November 11: Readers react to recent comments by John Kerry

It seems the Palestinians have found a new spokesman in “unbiased” US diplomat John Kerry.

By JERUSALEM POST READERS
Letters 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )
Letters 370
(photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )
Sir, – Your lead headline on November 8 (“ Kerry warns of third intifada if peace talks break down”) reads like a threat, more typical of the Sopranos than what one expects from a US secretary of state.
It seems the Palestinians have found a new spokesman in this “unbiased” US diplomat. Is this a new tool in the bag of US diplomacy to be used only against its ally Israel? Threatening violence “or else” will certainly not lead to peace.
GEORGES WEIL
Herzliya Pituah
Sir, – I wonder when people like US Secretary of State John Kerry, his cohorts at the State Department, President Barak Obama and the rest of the United States government will have the courage to take the unpopular and politically incorrect position of laying the failure of the “peace process” on the correct individuals.
Israel is expected to make all the concessions for “peace” and receive nothing in return. We are expected to take all the chances, with no assurance that there will be reciprocity from our “Palestinian partners in peace.”
It is said that the definition of insanity is doing the exact same thing over and over and expecting different results. It is my opinion that we have been involved in this insanity for far too long and at too high a price in loss of human life and damage to the State of Israel’s reputation in the area and the world.
I think it is time for our prime minister, members of his cabinet, the government of the State of Israel, our communications outlets and the people to just tell the truth to the world of what exactly is going on here and not back down and give in to criticism from the rest of the world, which could not care less and probably would be much happier if we ceased to exist as a people and a country.
LARRY BORABECK
Jerusalem
Sir, – John Kerry came to the Middle East on a so-called peace mission, but it turns out that he has become a prophet of doom.
Whatever Israel does is never enough. That is why the process cannot go forward.
The Palestinians and Kerry use construction in the West Bank as a stumbling block for the talks, but no mention is made of the tunnels they build with materials we send for the benefit of the people of the Gaza Strip. Those tunnels are built with the intent to enter Israel and kill and kidnap its citizens.
Wake up, Mr. Kerry, and see the picture as it is. Do not be biased in your opinion.
VICKY SCHER Jerusalem
Sir, – As I recall, US Secretary of State John Kerry instructed that he was the only one allowed to make statements about the current negotiations. Did he mean that he was the only one who would use his words to incite the Palestinians and threaten Israel? Where is his expertise in remaining neutral? It is very clear that Kerry’s warning of a third intifada is an invitation to the Palestinians to do just that if the talks break down. He would be better off staying out of this whole matter and concentrate on more important problems confronting the US and the world.
URI HIRSCH Netanya
Sir, – So John Kerry thinks we’d better give the Palestinians everything they want or there’ll be a third intifada. Why doesn’t he ask the Palestinians what they really want – their own state, for which they should come to a compromise with Israel , or an intifada, in which case there’s not much to talk about? Meanwhile, the US is getting ready to let Iran off the hook in return for... well, for nothing apparently. It must be the money that US exporters are going to get from sales to Iran. I can’t think of any other hold the Iranians have over the US.
At the same time, the Left keeps telling us that if we don’t give the US everything it demands, it won’t be our friend anymore – like Europe. Well, from the looks of it the US already is not our friend. Can Israel really not survive without America’s backing? Not wishing to be too pessimistic, it bodes ill for Israel’s future.
Everyone feels free to make demands on Israel while any demands Israel makes are declined or ignored. Perhaps we should tell the US that we will no longer give in to any more one-sided pressure and that we will give up nothing more to the Palestinians until Jonathan Pollard is released.
CECILIA HENRY Kfar Bialik
Sir, – The question is not whether Israel wants an intifada, but whether America wants a democratic world.
Everyone knows that the Muslim world is full of corruption and hate for anything democratic.
America knows that the Muslim world despises the success of Israel. Here women drive, Child brides are illegal. Multiple wives are not allowed. Honor killings are forbidden.
US Secretary of State John Kerry is promoting disaster for democracy. He would have been the first one in colonial times to say that there was no chance of defending the colonies against Britain. He should go back to school and learn that freedom is a difficult thing.
We will stand up to the test with or without support from Kerry or President Barack Obama.
MURRAY S. GREENFIELD Tel Aviv
Sir, – Not one negative word to the Palestinian Authority from John Kerry! I would be curious to know if he is using the same language when he is in Ramallah.
I could not believe what I heard and the unacceptable tone of his warning.
Is this an honest broker? Can we trust him on other major, sensitive matters, such as Iran? We do not have many friends left in the West, except Germany, Poland and other east European countries, as well as in Asia. It is time to reassess our international strategies and policies.
Strangely, we have some common interests with Egypt and other countries in the region.
Is this the time for daring moves?
JACQUES HELLER Modi’in
Sir, – As we read about and listen to the rhetoric from US Secretary of State John Kerry (“Kerry takes on Israeli, Palestinian bickering,” November 7) one wonders if he is acquainted with the well constructed and dignified summary of events enunciated by US Rep. Michele Bachmann (“US pressure and demands on Israel to make concessions must stop,” Comment & Features, November 5).
From Bachmann’s account of affairs we are given the impression that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s actions are mostly dictated by US President Barack Obama’s directives. How else can one explain offering the Palestinian Authority major concessions merely to sit at a table for negotiations? Does this not suggest that the PA has no real interest in peace? On the other hand, it is apparent that PA President Mahmoud Abbas is pursuing Yasser Arafat’s phased plan, which involved securing gains over time by using “diplomacy” accompanied by the odd act of violence.
Perhaps with the new availability of Yisrael Beytenu leader and former/future foreign minister Avigdor Liberman, Netanyahu could have him concentrate on closeness with Russia, thus demonstrating that the US is not the only major player. After all, Russian President Vladimir Putin has totally eclipsed and neutralized Obama.
ALEX ROSE Ashkelon
Sir, – US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that with no peace there will be nothing but anger and violence.
One wonders what he sees throughout the Middle East.
There is more intra-Muslim violence here than anywhere else in the world. One has to wonder what Kerry expects will happen if Israel were to sign a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
Maybe he should peddle his ideas elsewhere.
MATTIAS ROTENBERG Petah Tikva