Letters to the Editor March 31, 2024: A clear head

Your March 29 edition contained many interesting articles, but one which stood out to me was “The Russian  Chamberlain” by Amotz Asa-El. His analysis of the situation in which we are currently embroiled is exactly what faced Stalin in 1941, and we all know what the result of that was.

I pray that history will not repeat itself. We need a cool hand and a clear head, living where we do, especially now.

BRENDA GOLDBLUM

Jerusalem

Caring human being

Herb Keinon’s description of then-US senator Joe Lieberman’s visit to Israel 16 years ago took me back to one of the most memorable weeks of my career as an American diplomat (“Joe Lieberman: A voice of moral clarity that will be sorely missed,” March 29).

I was serving at the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, and was honored to be selected as senator Lieberman’s “control officer” for that visit. I was responsible for making sure that all of his personal and official needs were met – arranging his accommodations, accompanying him wherever he went, and fulfilling any requests he might have.

Senator Lieberman could easily have treated me as a servant, expected to do his bidding, but remaining silent. Instead, we engaged in friendly conversation on a wide range of topics. Two examples of his dedication to Judaism, marked by his well-known wit, stand out:

1. At his request, we went to pray at the Western Wall. It happened to be Hanukkah. I was impressed that he knew the Amidah by heart. However, I was not certain that he would know Al Hanissim, the special addition to the Amidah for the holiday. As he reached that part of the Amidah, I passed him a prayer book and turned to the appropriate page. He read it without hesitation and completed his prayers. As we left the Western Wall, he smiled and said: “Efraim, you have skills that other diplomats lack.”
2. I took him to a synagogue near his hotel on Shabbat morning. As a kohen, I performed the Priestly Blessing, which is part of the regular service. When I returned to my seat next to him after the blessing, he quipped: “That was the first time I have ever been blessed by someone from the State Department.”

Senator Lieberman was more than a national political leader. He was a warm and caring human being, of whom we as Jews were rightly proud. He will be sorely missed. 

EFRAIM COHEN

Zichron Ya’acov

Rendered ineffective

Regarding “The big chill sets in, once again” (March 29): Hamas must be extirpated from Gaza. The klepto/terrorists have ruined the lives of the people in their charge.

In 2005, Israel, in a mistaken fit of generosity, removed every Jew from Gaza. The plan was to give the Arabs the opportunity to develop an unique society, without any interference or excuses. They were left greenhouses to start businesses. Large buildings remained intact. Donors were prepared to finance Gaza’s development.

The Gazans blew it. They destroyed everything the Jews left them. Then the PA and Hamas began squabbling and by 2007, PA loyalists and Bedouin were driven out.

Hamas terrorists, aided by UNRWA, relentlessly crushed the people, blaming their plight on Israel. The billions of dollars contributed for their sustenance was diverted to war materials and tunnels, and not invested in homes, schools, or hospitals.

Hamas fired rockets at Israeli civilians, a war crime, while hiding behind Palestinian civilians, another war crime. On a regular basis, Hamas lunged at Israel. For how long could Israel let this happen? October 7, 2023 was the last straw.

Hamas must now be destroyed. Islamic terrorism, whether Hamas, Hezbollah, al-Qaeda, or ISIS will not disappear, any more than Nazism has, but it must be rendered ineffective in order for the West to survive. Israel is the “Small Satan.” America is the “Great Satan.” Israel is fighting our war.

LEN BENNETT

Ottawa

Possible and acceptable

Eliaz Cohen’s “There is only one option left: Rescue the innocent Gazans – by bringing them to the Negev” (March 26) is not as far-fetched as one might think. We already know that no neighboring country or other friend of the Palestinians is willing to accept the Gazan refugees, under any circumstances. (Let’s not get caught up on the definition of “friend.”)

This appears to be the most straightforward of possible and acceptable solutions. As we all know, the Palestinian refugees from 1948 have always been assured that the status is temporary and that they will return.

Where they to be located in the Negev, this would be 100% understood, and Israel could more easily control the evacuation – the balance left in Gaza would be only Hamas and its supporters. No innocent women and children would remain behind.

How about suggesting this clearly to the international community and to the UN and daring them to do something they’ve been insisting upon since October? Finally, there would be a solution to removing the human shields.

STEPHEN POHLMANN

Tel Aviv

Israel’s primary source

In view of the Netanyahu-Biden hype in the media right now, Uri Pilichowski’s “The strength of US-Israel ties” (March 31) is a timely reminder that US presidents have historically had their run-ins with Israel’s leaders.

However, I feel he was unfair in his comments about Lyndon Johnson, suggesting that he did “nothing to help” Israel by way of aid in the run-up to the 1967 Six Day War. Johnson was the first US president to supply Israel with heavy weaponry including Patton tanks and A4 Skyhawk light bombers, beginning in 1965, which helped to secure Israel’s victory. After the French imposed an arms embargo on Israel subsequent to the war, Johnson agreed to replace France as Israel’s primary source of weapons, including with the sale of F-4 Phantoms to Israel in 1968.

ALAN MAYS

Netanya

Shoulder to shoulder

Please don’t brush all of Canada with antisemitism. Micah Halpern, in “Who really cares about Canada?” (March 26), cites moments in Canada’s history when its actions toward Jews were “bone-chilling.” He points to the 1939 disgraceful refusal to allow entrance to Canada to over 900 refugees. Their fate was doomed.

Indeed, it was a dark period for Canada. The Notre Dame Hospital incident was 90 years ago.

The recent events and statements from the Canadian government do not reflect how many of us Canadians feel. Last month’s disgusting motion by the NDP-Liberal coalition regarding Palestinian statehood was indeed a badge of shame. However, Halpern omits that the Conservative opposition (which had more votes in the previous two elections than the governing Liberals) vehemently opposed the motion.

Halpern also needs to look at our previous prime minister Stephen Harper, who served in the position from 2006 to 2015. Harper stood shoulder to shoulder with Israel, and his speech to Israel’s parliament in 2014 was met with a standing ovation by members of the Knesset. “Through fire and water, Canada will stand with you,” said Harper in closing.

While I am ashamed of our present government’s actions, your writer should know that many Canadians, including myself, stand with you.

GLEN GROSSMITH

Calgary