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Why? Because of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s disrespect for our president, his pandering to the right-wing, anti-Jewish, homophobic and racist Republican Party.The Republican Party is a dying party. It tried the same racist policies in California under Republican governor Pete Wilson. The Republicans now have a very difficult time being elected here.Does Israel really want to put all its eggs in the Republican basket? Will it be able to regain the trust of Democrats?PAUL LEISURESan Diego, CaliforniaDuring my lifetime I have studied, revered and admired the people of Israel. As a student of history I have spent many hours enthralled in the courage and fortitude of the Jewish people. I have always supported the efforts of the State of Israel.I now find myself questioning that support.As a former member of the US military, I have great respect for the office of US president. As the leader of a fellow democracy, your prime minister should have shown the same respect.Why should Americans continue to support a country when its leader disrespects the leader of our country? Your prime minister is using this simply to make political points at home. I am not impressed. Neither should you be.J.A. FOSTEROrange, TexasYour prime minister is standing for truth. The American people need to hear the truth. We are not getting it from President Barack Obama.This president has divided the nation. We want men and women who will lead, stand for truth and honor.Benjamin Netanyahu makes us proud and gives us hope that we can elect someone who will lead our nation in the fight against terror and restore it to what it once was.Support him, honor him, respect him. Were there more such men in this world, evil would end and freedom would ring.PAUL DALTONAstoria, Oregon Beam him upI find it very hard to understand why so many prominent US leaders who call themselves “friends of Israel” came out against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress.I find their objections to his speech against a nuclear Iran to be, well, in the words of Star Trek’s Mr. Spock, “simply illogical.”As for Prime Minister Netanyahu, I offer him the Vulcan salute (borrowed from the Jewish priestly blessing by the late actor Leonard Nimoy) and my hopes for him to “live long and prosper!”YONATAN SREDNI Givat ShmuelMortal foolsWith regard to “Sisi meets Saudi’s Salman amid talk of unity against Iran, Islamic State threats” (March 2), while the US administration is very sanguine about the negotiations with Iran and determined to put on a positive spin, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are negotiating their own positions.The two Middle Eastern countries remain determined not to allow hegemony by Iran. Both have real reason to fear what the United States is doing. Iran is not only Shi’ite, but is able to dominate the entire area with its huge hoard of military equipment.Egypt and Saudi Arabia fear what can happen.These two countries have no respect for the United States because President Barack Obama has betrayed them in his zeal to make Iran a friend. What a turnabout! We can only quote the gods of Greece and say: “What fools these mortals are”! TOBY WILLIG Jerusalem Convenient omission In his analysis of the comparative situation between 1938 and 2015 (“It’s 2015, not 1938. And Netanyahu’s no Churchill,” Reality Check, March 2), Jeff Barak conveniently omits to mention that the dire warnings about Hitler and Nazi Germany issued by Winston Churchill turned out to be true.As Churchill said in the British House of Commons on May 2, 1935: “When the situation was manageable it was neglected, and now that it is thoroughly out of hand we apply too late the remedies which then might have effected a cure.”All the ex-security types from the Mossad, Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and IDF who like to trot out their opinions are now political animals trying to win seats among the soft part of the electorate. If Iran drops a nuclear bomb on Tel Aviv, no one will care about the cost of housing or food.Iran is a patient enemy that plays the long game. It is waiting for our resolve to waver. What Barak would like to see resolved in years has an Iranian timetable of decades.I would suggest that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making the world look at reality, that this is an international crisis and the president of the US is not up to the task.M. LEVENTHALJerusalemSome ‘debate’The so-called debate on Channel 2 (“8 party leaders butt heads in heated television debate,” February 27) was as far from debating as the North Pole is from the South Pole.Debating is a formal, civilized means for opposing parties to analyze and clarify a specific problem.It is a method of training people to argue in a constructive and lucid way.The Second Television and Radio Authority would do well to check consumer satisfaction with its product.E. RAFAELIJerusalemDuring the televised debate, I would have asked Ayman Odeh, leader of the Joint (Arab) List, for his response to Iran’s oft-repeated public threat to wipe Israel off the map.All Israelis and Palestinians are potential victims of a nuclear-armed Iran. So, Mr. Odeh, what is your response and what are your views regarding this potential threat to us all?SAMMY BERGERKiryat OnoForeign funding With regard to “Prosecution drops case against V15” (February 26), the message of V15, apparently paid for by non-Israeli funds, is “Anyone but Bibi.”Since V15 is headed by Jeremy Bird, US President Barack Obama’s 2012 national field director, the Likud’s response should be “Anyone but Obama” or “Anyone but Bird” or “Anyone but V15.” We really do not want V15, Bird or Obama running (or should I say ruining) this country.Just because the Likud failed in court to provide enough evidence of V15’s connections with Israeli parties does not mean those connections do not exist. If the connections are proven after the elections, will we go back for a revote? The law must be changed. It appears to me that foreign funds are denied entry to support a specific party but permitted when used to defeat another party. Why is this? This is lawfare at its worst.It seems to me that wherever Obama has meddled with regime change in the Middle East, it has not turned out very well for the locals.TEDDY CHADWICK Sha’arei Tikva
March 4 2015: View from there
Please excuse our current administration as well as political figures in our House of Representatives and Senate.
