By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)That’s what it’s aboutAfter reading David Weinberg’s column “Know Comment” in Friday’s paper (“Want to vote for an ‘enlightened’ secular democratic state of the Jews? Here’s what you’ll get”), my answer to Editor-in-Chief Yaakov Katz’s question: “What are these elections really about?” (Editor’s Notes), they are not about health, and they are not about education, or army induction.They are about which candidate will assure that Israel remains a Jewish state and doesn’t turn into a liberal secular anti-religious state for all its citizens.The party head that assures me that the status quo remains intact receives my vote!FAIGIE HEIMANJerusalemRun-off electionsAt some point, the major political parties need to agree – as their first act – to amend the law in order to have run-off elections, until one party gets a majority in the Knesset.Then dissolve parliament and have another vote.It is craziness that the small parties are the tails that wag the dog.VINCENT KIRALYOrleans, OntarioFew optionsIn view of the caliber of the options available, I wish that I could vote for Moshe Rabeinu for prime minister in our upcoming elections.Alas, I would be unable to do so even if there were to be a Resurrection of the Dead. Doubtless our supreme Court would ban him from running in the elections because in the court’s ethical estimate, Moshes is a racist and he is anti-democratic.DAVID HEIMOWITZKfar SabaApathy has spokenIt’s one more day until the election, and according to some polls about half of the voters will stay home, go to the beach or travel.This half, by not coming to the booths, is apparently proclaiming that it is not interested in the voting process. It seems to me that this is wrong conclusion: in fact they are saying loud and clear that they do not wish to be represented in our Knesset. Taking this logic one step further, the Knesset should be reduced by half – 60 members instead of 120. What enormous savings!If this were the case, one would hope to witness all the potential members, a bit further down on the lists, scramble to go and persuade the voters to come and vote. An added bonus would be that voters would get to know them and thus a better representation would follow.A bit late for the coming elections, but a thought for the future.DANIEL BRAUNSCHVIGJerusalemExaggerated venomGil Troy rails against just about everybody and everything in a recent column (“The anything-goes election, to keep Bibi from going to jail,” Center Field, September 11), but especially against Netanyahu.The following adjectives/verbs are employed to describe the prime minister: despicable demagoguery, demonization, stink bombs, mastered morally bankrupt dark arts, polarizing partnership and xenophobia, browbeats and pot-stirs, Mr. Low Road, ruthless, brutal, disfigures democracy, democracy bashing.Prof. Troy starts his Center Field comment with “when lawyers’ arguments weaken, they pound the table harder. When politicians stumble, they pound democracy.”I would add: when publicists exude exaggerated venom, their comments look both frenzied and hysterical.YIGAL HOROWITZBeershebaReality is the gameRegarding “A declaration of war on the two-state solution” by Gershon Baskin on September 12 (Encountering Peace), to encapsulate this war-mongering diatribe by Baskin, he attributes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s latest declaration of wishing to annex a part of the West Bank should he be fortunate enough to win enough votes at the forthcoming election allowing him to remain prime minister and form a government, as declaring war on a two-state solution.Matters are clear Netanyahu has stated the required facts that others wish the words were thought but remain unsaid.However, this is just the point: How much longer do we maintain the status quo and pass the baton to a future generation to resolve?Our neighbors, with assistance from their paymasters in Iran, seek nothing less than our destruction.So reality must be the name of the game, and although this one has some complicated rules only those bold and brave enough on this side of the fence to compete will eventually win through. Non-participation with heads in the sand defies reality and is not a serious option.STEPHEN VISHNICKTel AvivI used to think that Gershon Baskin was a naïve, optimist idealist, who, although he never found any fault with the Palestinians, was a Zionist.After reading his article “A declaration of war on the two-state solution,” I now see that I was mistaken.In one paragraph, he reveals his true ideology. I quote his words: “I used to tell Palestinians who supported the so-called one-state solution that the best road to one state was through a peaceful two-state solution in which the two peoples live in peace, and eventually borders and national identities might come down.”This paragraph shows that Baskin’s monotonous and repetitious articles in favor of a two-state solution are just hypocrisy.The two-state solution, as Baskin so clearly states, is, for Baskin and for the Palestinians, only a temporary stage on the road to the obliteration of the Jewish state.Baskin’s true objective, which he not only shares with the Palestinians but also recommends them to follow, is, to have as the end result, a one-state that will no longer have a Jewish national identity.Who expressed this strategy before? Oh, yes, Arafat.No further comment is necessary.DAVID MANDELSavyonFor 100 years, the states in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have denied Jews the right to live equally among them or to re-establish their ancestral home in Israel. They partnered with Hitler, launched or planned to launch wars of genocide against the Jewish state in 1948, 1967 and 1973. They interspersed these wars with terrorism and intifadas. They adamantly refused a two-state solution with Arabs and Israelis living beside each other in peace.MENA has evolved. Iran is the main threat to the Sunni states, which are less interested in the Palestinians and warming up to Israel.Netanyahu’s “Vision for Peace” will finally establish secure borders. This depends on several factors. First, he must win the elections. Second, his plan must dovetail with the American peace proposal. And, third, the Arab League must cooperate.The Palestinian Authority’s token Christian, Hanan Ashrawi, is “devastated.” So are the anti-Israel J-Street and B’Tselem. (B’Tselem’s sideline is turning over Arabs who sell land to Jews to the PA.)The big winners would be the 65,000 Arabs who could become Israeli citizens and enjoy the benefits all Israelis enjoy. That and the $50 billion in the US plan have to be tempting.The PA and Hamas will learn to live and do whatever they wish within their new borders. Their goal of driving the Jews into the sea will have passed.LEN BENNETTOttawaPerhaps Baskin is fortunate that his love for Israel is conditional.If the country does not behave as he wishes he is free to withdraw his commitment.For those of us whose love for Zion is unconditional we must stay and try to make the Jewish state a better place for all of its citizens be they Jews or not.There may be in the world a country that meets Baskin;s criteria. If so he might reconsider his options.SIDNEY HANDELTel AvivChurchill? Not even closeNetanyahu made clear, what many of us have known for a long time that not only has he already abandoned us to the terrorists but that it will be the same in the future (Netanyahu campaign event cut short by Gaza rockets, September 11).The siren went off during his campaign speech in Ashdod and of course he was rushed off to safety while the people I suppose were left to find what shelter they could.On his return, his words I believe will go down in history as the most defeatist and surrender talk of all time. “If Hamas is shooting at us in a live broadcast, you can understand they don’t want us here.”Wow! Who would ever have thought that!“So prepare for another one. We’ll evacuate and then we’ll return,” he then said.Imagine British prime minister Winston Churchill telling his people that instead of fighting on the beaches, on the land and on the sea and that they would never capitulate, he told them that they would run like ferrets into a hole and then come out and wait until the next time they have to run from the enemy.I mention Churchill only because I understand he is one of Netanyahu’s heroes. Obviously he didn’t take too much notice of what he said or did.Netanyahu talks of safe borders for Israel, which of course can only be when we control all of our land, minus our enemies. (“PM: Jordan Valley to be the first in sovereignty drive,” September 11).It is almost laughable after his above comments, especially as it always comes up before an election and dies as soon as he is reelected. He would ensure that our enemies, referred to as “Palestinians” have complete freedom of movement throughout the West Bank.Of course it would all have to wait until the boss, US President Donald Trump revealed his “Deal of the Century.” Read, surrender in one way or another to the terrorists.What more could one ask for?YENTEL JACOBSNetanya
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