Letters to the Editor, August 18, 2024: Israel's problems

Israel’s problems

In “Why Harris’s golden boy should worry Israel” (August 16), Zvika Klein, editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, criticizes Vice President Harris’s choice of Ilan Goldenberg as her liaison to the Jewish community. One of his main arguments is that Goldenberg supported the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. He ignores that the deal was working well, according to nuclear experts and professional inspectors, and that former president Trump’s pulling out of it in 2018 enabled Iran to get much closer to obtaining a nuclear bomb and to be in a much better bargaining position.

Mr. Klein is also critical of many of Goldenberg’s positions on Israel. He ignores that these positions are generally consistent with the views of President Biden and most other world leaders, almost all congressional Democrats, and, most importantly, the Commanders for Israel’s Security, a non-partisan movement of retired senior members of the IDF, Shin Bet, Mossad and Israel Police.

Israel’s problems today are far less due to US appointees than to some of the extremists who Prime Minister Netanyahu has appointed.

RICHARD H. SCHWARTZShoresh

Difficult questions

Kudos to The Jerusalem Post for having the courage to publish “Behind the veil” by Benjamin Anthony (August 15), exposing the damage to Israel caused by the anti-government protest movement and the “Bring Them Home Now” forum. Almost all of the Israeli print and broadcast media have refrained from expressing even the mildest criticism of these two groups, which are now in effect one and the same. Representatives of both are given constant exposure to the public and rarely asked any difficult questions.

One fact that the writer overlooked is that both of these movements are beneficiaries of substantial funding from abroad, which is needed to cover their huge expenditure for activities, clothing and other paraphernalia. Shouldn’t they then be considered a foreign-funded political lobby promoting an agenda which may differ greatly from the national interests of Israel? 

DOUG GREENERJerusalem

The right person

In “From golden age to hostile terrain” (August 16), Herb Keinon, a journalist of high repute, has even surpassed his superior reputation in presenting to us the next Israeli ambassador to the UN. Those of us who are well-versed in the machinations of politics in this great nation can only bow to the decision to have Danny Danon represent us once again in the arena that is rightly described as a “lion’s den.”

Mr. Danon is a very experienced politician but even more so a diplomat having already served a term at the UN, pleading Israel’s case in a manner which has always been formidable and erudite. Again since October 7, the UN and the majority of those who represent their nations have shown a virulent bias against Israel, especially when not letting facts get in the way of their animosity.

I am sure Danny Danon is fully prepared for what awaits him in this new-era Colosseum, but he will require an extra coat of verbal armor to ward off the vitriol that will head his way. With hypocritical UN-affiliated organizations such as UNRWA and UNIFIL having been not only negligent but corrupt in their roles, he will have more than enough ammunition to argue his/our case.

Finding himself in a den where the roar will be megaphoned to heights that erroneously places all manner of blame on Israel and exhibits thinly veiled antisemitism from some, he will require all his attributes at a heightened level to state and present Israel’s case.

I am more than confident that we have, in Danny Danon, the right person representing us, and wish him great strength and fortitude in his task in being able with assistance from valued allies to plead our position, and to fend off all the inaccuracies and untruths that will be coming his way.

STEPHEN VISHNICKTel Aviv

Not important

In “Donald Trump is not a friend of the Jews” (August 13), Amy Neustein establishes her case primarily on the basis that Trump was against the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, becoming the vice presidential candidate on the Democrat 2024 ticket.

Contrary to what Neustein might believe, it is not important to have a Jew on the ticket. However, it is important for a candidate – Jew or non-Jew – to be strongly opposed to antisemitism, and strongly in favor of the Jewish state.

Donald Trump, when he was president, recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the US Embassy there. He also recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. In addition, he was against the deal with Iran, which endangered American and Israeli security. Also, he supported the Abraham Accords, for which he should have been given the Nobel Peace Prize. He also withheld money to Israel’s genocidal enemies.

For all of this and more, including his support of Jewish students at the antisemitic universities, he deserves Jewish gratitude and support. Who needs Jewish senators, such as Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders to represent us? I would much prefer Senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Tom Cotton.

IRA NOSENCHUKJerusalem

Insulted by vegans

Regarding “I am not a vegan” by Alan Freishtat (August 15): I have been a lover of chicken meat since I was a toddler and stole the chicken from my aunts’ and uncles’ plates. I still love chicken dishes, which I’ve learned to cook myself. I have in the past, eaten beef, but never took to it.

Today I continue cooking and eating chicken and fish dishes, and here I am in my 89th year still looking forward to hitting 120. Incidentally, I eat a lot, and I mean a  lot, of vegetables and fruit. Even though I was diagnosed with late-onset diabetes, I find it impossible to give up fruit.

Still, I feel insulted by all you vegans and whatever else you call yourselves for telling the world to give up eating meat and fish. Lots of people who eat meat live long healthy lives. Lots of people who don’t eat meat die early.

EDMUND JONAHRishon Lezion

Proud, independent nation

Regarding ”Defying Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir announces change in status quo of Temple Mount” (August 14): I cannot imagine the circumstance that would have me vote for Itamar Ben-Gvir. I cannot think of a single position he holds that I support. However, when it comes to the Temple Mount, I am with him 100%. Our government is still fearful after 57 years of exercising our sovereignty there.

We have allowed unauthorized, unsupervised construction and have folded over and over again when it comes to maintaining security for all those visiting there. Our courts have ruled that we have a right to pray there, but our governments have feared making our sworn enemies even more violent. How much more violent can they get?

By not allowing freedom of worship for Jews at our holiest site, our governments have consistently undermined our right to be there at all, giving credence to the widespread belief among Arabs that there never was a Temple there at all.

As for the Negev, when we will act as if we are sovereign in our country? You can take the Jew out of the Diaspora, but taking the Diaspora out of the Jew seems to be nigh impossible.

So much for a proud, independent nation in its own land; this is just another variation of the belief gripping too many of our so-called leaders that victory is impossible, and submission to our sworn enemies is the only path to peace. It’s pathetic.

YISRAEL GUTTMANJerusalem