NetanyaSir, – It would be appropriate for the government of Israel to notify all EU countries that their representatives’ diplomatic status is restricted to the areas of Israel within the pre-1967 borders.Should any of these representatives travel beyond those lines they would no longer have diplomatic immunity or any of the other guarantees and courtesies provided to diplomats by host countries.RALPH ROTHSTEIN VancouverSir, – Why hasn’t there been any talk about an Israeli boycott of EU-produced goods? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.ANITA ELLISJerusalem They have a choiceSir, – Having read the recent Jerusalem Post reports, op-eds and letters about shechita (religious slaughter) in Poland, I am at a loss to understand the apparent frustration of Poland’s Jews.It is blatantly obvious they are, as a people, both unliked and unwanted in Poland. What’s new? Don’t they understand? Unlike the 1930s, they now have the option of coming home to Israel. Here they will find a warm welcome and be able to live a full and active life with their fellow Jews – and enjoy an abundance of kosher meat.They are welcome here. If they choose to remain in Poland they will have to accept whatever the Poles decree.The choice should be obvious.The choice is theirs.BERTIE FRANKELKfar Saba Keep the concerts Sir, – The Israel Broadcasting Authority has announced that it will be discontinuing the Etnachta concert program, which has been so ably directed and hosted by Hayuta Dvir.The closure will be a major loss for hundreds of citizens of Jerusalem who have faithfully attended and enjoyed these chamber music concerts over the past 30 years. It will be a major loss to the thousands of listeners all over Israel and the world. It will be the loss of a major stage for Israel’s many first-class performers of chamber music.It will also deprive many visiting tourists of a chance to be acquainted with Israel’s rich musical life. It will be an especially hard blow for many senior citizens for whom these free concerts represent a unique weekly opportunity for relaxation and inspiration.We strongly recommend that the Broadcasting Authority reverse its decision, even if it has to introduce a small entrance fee to do so.SHALOM FREEDMAN RIFKAH GOLDBERG Jerusalem
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