Letters to the Editor, September 11, 2024: Implied definition

Implied definition

Regarding “Fighting anti-Zionism with indigeneity” (September 8): While indigeneity is a slippery subject without a clear definition, the article’s implied definition appears to be stretched to the point of porosity, by including the Diaspora as indigenous regardless of the degree of a person’s physical, chronological or genetic distance from a “homeland,” and by leaning on self-identified indigeneity.

I respect Ben Freeman’s interesting, subjective and selective thesis and I hope he understands why I find it both exotic and impractical in general application.

DAVID POWELL

Ponthir, Wales

The coldest place

Regarding “Time for a full reboot” by Micah Avni (September 10): I heartily agree that it’s time for fresh faces and ideas in the Knesset. As my dear brother Daniel, of blessed memory, told me decades ago: “The Knesset is the coldest place in the universe because it is 120 below zero.”

NORMAN DEROVAN

Ma’aleh Adumim

Scare tactics

I was incredulous upon reading the headline: “Head of Jewish group warns Jews not to visit New York City” (September 10). I was curious to know what “group” had made such a declaration regarding a city where, by recent estimates, 1.4 million Jews reside. I discovered that the organization was the World Betar Movement, which, I believe, currently has a US membership of several hundred. Its activities in recent years have focused on encouraging Americans to make aliyah, and to foster its goals, it has sponsored a number of visits to West Bank communities. However worthy its goals may be, using scare tactics such as the above are not only contrary to logic but minimize its credibility.

With the real horrors of war and worldwide antisemitism raging around us, we need to keep our common sense intact and steer clear of illogical panic provocations.

MARION REISS

Beit Shemesh

More than anyone else

I was disturbed reading “Biden abandoned Hersh Goldberg-Polin” (September 5). President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have done more than anyone else to try to free the hostages. Blame should be assigned to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is more concerned about staying out of jail, retaining his very dysfunctional, extremist government, and helping former US president Trump get elected, than doing what is best for Israel.

Despite its adverse effects on his candidacy when he was running for president, Biden declared that Hamas is “sheer evil,” visited Israel shortly after October 7, the first time a sitting American president has done that in wartime, and moved two carrier strike groups into the Eastern Mediterranean to deter Hezbollah and Iran from joining Hamas in the conflict.

The Biden administration vetoed several UN Security Council resolutions that Israel opposed, one of which would have allowed a Palestinian bid for admission as a full member state. The president led a coordinated response with Israel and other Western allies to intercept 99% of Iran’s drones and missiles, saving thousands of Israeli lives. He also supported an “unprecedented” $14.3 billion in supplemental aid to Israel.

The administration reportedly has authorized over 100 arms transfers to Israel since the war with Hamas began, and has stood firmly against proceedings in the International Court of Justice in which Israel has been accused of genocide.  

RICHARD H. SCHWARTZ

Shoresh

A high price

The Danino family is right to place the blame for the October massacre by Hamas at the doorstep of Prime Minister Netanyahu (“‘You built the tunnel in which my son was murdered,’” September 10). Netanyahu has been in power for so long, and it was he who allowed Hamas to receive, through Qatar, millions of dollars which eventually enabled it to carry out the most horrific massacre against the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Telling families of fallen soldiers that he knows how they feel because of the death of his brother Yoni in the 1976 Entebbe raid is a well-known tactic of his, and this time, one of the brothers of the fallen soldier Ori Danino called him out on it, saying: “No, you don’t understand! You built your career on your brother’s back!”

We all understand the pain that the families of the hostages are suffering, but to free them at any cost is not the way. We paid a high price freeing terrorists in the Schalit deal. One of the released terrorists, Yahya Sinwar, was the architect of the October massacre. Can we really go down that path again?

It is an illusion to believe that once we surrender to Hamas, which, even so, probably wouldn’t release the hostages, we could continue the war. We have already been condemned as the aggressor. The answer was there months ago when the IDF should have been allowed to fight to win.

We rolled over and allowed President Biden to run the war. All we can do now, apart from pray like crazy, is to unshackle the IDF and let it do its job.

EDITH OGNALL

Netanya 

Not always blindfolded

“Ben-Gvir’s mud” (editorial, September 9) states quite correctly and unequivocally, that mudslinging – the physical and not metaphorical kind – cannot under any circumstances be condoned. The two official responses to Noa Goldenberg’s alleged attack on Ben-Gvir on the Geula Beach, however, are strikingly different. The protocols, it seems, need to be tweaked.

Judge Menachem Klein chose to pooh-pooh the matter and gave the impression that the incident was little more than childish mischief. Will he feel the same if, next time, the weapon used is somewhat more harmful than a handful of sand, such as an egg, stone or bottle?

I can’t help but wonder whether, if Ms. Goldenberg’s target had been someone less abrasive, Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, for example, the judge would have been equally forgiving. Lady Justice, alas, is not always blindfolded.

As for the police, well, treating the young woman as if she was a life-threatening terrorist might have been a bit exaggerated, but a point did have to be made. It’s not that the police have the right – even with Ben-Gvir’s nod of approval – to exert undue force where a less exertive approach would be no less effective, but being flogged with feathers provides no real deterrence.

A more even-handed approach was called for in the apprehension of Ms. Goldenberg. Hardly surprising, though, extreme measures are the way of a volatile extremist.

BARRY NEWMAN

Ginot Shomron