By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Block that dealIsn’t it time that all the do-gooders who are trying to force Israel into a “two-state” suicide deal stopped fantasizing and used their brains for a change?The headline “Corruption: A major cause of Palestinian suffering” (May 12) explains well the headline of a different article: “Greenblatt: PA trying to kill deal.”Of course, the PA leadership is trying to kill the deal; they do not want and never have wanted a peace deal with Israel.They could have had a deal fulfilling all their wants – at least those they verbalize to the West – on many occasions, although their cry of “from the river to the sea” is probably more honest and revealing.The PA leadership is doing very well, thank you, as it is, and to actually have to start working for a living would only get in the way of their luxurious lifestyle.Hopefully, the deal of the century has found a way to bypass the PA leadership and get the ordinary Palestinian involved. It seems to me to be the only way for a chance of peace breaking out.BOB KNIGHTModi’inThe consequences of baseless hateIn regard to Alexa Asher’s concern that “American Jewry forgot the main lesson of the Holocaust” (May 12), we should note that it is precisely the fact that six million Jews were killed only because they were Jews that resonates with young people today as they try to cope with genocides across the globe in more recent years. It does not deny the main point made by venerable historian Yehuda Bauer of Yad Vashem that the Holocaust itself is an “unprecedented” event in history and as such cannot be compared with any other genocide, but that lessons can be learned from it and applied to understanding other events in history. The positive side to Holocaust education in America is that it is mandated widely and many students, Jewish and non-Jewish, are regularly exposed to the lessons of man’s inhumanity to man. In my many years as a gallery educator in the Museum of Jewish Heritage/ A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, I have seen many students enter with a vague and even disinterested view of the Holocaust and after seeing the inexorable evolution of prejudice to persecution to annihilation, have left with a visceral understanding of the consequences of antisemitism and baseless hate. If this sensitizes them to the seeds of intolerance and prejudgment wherever they appear, then the lessons of the Holocaust have indeed been learned and “never forget” will continue to be beacon of light in Holocaust education.MARION REISSBeit ShemeshRashida rushes to IsraelAs reported in “Rashida Tlaib sets dates for Congressional visit to West Bank” (May 9), Congresswoman Tlaib is organizing a trip to the Palestinian Authority, slated for the August recess, competing with AIPAC/AIEF’s trip to Israel for freshmen members, traditionally chaperoned by the House leadership.Asked on Tuesday if she’ll be going on the AIEF trip to Israel this summer, Tlaib said, “No, I have my own trip.” The leaflet of her trip bills it as a “Congressional Delegation to the Occupied Territories in Palestine,” taking place August 17 to 22.Allowing foreign officials to be escorted by Palestinian officials to Temple Mount would be tantamount to recognizing Palestinian sovereignty there. The Knesset should deny entry into Israel of foreign officials who call Jerusalem “Occupied Palestinian Territory” or demand that they be escorted by Israeli officials and not Palestinian officials during their visit to Jerusalem and other areas of Judea and Samaria.EZEQUIEL DOINYMarylandWhen silence isn’t goldenGil Troy is correct (“The new Jews of silence,” May 8) in calling out the “silent majority” of the American Jews. Hopefully, his erudite argument will reach the hearts and minds of his audience.American Jews who support the ideals of Israel who despise and loathe the purveyors antisemitism in all its guises need to get their act together. A vocal minority of Jewish left-wing Socialist Democrats are drowning out the “silent majority.” These individuals and organizations have upped the ante without any push-back, hiding their antisemitic views behind the mantle of anti-Zionism. Yes, Jews can be antisemites.Organizations such as Jewish Voice for Peace and IfNotNow are funded by those who would see Israel and its citizens destroyed. Jews worldwide who sit silently on the sidelines, saying nothing, doing nothing are complicit in the actions of those who would do evil to your people. They are enablers, silent supporters and co-conspirators in their plans.American Jewish Democrats have sold their souls in the hope of “it couldn’t happen here.” Well, that type of thinking didn’t turn out too well for six million murdered Jews in Europe. The power brokers in the Democratic Party have chosen to remain silent – or empower – three brazen antisemites in the House. This shameful behavior is a dire warning to American Jews. If members of the House of Representatives can spew such filth and hatred about the Jews without push-back, that this could signal the beginning of the end of the Jewish experience in America.M. LEVENTHALJerusalem/TorontoGil Troy disparages US President Donald Trump unnecessarily. In the midst of his laudable criticism of American Jews for their failure to unequivocally condemn Hamas’s bombardment of Israeli civilians, he decided to quote Trump’s remarks allegedly supporting white supremacists at the Charlottesville demonstration almost two years ago, characterizing Trump’s condemnation of white supremacists as part of a “wave of presidential rants.”Here are the facts: Just two hours after a fatal vehicular attack during the demonstration, Trump stated, “We all must be united and condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides,” apparently an allusion to participants in prior demonstrations who had been less than peaceful.Two days after the Charlottesville attack, Trump clarified, “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of bigotry, hatred and violence. Racism is evil and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.”Was Troy’s misrepresentation of Trump’s comments intentional or just uninformed? He must have known that when Trump said there were “very fine people” on “both sides,” he was talking about the national dispute over the removal of statues honoring people who held beliefs that are now anathema. (Those who oppose removal argue that, rather than expunge history, the monuments should be used for honest reflection and education regarding America’s sometimes problematic past.) He went on to eliminate all doubt: “I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists, because they should be condemned totally.”Troy’s calumny is uncalled for in light of Trump’s endorsement of Israel’s response to Hamas: “We support Israel 100% in its defense of its citizens.” If only the American Jewish community were as outspoken and unambiguous in defending Israel.EFRAIM A. COHENZichron Yaakov No surpriseRegarding “Netanyahu wants to delay Khan al-Ahmar evacuation” (12 May), it would have been a surprise had he done anything else. After all, it is easy to make promises to foolish people before the election and even easier to break them after being elected. He was re-elected only five minutes before he reneged on his promise to build Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. Funny how he never finds a reason not to destroy Jewish homes!I can’t help thinking that God is still making us suffer for the sins of the 10 spies! Can it be right for a country at war to allow hordes terrorists in Gaza to protest on Jewish land (albeit surrendered land) since March 2018, causing Israeli casualties and extensive destruction to the land? Surely by now they should have been told that this is not and never will be their land and “shown the door.” They would understand there is no land of Palestine, only the historic sovereign Jewish State of Israel. It would also help if the word “Palestinians” was dropped and replaced with their proper title: Arabs.PHYLLIS STERNNetanyaGaza black holeRegarding “The Gaza paradigm” (May 12), the only way to improve the lives of Gazans is to get rid of Hamas. Not their headquarters or homes. The leaders.Any money or project to help Gazans goes into the pockets of Hamas, not to help the people.RUTH ZIMBERGSafedDefinition of an Israeli-Arab ceasefire: we (Israel) cease, they (Hamas) fire!AVRAHAM FRIEDMANGanei Modi’inPA black holeGershon Baskin (“Until the Next Round,” May 10) wants to financially assist the Palestinians even when part of the money goes to incentivize attacks and reward families of those who have murdered Israelis. That is like Polish Jews voluntarily supporting the Nazis in their efforts to build gas chambers – in the interest of peace.Netanyahu has announced that a two-state solution is a viable option only when PA President Mahmoud Abbas ceases the rhetoric of “river to the sea” and “pay to slay.”Can Baskin name one other country in the world that would even negotiate with a neighbor whose aim is to destroy it and disallow its residents even to live in the newly destroyed state?It is fortunate that Israeli citizens had the common sense to ignore the media biases and vote for leadership with the strength to face up to our tyrannical neighbors.KAREN PISKNetanyaIn “Doing what comes naturally” (May 10), Melanie Phillips makes abundantly clear the position that British and American Jews find themselves in today. As she put it, “the great fear of much of the British community... is the likelihood of a Corbyn government coming to power.” And regarding American Jews, “antisemitism is taking an even deeper hold in the US.”Diaspora Jews must wake up to the stark reality that wherever they are living presently, be it London, Los Angeles or Lyons they are resident there purely by accident and their true and logical home is here in Israel, the Jewish national home. This is not the Israel of the 1940s or 1950s when conditions were difficult, but is today a land truly flowing with milk and honey where every Jew can live a life of pride, free and strong.Now is the time to relocate and not wait until the situation in Europe and America deteriorates even further.DAVID S ADDLEMANMevaseret ZionUnwarping historyWe are the WWII Jews. My husband, Solomon, would be able to remind Gershon Baskin that virtually all the inhabitants of Samaria and Judea – now called the West Bank – were Jewish. He met their young men at Stalag 11b in Germany in 1944. They had volunteered with their occupiers, the British, to defeat Hitler and were captured by the Germans in Tabruk in 1941. As my husband entered the British compound to trade Red Cross package cigarettes for bread, he heard them speaking Hebrew and stopped to ask their story and he noticed that the word PALESTINE was sewn on their shirts.These are the real Palestinians. The Arabs or their predecessors, who now claim the “right” of “return” never lived in the land they covet. The Jews are the landowners from antiquity to this day.Sol could tell you that these interlopers fled into Israel to seek security and peace from their own inhospitable lands. He could tell you that they have no right of “return” because they were never there. Those Arabs who have come into Israel or for the few that remained during the 1948 war, in spite of their leaders’ demands that they flee are gainfully employed and happy. Asked in polls if they want to return to Syria and Jordan, and Egypt, they resoundingly say no.Ask a 92-year-old and you will get the truth. History has been warped by the “Palestinians” to meet their political and power agenda.DR CAROL FINEBLUMNeedham, MAPolitical correctness gone amuckA joint memorial ceremony was held in Tel Aviv to commemorate 1) Israelis who were killed defending the country against those who had vowed “to throw the Jews into the sea” 2) Israelis who were murdered by terrorists and 3) their fallen murderers (“Protesters call participants ‘Nazis’ at joint memorial,” May 8).Presumably next year on Holocaust Memorial Day, they will hold a joint ceremony to commemorate the six million Jews murdered by Nazi soldiers and the Einzatze gruppen and the S.S. men who were killed in the ghetto and death camp uprisings.Surely they will not different between Arab murderers and European ones. This would be, heaven forefend, racial discrimination. Doubtless the High Court will ensure that 100 neo-Nazis can enter the country to participate such a memorial.DAVID STEINHARTPetah Tikva
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