Diverse voices need to be heard
Congratulations to Ron Feldman (“Right wing’s road to ruin on Israel: ‘You’re either with us or against us,’ ” April 23) for his measured and incisive remarks about the value of diverse voices for the well-being of Jewish continuity and Israel.
Active support for U.S. efforts to bring Israel and the Palestinians to the negotiating table to create two states is urgent and most certainly involves lively debate within the American Jewish community. One hopes that debate can be conducted with respect and civility, cognizant of the deep fears, alternate interpretations of values and passions that drive our different political perspectives.
Might we all, in our respective political camps, exert some peer pressure on one another to convey that what is beyond the pale is to hold any “other” in contempt, to demonize or defame, to misrepresent or put words in peoples’ mouths and perhaps, most important, to fear monger?
Not only do we have a responsibility to be civil in these increasingly tense times, we have a responsibility to not incite hatred or violence. Ron Feldman’s op-ed is a good model to follow.
Molly Freeman | Berkeley
J Street S.F. Bay Area chair
On Israel, left is not right
Mr. Feldman’s op-ed served as a prime example of the progressive left, which is having a hard time tolerating opposing ideas and is rushing to demonize people on the right; even someone like Ed Koch, who had the courage to speak up and point out that the “New Emperor” has “no clothes.”
We all sympathize with the loss suffered by Mr. Feldman’s relatives. However, there are many more in a similar situation who do not see the Galilee war the same way they do.
Also, the majority of Israelis rejects Mr. Feldman’s opinions, as evident by electing to the Knesset a majority of right-to-center parties, such as Likud and Kadima. This majority does see Breaking the Silence and Peace Now groups as saboteurs for collaborating with the clueless Goldstone committee; this majority is also disgusted with Ha’aretz for its handling of the stolen military secrets by Anat Kamm, the young messianic leftist who is quoted saying she wanted “to re-educate the IDF …”
Maybe Mr. Feldman should examine his progressive-left’s position and ask: Is that good for Israel?
Sam Liron | Foster City
U.S. aiding Hamas
The U.S. government’s USAID is working in Gaza. Hamas terrorists control Gaza, where it is impossible to function without Hamas participation.
This has led to funds going to Hamas, violating the Patriot Act, Exemptions 18 USC, Sec. 2, 239A. Hastings Law School stated that, “We are not allowed to give humanitarian aid to terrorists.” But giving humanitarian aid to Gaza is giving aid to Hamas.
Everyone in Gaza voted for Hamas. Those that did not support Hamas have been killed, driven out or are in hiding. Social conditions in Gaza cause humanitarian funds to pass into Hamas terrorists’ hands immediately, or sooner or later.
Therefore, the U.S. government is giving humanitarian aid to Hamas, a terrorist organization. Hamas diverts the funds
from their humanitarian needs to their terrorist activities against Israel.
Funds from the U.S. given with the pure intention of helping people (with food, water and first aid) is understood in Gaza as support for Hamas and its terrorist activities. When Israel helps Gaza, it is not seen as support for Hamas.
Therefore it would be far better for the U.S. to help Gaza through Israel, where the intent is not confused and you are not breaking the law.
Robin Rosenblatt | Belmont
Obama’s ‘utter nonsense’
In response to your April 23 article, “Quandary for Jewish leaders: Criticize Obama or defend him?” many of America’s Jews and media sometimes ignore equally substantive issues.
For example, earlier this year the president gave a speech in Cairo which contained outrageous errors and outright misinformation. Maybe it’s because I’m an indigenous Egyptian Jew that I was especially sensitive to his mistakes. He said: “America and Islam share common principles of justice, progress and tolerance.” This is utter nonsense. Our principles and values are totally different, e.g. on human rights, on minorities, on freedom, on the rule of law and democratic principles.
Also, have we already forgotten the vicious ethnically cleansing of nearly 1 million Jews from nine Arab countries and Iran? No tolerance. No justice.
The president was also guilty of a terminological inexactitude when he said that “Islam demonstrated … religious tolerance and equality.” Where was that? In Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, Somalia, Malaysia, etc.?
It’s also shameful that his speech was given in Cairo, a hotbed of Holocaust denial, anti-Semitism and anti-Israeli propaganda (as well as anti-Americanism).
Our president and advisers need to bone up on the history and culture of the Middle East.
Joseph Wahed | Moraga
Goldstone a pariah
Most of the Jewish and pro-Israel community feels that the Goldstone report is a one-sided document with a decidedly anti-Israel slant to it. Despite this, however, the request for Goldstone to steer clear of his grandson’s bar mitzvah generated mixed feelings for me (“Protesters ready if Goldstone attends grandson’s bar mitzvah,” April 23).
I 100 percent welcome Goldstone’s pariah status in the global Jewish community.
Last week’s article had some quotes that nailed it for me. They included describing Goldstone with having done “a tremendous disservice not only to Israel but to the Jewish world” and that “his name is being used by hostile elements in the world against Israel …”
I saw this in action outside the last AIPAC dinner meeting in San Francisco, in which someone from the notorious anti-Israel group Jewish Voice for Peace was carrying on with a loudspeaker citing the Goldstone report repeatedly.
Goldstone is deserving of whatever and all the alienation the global Jewish community cares to dish out at him. He has joined the vile ranks of the likes of Noam Chomsky, Norman Finklestein, Jewish Voice for Peace and other Jews who serve the radical Islamic agenda which thrives in a cesspool of worldwide Jew hatred.
Sol Rosenberg | Oakland
Fight fire with firepower
I read that Syria is supplementing its re-arming of Hezbollah terrorists with Scud missiles that have a one-ton payload and a range that includes all cities within Israel.
Previously Syria furnished thousands of short-range missiles, all in violation of U.N. resolutions.
One response would be for Israel to proclaim that for every missile launched into Israel, 10 would be fired into Damascus.
This would follow the Cold War strategy of Mutual Assured Destruction, whereby Gen. Curtis LeMay of the Strategic Air Command had nuke-loaded B-52 bombers flying 24 hours a day near Russia ready to respond if Russia released any of the ICBMs pointed at our shores.
While some may protest that a 10-to-1 retaliation ratio might be excessive, terrorists in Baghdad last week used a much higher ratio against the 52 persons killed and the more than 100 injured — and the high ratio from this explosive device did not cause indignant protests.
Bud Rubin | Palo Alto
Praying for one-term president
Ed Koch’s advertisement in the j. (April 9) really hit home. I copied it and am sending it to Obama, those mentioned in the advertisement, and anyone else who should have responded to the shameful treatment of Prime Minister Netanyahu by Obama. How could anyone be surprised (if not outraged) at the behavior of someone who sat for 20 years and listened and digested the violent anti-Semitic vitriol spewed by his pastor. I pray that Obama is a one-term president.
Ruth Pheffer | Greenbrae