Letters to the Editor, January 15, 2024: Great psychological harm

Great psychological harm

I am writing to you as a loyal reader of The Jerusalem Post for the last thirty years.

In all of your coverage of the atrocities of October 7, as well as the tragedies of the hostages and soldiers killed, until now you have reported responsibly. As a psychologist, I am witness to the Secondary Trauma that Israelis have experienced after having been exposed to graphic photographs and videos of these events. I have urged family and friends to avoid seeing such images, as they cause great psychological harm.

I was horrified to see the front page of Friday’s newspaper (January 12): half a page of a gory image of death that no one could have opted out of. Never, to my memory, with all the terror attacks and wars that Israel has suffered, has the Jerusalem Post allowed for such dreadful tabloid-type photos, which create great damage.

I urge you to apologize to your readership, and take it upon yourself that such an error of judgment will never occur again.

TALYA ROTH

Jerusalem

Yes, we must show the world the truth about October 7, but I strongly disagree with the decision to publish graphic pictures above the fold on the front page. One cannot unsee what has been seen. I was so upset by the photos that I hid the paper so that other members of my family would not see them.

In the future, if you must print such pictures, please put them on an inside page with a warning on the front page.

RUTH ZIMBERG

Safed

Information campaign

Kudos to Ruth Wasserman Lande (“A revolution of consciousness,” January 14) in highlighting the great need to educate the larger Arab public to the atrocities of October 7. We forget that much of the news that reaches the Arab street is filtered by repressive regimes, where freedom of the press and speech is highly restricted.

If the Arab world is ever to attain sufficient information to understand objectively what Hamas stands for, it must come from external sources. This is where Ms. Lande’s suggestion of a global information campaign to educate Arabs, especially the younger generations, is most prescient and necessary.

Where do I send my check? Surely some Jewish philanthropist can see the merit in supporting this effort.

ROD MCLEOD

Timrat

A mad world

Regarding “Showcasing the absurd” (editorial, January 14): What is most absurd is that South Africa – one of the most immoral countries on this planet – should accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza. South Africa has the highest rape rate in the world. It also has one of the highest murder rates in the world

In the 84-page document in which South Africa outlines its case for genocide, it bolsters its denunciation by citing countries which also charge Israel with genocide. They include Algeria, Colombia, Iran, Turkey, Venezuela, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, and Syria. Only in a mad world would one call these countries ridden by extraordinary violence and civil wars as witnesses for your defense.

Moreover, what hypocrisy it is that South Africa is suddenly so obsessed with virtue among countries. In 2015, when he was visiting their country, the South African government refused to extradite then-president of Sudan Omar al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court in The Hague on charges of genocide in Darfur. What’s more, South Africa has friendly relations with Russia even though it launched an unprovoked, brutal war on Ukraine. 

However, one must give credit to the wiliness of South Africa on using the Jewish state as a diversion from so many of its miseries such as the staggering rates of poverty, inequality of wealth, and unemployment.

JACOB MENDLOVIC 

Toronto

In your excellent editorial, the writer successfully expresses the anxieties and frustrations experienced by every Israeli today. I do however have a problem with the last three words of this article, when you write, “bring them home.”

In the weekly Torah portions currently being read in synagogues all over the world, we read about God instructing Moses and Aharon to free the Jewish slaves in Egypt. This is not the first example of freeing hostages in the Torah, as Abraham went to war to free his nephew Lot. The Exodus from Egypt is however a rescue of an entire people, on a much grander scale than one family’s rescue.

What does God instruct Moses to say over and over again to Pharaoh? “Send forth my people.” The onus is on Pharaoh to send out, release, the Jews, and not on Moses to bring them out. Of course God, with the help of Moses, takes the Jews out of Egyptian bondage, but only after Pharaoh sends them out after realizing the greatness of God.We have made the world’s rallying cry to “bring them home.” 

The families and relatives of the remaining hostages, who are no doubt going through unbelievable anxiety, worry, and horrors, hold meetings and rallies to plead with Prime Minister Netanyahu to bring them home as though itwere up to the Israeli leadership whether or not the hostages are freed.

We need to change that narrative to put the onus on Hamas, as well as on Iran, the puppet masters, to “send them home.” Of course we in Israel will bring them home, but the world must know that these barbaric enemies of Israel must send them home after witnessing the greatness of Israel through the hand of God.

NORMAN DEROVAN

Ma’aleh Adumim

Creating divisiveness

I sure hope Yair Lapid read Bracha Mirsky’s words that he is “Destroying our unity” (January 11). Her words should ring loud and clear in the ears of Lapid and anyone else creating divisiveness among our people during this critical time.

Preserving our unity, supporting our soldiers, bringing our hostages home, and destroying Hamas completely are what we must continue to do. I totally agree with Mirsky that “it is time for Lapid to wake up and realize the damage he is doing.” 

Yair Lapid: Are you listening?

GERSHON LEVITAN

Beit Shemesh

Justice will prevail

As Dan Perry writes (“The truth about the genocide charges at The Hague,” January 11), genocide claims against Israel do not hold water. To be honest, with the firepower of the Israel Air Force, we could have bombed indiscriminately and flattened Gaza if we had wished to do so, and in so doing, would have ended the conflagration months ago.

We also would not have lost the lives of our soldiers. Hopefully justice will prevail against this modern day blood libel.

SHLOMO LOSHINSKY

Ma’aleh Adumim