Letters to the Editor, January 17, 2024: The local leaders

The local leaders

Regarding “‘Arab sector murder rate rose 122% in 2023’” (January 11): I can sympathize with those who are suffering but strongly disagree on placing the responsibility on the police. The first level of responsibility has to fall on the local leaders who do not eradicate the principle of “honor killings,” do not assist the authorities with the removal of illegal weapons in private homes, and allow local religious leaders to instigate hatred against Jews.

Yes, perhaps the police could do a better job, but first the population has to want it.

ANNABELLE HOROWITZPetah Tikva

Sponsor of terrorists

In “The next 100 days: A fateful test” (January 15), David Brinn correctly reframed the cry of anguish which should be heard from every throat on behalf of our kidnapped citizens, with his subhead which read: “Change ‘Bring them home now!’ to: ‘Let our people go!’”

However, the address is not Hamas, as he suggested, but rather its financier, enabler, and safe haven – Qatar. There should be huge demonstrations outside every embassy of this corrupt and corrupting slave-owning state. Possibly this could have some effect on this megalomaniac publicity-seeking sponsor of terrorists.

After all, it recently spent $220 billion in hosting the World Cup in its pathetic attempt to cover up its multitude of sins.

LOUIS GARBJerusalem

Rational conclusion

Thanks are due to Seth Frantzman for his insightful analysis of the pro-Iranian Houthis and their threat to the West (“Will the Houthis cross the line the US has drawn?” January 14). Their aggressive military operations in the Red Sea are not just a threat to freedom of the seas and international shipping, but to the very fabric of Western defenses against Kremlin-supported, ayatollah Iran. They are not based on any grievance, but on the Islamist drive to remake the world in their own image.

Tehran has its Islamist tentacles flaying throughout the Middle East against America and Israel. Jerusalem is now dealing effectively with the Hamas tentacle in both Gaza and the West Bank for the common good. It also has Iran’s Hezbollah tentacle temporarily under check in Lebanon.

From a geopolitical perspective, the US and UK should have seen the first aggressive Houthi shot against shipping in the Red Sea as a red line irrevocably crossed. This is an opportunity to utterly militarily destroy the additional Iranian-backed and manipulated tentacle in Yemen, a country where there is a clear governance alternative.

Thirty years in the US Foreign Service, mostly in Muslim countries, have taught me that even ayatollah Iran could reach the rational conclusion that it had better pull back.

AARON BRAUNSTEINJerusalem

Walk out freely

Regarding “No two states, world should ‘open its doors’ to Gazans – Gamliel’” (January 16): I cannot but agree with Gila Gamliel and with the overwhelming majority of Israelis (76%, says Direct Polls) regarding the voluntary emigration from the hellhole which is the Gaza Strip.

The most fervent and natural yearnings of a man serving a long sentence in prison are to be free, for the gates to be opened, and for him to walk out freely and go wherever he wishes, far away from the ropes that bind him and the forces of incarceration.

The population of Gaza is in prison. The eastern and northern borders have hitherto been strictly guarded by Israel and only rare exit permits are granted. Henceforth, they will be hermetically sealed.

The southern border has already been hermetically sealed for many years by Egypt, except for the breach in the fence referred to in your article. The western sea-border has been effectively blockaded to prohibit the infusion of warfare material. Gazans have neither access nor egress by air.

Is it not therefore logical and humane now to open their gates and allow everyone who wishes to escape to flee and go to wherever they may wish, to any country who will afford them a better life? We are told that over 80% of Gazans would grasp at this opportunity – and why wouldn‘t they?

So why are the US and the European countries so violently against voluntary emigration? Where are those countries now who offered the Ukrainians refuge and a better life? Just look at the mostly-unregulated mass immigration to the Western world by Muslims seeking a better life.

Let those countries offer refuge and a better life to these unfortunate people who have been caught in the crossfire of belligerency. Israeli and regional problems may then finally be solved.

LAURENCE BECKERJerusalem

Apocalyptic war

Kudos to Ilan Pomeranc (“Iran, nuclear capability, and the road ahead,” January 14) for identifying the special peril posed to Israel by a nuclear-armed Iran. Pomeranc is right to opine that Israel will have to act to remove this threat.

That’s because the Iranian regime is composed of Shi’ite Twelver religious fanatics who will use nuclear weapons if they get them. They will do so to bring about the return of the Twelfth Imam, who is promised to reappear when an apocalyptic war is waged to destroy those regarded as infidels. For the Iranian regime, Israel heads that list.

Unfortunately, standard doctrines of nuclear deterrence are not likely to work with these potentially nuclear-armed religious fanatics. For example, it won’t matter to them that Israel has a second strike capability, or that their nuclear attack on Israel could, in turn, result in the loss of Tehran. The Iranian regime is not logical in this way.

Israel has been sounding the alarm about Iran’s nuclear weapons program for years, to no avail. It’s time to admit that no one else is going to do the necessary job of destroying it. The time has come for Israel to remove the Iranian nuclear threat once and for all.

DANIEL H. TRIGOBOFFWilliamsville, New York

Absolutely insensitive

Regarding “Taking hostages near and far” (January 11): How absolutely insensitive was this article. How dare Douglas Bloomfield equate the hostages taken by Hamas to the illegal immigrants at the US southern border, or to the tactics used by members of the House of Representatives or Senate to make their point.

Why is the editor still printing his vicious remarks? Please stop.

FREYA BINENFELDPetah Tikva

Break off relations

I fail to understand why a nation as enlightened as ours continues to take abuse from the Turkish dictator/murderer Recep Tayyip Erdogan (“Turkey’s support for Hamas,” January 16). If we had any integrity at all, we would break off relations, both political and economic, with this scum, and initiate a boycott of all things Turkish. Or is our addiction to lower prices so complete that we will bear any calumny?

The State of Israel is suffering from abused wife syndrome, and it’s long past time we took action against this serial, antisemitic abuser. Shame on our cowardly government.

YISRAEL GUTTMANJerusalem