J.Post October 11: J Street and the Common Denominator

Sir, - Alan Eisner, vice president for communications at J Street, categorically informs us that the "unbreakable bond" between Israel and the United States is in danger of erosion if the "occupation continues." ('No chance Netanyahu, Obama will heal their rift, says J Street,' October 7.) He clearly and unconditionally blames the "occupation" for being the root of all evils, believing its end will usher forth the final redemption. Unfortunately, the J Street spokesman is not only sightless but seems to display a witless naivete about the realities that comprise the complex geopolitical, religious, and social tensions that find their expression in this region of the world.

I challenge Mr. Eisner to relate or find any causal connection between the following news events that were published in The Jerusalem Post on the same day as the appearance of his J Street wizardry, and his theory of "occupation":   'Thousands of refugees in Jordan return to Syria' (Page 7); 'NATO rejects Russian excuse on Turkish air space,' '15 soldiers dead in Aden attacks on gov't targets,' 'Car bomb attacks kill 57 people in Iraq' (Page 8); 'Boko Haram terrorists kill 11 Chadian troops,' 'Pro-Russian Ukraine rebels postpone vote' (Page 9); 'Forces seize M-16 used by Hamas to kill Henkins' (Page 10).

The common denominator for all these events, Mr.Eisner, is not "occupation" but an Islam that has been kidnapped by ruthless murderers who share a culture of death and aggressively force their savagery on the thousands killed in the Twin Towers in the United States, on 250,000 innocents killed in Syria, and the death of the cherished Henkins in Israel.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

[Image credit: 

J.Post September 29: Nothing But Certainty!

Sir, - I was totally dismayed by the odious headline that appeared on the front page of the Jerusalem Post on September 24th. The headline read "SWAT team kills suspected murderers of the three teens." The gratuitous injection of the adjective 'suspected' places an immediate appalling question mark concerning the legitimacy of the activity by introducing an unfortunate, ever so slight implication of uncertainty into the action. 

In fact, the massive intelligence gathered by the Shin Bet, the IDF, and the Counterterrorism Unit during the three months of intensive search for these terrorist abominations, provided the certainty that eliminated any and all doubt as to the identity of these murderous kidnappers.

Only the unequivocal assertion by IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz expressing the hope that the families of the victims got some little relief "in the knowledge that we got to the murderers of their sons" was appropriate to the circumstances, and the only assertion that could provide these very deserving people with the ability to state that "an evil circle has closed."

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva 

Zoabi: The Kidnappers are not Terrorists

Sir, - Although I hold Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein in the highest regard and consider him to be one of the most gifted and suitable occupants of high public office, I find myself in profound disagreement with his judgment regarding MK Haneen Zoabi. I was deeply disturbed to read the headline "Edelstein rejects calls to punish Zoabi for saying kidnappers are not terrorists."

While one may agree or disagree about the parameters of free speech, Zoabi, while serving as a member of Knesset, has time and again tested those limits with anti-Israel diatribes. She has clearly demonstrated her willingness to translate words into deeds by her participation in the attempt to violate the Israeli blockade of Gaza that resulted in the infamous Marmara Affair.

In her latest heinous offense she not only declared that the kidnappers were non-terrorists, but she offered to the world a 'justification' of terrorism. Since, she explained, the Palestinians are so desperate, they have no means of gaining reprieve for their plight other than through these extreme acts of despair.

Not only does Zoabi do violence to the truth about the condition of Arab lives alongside the State of Israel, she offers this as an excuse for the kidnapping of innocent civilian teenagers. It's obvious that her same pernicious reasoning justifies rocket attacks, suicide bombings, and Hamas's call to wipe Israel off the map!

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva  

[Image credit: Sergio Yahni]

Toxic Remarks: Tzipi Livni and Rabbi Nissan Kaplan

Sir, - Readers of the Jerusalem Post were confronted with two disturbing headlines on Sunday May 18 and in fact both reflect a venomous posture towards the state of Israel and its people. The first headline relates to the unauthorized meeting that took place in London between Tzipi Livni and the PA's Mahmoud Abbas; the second cites a repulsive and toxic statement from a rabbi of the Mir Yeshiva who declared that "government officials should in theory be killed."

It appears to me that Naftali Bennet's comments about Livni that describe her as a "satellite lost in orbit, with no connection to the planet earth" can unhesitatingly be applied to the Yeshiva scholar Rabbi Nissan Kaplan as well. The physical disconnect that Bennet describes is, however, unfortunately inadequate to fully portray the depth of their folly. They both seem to lack a basic appreciation or understanding of the 'heavenly miracle' that is the State of Israel or the real concerns of its people and their core values.

Tzipi Livni, in her desperate pursuit of an Israel-Palestinian peace treaty, is evidently willing to ignore the real danger that is inherent in meeting with a unified Hamas-PLO entity, wherein Hamas insists on its intention to annihilate the Zionist state. Their continuing rocket attacks against Israel and attempts to kidnap soldiers clearly demonstrate an implacable intent to unite their words of enmity with murderous deeds. She needs to understand that her primary obligation is to the security of the people of Israel with absolutely no room for compromise or weakness. 

The words describing the Israeli government as 'Amelekites' and therefore worthy of being killed borders on pathology no matter if it emerges from Rabbi Kaplan or any so called 'Gedolim,' be they Ashkenazi or Sfardi. His pathetic remarks and inane games played with his children are both symptoms of the terrible growing divide that separates the Haredi world from the rest of Israel, and worse is the Haredi world's ingratitude for the fact that currently there is more Torah being learned in the state of Israel with the support of the 'Amelikites' and the security provided by the IDF than any other period of Jewish history. It is time that these facts were honestly recognized by the Yeshiva world, and that they gather the courage to thank the Almighty for His daily miracles even when they come dressed in non-velvet kippot.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

[Image credit: WEF and Wikimedia user yoavlemmer]

Shimon Peres At it Again

Sir, - In the midst of the warm afterglow of Independence Day celebrations I found it most disturbing to be confronted once again with a front page report on the insidious activities of our country's president. Shimon Peres is deservedly acknowledged to be one of the world's leading statesmen and one who has brought much honor to the state of Israel. He has many important achievements to his credit, and a long list of testimonials to his strength of heart and mind, as well as to the qualities of character that befit a person of such lofty position. Alas, humility does not occupy a prominent space on that list. This character flaw can on occasion blind him to the damage he causes to the government and people of Israel, precisely because of the high regard in which he is held.

Each and everyone of us must ask the simple question: What did Peres hope to accomplish at this stage by his 'revelation' that "PM nixed deal with PA in final stages 3 years ago"? After the peace talks guided by Sec. Kerry have completely broken down due to the intransigence of the PA and their unity talks with Hamas, does Peres feel that his program will now be adopted by the Israeli government? Is Peres in favor of having Hamas, who consistently in word and deed call for the destruction of Israel, now become legitimate members of the PA negotiating team?

Regrettably, we must ask an another question of the Peres report: Is it an accurate description of what actually took place three years ago, or is it part of Peres' long history of wishful thinking and his attempts to reconstruct the chronicle of events beginning with the Oslo process up until his present evaluation of Abbas as a man of "character," a "fighter against terrorism," and a man who is courageous and talks of peace?

The reliability of the Peres report is brought into serious doubt in an interview granted by recent national security adviser Gen. Yaakov Amidror, someone who has been intimately involved with the peace negotiations of the past several years. The interview took place the same day the report appeared, wherein he declared unequivocally that if those negotiations took place Netanyahu had absolutely no knowledge of them.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

[Image credit: Chatham House]

The Kerry Treachery

Sir, - It is becoming increasingly evident that John Kerry has abdicated his role as an 'honest broker' in the negotiations between Israel and the PA. To the adjectives obsessive and messianic that Defense Minister Yaalon has already used to describe him, we must now unfortunately add treacherous in order to properly identify his diplomatic casuistry.  

The shocking statement reported on the front page of the Jerusalem Post wherein Kerry is quoted as saying that "it is a mistake to demand that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state" is the equivalent of a dagger being thrust into the very heart of the negotiations. It is a repugnant betrayal of Prime Minister Netanyahu who has made this the very fulcrum and primary condition of his agreement to enter into the negotiations, and this was made absolutely clear to the Americans. In fact until a short while ago, it was leaked to the media that the Americans backed this very basic and most elementary demand. The goal of the negotiations could only be reached if each side of the negotiations announced the complete end of hostilities and recognize the national rights of the other. This is not only completely logical and legitimate, but it places the absence of its acceptance into the realm of the bizarre and absurd and serves to render the negotiations a total mockery.

Kerry's perfidy, however, does not stop with Netanyahu; it also does violence to the entire peace negotiations. Kerry not only labels the demand 'a mistake' but by doing so he automatically grants legitimacy to Abbas' adamant refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. He then proceeds to offer justification for this refusal based on the very tenuous arguments that the US and Arafat have already done so. Surely the Sec. of State should be wise enough to ask the simple question: Why then is Abbas so determined in his

refusal to do so? Shouldn't Gaza be cut off from the PA because of Hamas' publicly declared statements, backed by lethal rockets, which call for the continuous armed struggle against the Zionist entity?

The ugly truth that emerges is the fact that Abbas' intransigence, now supported by Kerry, will result in a halt to the negotiations, but instead of placing the onus where it belongs both Kerry and Obama find it more comfortable to blame Israel. In light of this reality, will Kerry still insist that Israel release the last batch of terrorist butchers into the loving arms of Abbas?

Finally, if Netanyahu's demand is labeled as a mistake, how would Kerry characterize the repulsive pressure brought on Israel for the obscene release of unrepentant murderers as a Palestinian precondition to the start of talks?

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

[Image credit: Flickr user cliff1066]

With No Apologies: Why J.Post's Headline is Misleading

Sir, - The headline on the front page of the Jerusalem Post of March 12, stated in bold large letters "Israel apologizes for killing of Jordanian at Allenby crossing." A careful reading of the news story that follows quite clearly exposes the headline as being grossly misleading. As such it can easily cause a great deal of misunderstanding that is often followed by negative and unfortunate consequences. This danger is compounded and becomes far more treacherous when the headline appears on the front page.

The text of the news story relates that the Prime Mister's Office, in an effort to reduce the tensions with Jordan over the killing of Raed Za'eiter, issued a statement expressing regret over his death. The statement, in addition to expressing Israel's sympathies to the people and government of Jordan, further tells that Israel has already shared with Jordan the results of its preliminary investigation and even agreed to Jordan's request to establish a joint Israel-Jordanian team to complete the investigation.

The commonly accepted meaning of the word Apology is the expression of regret for a wrong that you have committed. Indeed, we are informed that Israel did express regret over the death of the young man, but it did not by way of word or deed convey the notion that his death was wrongfully brought about by Israel. On the contrary, the reported results of the investigation conducted by the IDF indicated that the shooting took place after the victim shouted "Allahu Akbar" and charged at the soldiers and attempted to snatch a rifle. Under the circumstances and a sane sense of justice, it is Israel that should be demanding an apology from Jordan!

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

Islamic Culture of Death Goes Global

Sir - The horrendous headlines that are distributed throughout Sunday's paper confront the intelligent reader with at least two important issues of concern that are deserving of serious attention. Starting on the front page we read, "Bombs kill 42 outside Sunni mosques in Tripoli," and we are further informed, "Suicide bomber targets Baghdad cafe, killing 25," and still further we learn, "Nigerian Islamists kill 44 in northeast." Add to the above the massacre of civilians in Syria and the hundreds of dead in the turmoil in Egypt we are provided unfortunately with conclusive testimony that Islam has been taken captive by a culture of death.

1) The continued heroization of terrorists and the P.A's ongoing incitement to hatred through its schools and mosques would seem to clearly locate them well within the destructive parameters of that culture. Does it make any sense to conduct negotiations with those who do not ascribe any value to the fundamental belief in the sanctity of human life?

2) How can we explain the extraordinary fact of the failure of Prime Minister Erdogan to blame Israel for the murderous bombs described above? Was he, in violation of Sharia law, inebriated? Was he institutionalized for paranoia? Is he possibly doing Tshuva? It is most important for the geo-political alignments in this area to know the answers.

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva

[Image credit: Religious Freedom Coalition]

Releasing Palestinian Terrorists -- Senseless, Revolting, Insensitive

Sir, - The unbearable pressure to make additional gestures to the P.A. that resulted in the decision to release terrorist murderers brought with it a great deal of humiliation and heartbreak to Israelis. Once that inexpedient decision has been made, however, the people of Israel have every right to expect their government to be exacting in their demands that the Palestinians scrupulously observe the reciprocity requirements built into the fabric of that resolution.

This is clearly not happening.

The decision was predicated on the basis that prisoners would be released "according to progress in the talks." The patent absurdity of the government's behavior was revealed on Sunday, when Netanyahu sent a letter to Kerry complaining about Palestinian incitement, and on Monday a ministerial committee prepared a list of the first batch of terrorists to be freed. If indeed there is continued incitement, it is then both senseless and revolting to release these savages before the incitement is brought to an end.

Coinciding with the above, we read about the appalling behavior of Justice Grunis as described in front page headlines , "Grunis leads walkout by justices on terror victims families." This not only reinforces the problematics inherent in the decision but further exacerbates the problem by revealing a most shocking insensitivity and impatience by leading members of our judiciary to the genuine cries of pain and anguish of the families of the terror victims.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

[Image credit: Amir Farshad Ebrahimi]

J.Post February 28: Abbas on Israeli "Torture"

Sir, - The glaring headline "Abbas on Jaradat: Israel wants anarchy by killing our children" was deeply disturbing to me. I was distressed even further, by the veiled threat of Abbas, that indicated that the death of Jaradat would not pass easily by.

The above presents to many thousands of concerned, sensitive, and intelligent citizens of Israel, a most awful dilemma. We were recently informed by Pres. Shimon Peres that he has known Mahmoud Abbas for decades, and he unequivocally assured our people that Abbas is not only an honorable man, but he indeed is also a worthy peace partner.

If there is substance to Abbas's accusations, I would admit to being deeply ashamed of our country. However, if it be established that Israel in fact does not torture Palestinian prisoners, I would find myself in the position of being deeply ashamed of our president.

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva

[Image credit: World Economic Forum]

J.Post January 30: New Trees, New Bones

Sir, - The countless words, analyses, and opinions that constituted the sound and fury of the party campaigns in Israel's recent elections, have yet to reveal their ultimate worth and significance. In the world at large there is a clear and ominous rise of hatred and hostility, toward our beleaguered state that found its most recent expression in the obscene anti-Semitic cartoon posted by the Sunday Times of London. On Holocaust Remembrance Day, it chose to depict a big-nosed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu building and cementing a wall with the blood and limbs of Palestinians.

And Yet! We are able to respond and show the world what we truly are and how we differ, by virtue of two recent magnificent achievements of which we can be justly proud. The first, is the most beautiful and meaningful way that we and the Keren Kayemeth Leisrael commemorate the Tu Bishvat holiday. We did so by having hundreds of thousands of participants plant one million saplings all over Israel. Surely there can be no more positive and elegant way for a nation to express its wholesome respect and love for the genuine values to which they subscribe.

Second, is the almost unbelievable technology developed by Dr.Shai Meretzki and his Bonus BioGroup, where they have demonstrated the ability to grow healthy bone and cartilage, and literally create spare parts for people who suffer from the loss or deterioration of limbs.What a marvelous contribution to all of mankind and a most fitting response to all our detractors.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

UPDATED J.Post December 22: Out with Zoabi

Sir, – With regard to “Panel bars Zoabi from Knesset election” (December 20), we were informed in a previous frontpage Post article (“Zoabi: If Balad’s banned, Arabs won’t vote,” December 9) that MK Haneen Zoabi has a first degree in philosophy and a second degree in communications. But it quickly becomes quite apparent that despite her advanced education, she lacks the ability to relate to the need for accuracy or truth with any degree of sanctity.

While Zoabi unhesitatingly attacks Israel with the obscene charge of racism, she blithely chooses to ignore the malicious and patent absurdity of the charge, based on the evidence of the opportunities afforded to her by both the democratic State of Israel and its liberal and accepting society.

She received her higher education from two of Israel’s important universities and was democratically elected along with several Arab colleagues to serve in Israel’s parliament.

These facts, it is worth noting, are in clear contrast to the existing realities in all of Israel’s nondemocratic neighbors.

What, however, makes Zoabi’s behavior more despicable is her joining the May 2010 protest flotilla aimed at breaching Israel’s security blockade of the Gaza Strip with the purpose of showing support for and providing encouragement to its terrorist Hamas government.

Zoabi dismisses this fact on the basis of the presence of parliamentarians from other countries.

Of course, they were from countries with clear anti-Israel agendas.

Therefore, it does not at all provide her with an excuse for her behavior, but rather makes it all the more contemptible.

As a serving member of Israel’s parliament, joining in a clearly anti-Israel effort in support of those who consistently call for armed conflict with Israel with the goal of our destruction, was in fact an act of treason and should minimally exclude the possibility for her reelection.

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petah Tikva

[Image credit: Fora do Eixo]

No Ambiguity: Hebron Teen Killed for "Real" Gun

Sir, I was deeply disturbed by the headline of your front-page report describing the tragic events leading to the death of the Hebron teen. The wording of the headline I found to be terribly misleading and open to all sorts of grossly malicious misunderstandings of the factual reality.

Your headline, "Hebron teen pulls toy gun, killed by Border policewoman," can too easily be understood to mean that the boy was knowingly and deliberately killed because he pulled a toy gun. The events leading up to this unfortunate death, as described within the report, tell us a completely different story, and because of their importance deserved a more unambiguous headline.

A more appropriate headline could have stated: "Suspicious behavior, and the aiming of a gun at the head of border policeman, results in the shooting of Hebron teen. Later investigation discovers that gun was a metallic and realistic looking toy."

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva

[Image credit: Kanaka Menehune]



The author asked the editor of the Jerusalem Post that this letter be published. Below is the response he received. 

From: letters@jpost.com
To: ChamudotZH
Sent: Thursday, 13 December, 2012 11:33

Apparently you have never worked as a headline writer for a (space-constrained) newspaper! I consider your letters to be among the finest I receive. Please keep writing, but be aware that I strive to space letter writers timewise (preferably no more than once every three weeks).

Shabbat shalom,
Larry

Lawrence Rifkin
Senior Editor
Letters Editor
The Jerusalem Post

Inconceivable? U.S. Sends F-16s to Muslim Bros.

Sir, - Jerusalem Post Headlines : "Morsi grants Egyptian army temporary power to arrest civilians,"" Egypt on the path to Nazism." Next Day : "IMF loan to Egypt delayed as crisis deepens."

Fox News reported on Dec. 11:  "U.S. sends Moslem Brotherhood's Morsi 20 F-16 warplanes". The jets were ordered by deposed Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and the Moslem Brotherhood is about to take over the inheritance.

Why? Does this make even the slightest bit of sense? Does Morsi intend their use against the protesters in Tahrir Square? Will he use them to attack Syria? Will he participate in a joint attack on the nuclear installations in Iran? Or will the Moslem Brotherhood reserve their use against the Zionist-Satanic regime?

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva

[Image credit: United States Air Force] 

Red Line: Obama on Syria's Chemical Weapons

Sir, - I was rather shocked to read the headline of the report by Matt Spetalnick "Obama warns Syria's Assad that use of chemical weapons a 'red line'." The statement expressed in the headline is a completely shameful admission of the moral bankruptcy of America's foreign policy under Obama's presidency.

While it is important to warn Syria against the use of weapons of mass destruction, any intelligent reader immediately understands what constitutes a 'red line' for the American president. It is quite clear that the daily atrocities and the massacre of thousands of civilians by a well armed and well trained army do not fall within the parameters of his urgent concerns.

It also must be clearly understood, that by positioning his red line only at the introduction of unconventional weapons, Obama gives a green light to Assad continue unabated with his ongoing abominations.

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva

[Video credit: Telegraph TV]

Time Marches On: Panetta, Netanyahu on Iran

Sir, - Thursday's front-page headline "Panetta, Netanyahu disagree on time left to stop Iran's nuclear race" is of critical importance and needs to be analyzed carefully and clearly understood, as this has existential significance for the State of Israel and perhaps for the entire world.

 

While there seems to be agreement between the United States and Israel on the need to prevent Iran from producing an actual nuclear bomb, significant differences remain about the prevention of Iran's achievement of the capability of producing a bomb if it so desired. There is in addition, disagreement about the effectiveness of sanctions in halting Iran's race toward reaching their nuclear goals. Israel is convinced that the sanctions, while having an effect, do not deter or delay Iran on its nuclear path at all, and indeed serve only to grant them time to accelerate their activities.

However when dealing with the "time left to stop Iran's nuclear race" as mentioned in the headlines, the well being of Israel requires the full recognition that it is running and being measured by two distinctly different clocks. The Israel clock marks the time it takes for Iran to arm itself with nuclear weapons, while the clock in the United Sates is focused on the time left for the presidential elections.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

[Image credit: Secretary of Defense]

J.Post June 28: Blessed Headlines

Sir, – Despite the continued Israel-bashing from abroad as well as from our own midst, we have every right to be heartened and proud about two projects that were reported in the June 26 Jerusalem Post. Both describe assiduous scientific and creative world-leading achievements that will be of great benefit to mankind.

The first, on Page 3, is “Hadassah experts produce human embryonic stem cell lines without animal contamination.”

These stem cell lines can eventually be used to treat a wide range of degenerative diseases, such as AMD, type 1 diabetes, heart failure and Parkinson’s by serving as an infinite source of replacement.

The second article, on Page 7, is “New online network to link Israeli agricultural experts, farmers in India.” This network will provide instant contact and allow the launch of centers of agricultural excellence in India, thus enhancing that nation’s food production for its vast population.

Let these continue to be the headlines we are blessed with.

ZEV CHAMUDOT 

Petah Tikva

Them and Us: Israeli Reaction to Killing of Innocents

Sir, - It was with deep dismay, and almost disbelief, to have read page nine of the March 12, Jerusalem Post. Placed side by side, are stories of the butchery and massacre of innocent civilians. The headlines read as follows: 'Western forces in Afghanistan kill 16 civilians, including children', ' 13 dead in Pakistan funeral blast', 'Tears fill Congo mass funeral', 'Reprisal attacks follow suicide bombing at Nigerian church.'

Pure hatred, malice, and bigotry appear to be the underlying motive for all of these unprovoked atrocities. Compare the above with the tone of regret on the front page of that date, where we read: '40 projectiles hit Israel, '12 year-old killed in Gaza air strike,' 'Gantz cancels trip to U.S.' This I submit, clearly distinguishes our behavior, even in times of war, from that of those who wantonly shed the blood of others.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

J.Post January 28: Situation in Egypt

Sir, – Nothing can better highlight the absurdity of US President Barack Obama’s policy toward the emerging government of Egypt than the front page of the January 26 Jerusalem Post.

In a sub-headline to your lead story, “Egyptians mass in Tahrir Square to mark revolution’s anniversary,” we read: “Obama plans to accelerate pace of American aid to new government.”

You then refer us to “Muslim Brotherhood repeats: No talks with Israel,” a related article on an inside page.

It appears that Obama’s plans are not at all contingent on what emerges from the very murky waters of Egypt’s attempts to define its post-revolutionary political direction. We are told by the Muslim Brotherhood spokesman that dialogue with Israel is “not up for discussion.”

It is quite likely that anti-America and anti-West orientations are not far behind.

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petah Tikva 

National Soul-Searching: A Look at the Times

Sir, - The confluence of the High Holy-Days and the sobering events reported in today's paper caused me to reflect about the urgent need for serious soul-searching in regards to our national values and sense of purpose.

In reading about the heartbreaking tragedy of the death of father and son on the Kiryat Arbah road, one senses an initial interest of the police to declare them victims of a road accident. The police however, after intensive investigation and indisputable forensic evidence finally declared them to be victims of murder caused by rock-throwing terrorists. Was the initial police declaration a result of their reluctance to upset certain Defense sensibilities about the removal of checkpoints?

When reading in the News In Brief about the granting of the Rothschild tents permission to stay for the holiday despite all the injunctions against them, one cannot avoid a comparison of this sympathetic ruling with the unconscionably abusive and destructive behavior of those that literally destroyed the three homes in Migron at 2 a.m. and traumatized the families including mothers and a newborn infant. This was carried out as a military operation even though there were issues still under consideration in the Knesset.

Finally, in reading on the front page headline "Thousands celebrate Abbas's triumphant return to Ramallah" despite his completely lackluster performance and accomplishment, one is forced to envy the unity and support that they muster for their leaders. Compare this with the carping and vicious attacks made by several Knesset members against Netanyahu, despite the brilliant performance by the Israel delegation in dealing with a most critical issue.

ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petach Tikva