May 25: Poor production

Poor production Sir, – I believe The Jerusalem Post erred when it failed to assign the story that resulted in “Liberman attacks US inquiry request on Palestinian teen deaths,” May 22) to Hannah Brown, its acclaimed movie reviewer. Having several times seen the footage of the two Palestinians allegedly being shot (it was dutifully shown on every international news channel every hour), I feel it is so clearly faked that I am surprised at the fuss. It was claimed to have been filmed on “Nakba Day” at a predetermined location conveniently located next to a shiny new camera installed by a shop owner to protect his property (but actually aimed down the road). Both alleged victims were filmed peacefully sauntering down an empty street (which is not congruous with the hordes of protesters flinging rocks at IDF soldiers, events that were filmed by legitimate news reporters). The first extended his arms to cushion his fall, rolled over into a straight position and was dead, all within three seconds. In both cases, as the alleged victims fell to the ground, the empty street was instantly filled with people who rushed to the fallen figures. In my opinion, the acting was poor, the direction was poor and the plot was poor. Although the film was presumably aimed at naive journalists and politicians from the US and Europe – who will accept anything the Palestinians present – I think we should expect Pallywood productions of a higher standard. HILLEL HURWITZ Ra'anana Sir, – Recall the trumped-up charges against the IDF in the infamous Muhammad al-Dura affair, the film Jenin, Jenin and various International Solidarity Movement psywar offensives. However, antecedent to these latter-day campaigns was the 1988 CBS News footage featuring two Arab poster children (“shepherds”) allegedly being assaulted by four IDF soldiers near Nablus. It was aired by the omnipresent CBS News broadcaster Bob Simon. When the new Nativ magazine proposed publication of “The CBS Affair: A psychological-warfare case study” in April 1988, it encountered the network's financial clout, ensuring the piece would never see light of day. So much for press freedom and legal proprieties in the Orwellian world unleashed by PLO myrmidons and their international paymasters. KARL HUTTENBAUER Berlin Backing out Sir, – MK Hilik Bar has done a great disservice to Labor – no one with an ounce of self-respect would want to support a party whose representatives fail to stand up for what is right (“Hilik Bar withdraws support for Temple Mount prayer bill,” May 22). Jews are not permitted to worship on the Temple Mount despite a High Court of Justice ruling upholding their right to do so. It seems the police are taking the line of least resistance, running scared and bowing to threats of violence. The present arrangements are clearly unworkable. It is time for our government to grasp the nettle and recognize that the solution must involve a change in the status quo through both discussion and legislation. Hopefully, the bill to ensure that everyone has an equal right to pray on the Temple Mount will go ahead and become law. JACKIE ALTMAN Netanya Sir, – Finally, we thought, support for prayer on the Temple Mount would be non-political. But once again, a Laborite buckled to the pressure of the extreme Left. Again we are disappointed by the actions of Hilik Bar. Arabs riot on the Temple Mount and Jews are not allowed to go there. What's wrong with this picture? The only way to solve the problem is to not let any Arab, regardless of age, come onto the Temple Mount if anyone in the group is rioting. Until Jews are treated with respect there and are allowed to pray in specific areas – just as we allow Arabs to pray in the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron – Arabs should be treated with a strong hand and removed from the Temple Mount when they disregard the wishes of the Israeli Supreme Court, which approved prayer on the site for all religions. BILL WEBER Jerusalem Ought to be a law Sir, – While it can be said that the remark by Britain's Prince Charles might have been unwise (“Prince Charles reportedly likens Putin to Hitler,” International News, May 22), it pales into insignificance when compared to remarks and actions by Shimon Peres, who throughout his presidency has pursued his own agenda on the now-failed “peace talks,” no doubt attempting to justify his role in the Oslo Accords and their disastrous consequences. It is about time that the responsibilities and limitations of the president are enshrined in a new Basic Law. By not having done so long ago, the Knesset has only itself to blame for having its authority undermined. JACK SHEBSON Jerusalem Letters about letters Sir, – Reader Yisrael Guttman might be right that peoples have a right to self-determination (“Unwelcome breeze,” Letters, May 22). Everyone these days claims to have rights, but rights need to be grounded in more than unilateral opinion. What right does anyone have to say “I have the right to hate you, hurt you, rob you, run you over or force my opinions upon you?” If all I am saying is “I want these things,” I am just an egotist. If all I am saying is “I'm stronger than you, I'm tougher than you, I'll beat you up if you resist,” I am just a bully. Why should anyone approve of my claims unless there is something objective in the rights I say I possess? Where did I get the purported right? Did God give it to me? Did society? Maybe I merely invented it. To paraphrase US president John F. Kennedy, we ought to ask not what our community, country or society can do for us, but what we can do for them. Rather than speaking about our rights, it would be better to say: “What duty can I undertake toward you?” RAYMOND APPLE Jerusalem Sir, – Reader Batya Koenigsberg (“Tough job,” Letters, May 20) is being incredibly naïve to ask: “Why hasn't [the attempted lynching of Israeli journalists] involved a United Nations resolution?” The UN would never condemn what most of its members regard as legitimate resistance by Palestinians. On the other hand, if a Palestinian teenager were to trip and sprain his ankle when a butcher's knife hidden in his rucksack is confiscated at an Israeli checkpoint, the world body would demand a thorough investigation into such a serious violation of a child's human rights. MARTIN D. STERN Salford, UK Ingrained hatred Sir, – I have never been to Europe, but it must be heavenly. The Jews of Ukraine, Serbia, Kosovo, the UK and elsewhere don't want to leave. They would rather put up with war, crappy weather and anti-Semitism than pack and move to Israel. Please, someone tell me what is so wonderful about Europe? Is it the food, the culture or the challenge of surviving the ingrained European hatred of the Jews? BETH BRIGHTERMAN Syracuse, New York Misleading headline Sir, – On the front page of your May 16 issue, a headline said: “IDF kills two Palestinians during Nakba day riot.” However, the report said only that “two Palestinian teenagers were killed during clashes with the IDF....” This was followed by the Palestinian allegations, and then by this: “The IDF denied the allegations and insisted that only rubber bullets were used.” Even the headline in Haaretz (“Two Palestinians killed in West Bank”) was more objective. SHUBERT SPERO Jerusalem

May 25: Poor production

Having several times seen the footage of the two Palestinians allegedly being shot, I feel it is so clearly faked that I am surprised at the fuss.

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