June 4: Classifying terror

Any attempt to classify “pricetag” incidents as terror attacks, and equate them with the murder or attempted murder of innocent civilians cheapens the value of human lives.

By JERUSALEM POST READERS
Letters 370 (photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )
Letters 370
(photo credit: REUTERS/Handout )
Classifying terror
Sir, – I am seriously concerned about the reported initiative of Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch to classify “pricetag” incidents as terror attacks (“Lapid: Price-tag attacks are terror,” News in Brief, May 31).
Any attempt to equate the undoubtedly shocking and reprehensible anti-Arab or anti-Christian vandalism with the murder or attempted murder of innocent civilians cheapens the value of human lives. Moreover, it creates a grave double standard whereby arson attacks against synagogues and Jewish holy places, the desecration of Jewish Torah scrolls and holy books, anti-Jewish graffiti and swastikas on the walls of Jewish holy sites, the smashing of gravestones, defacing or urinating on gravestones in Jewish cemeteries – events that unfortunately occur quite frequently in Israel, and are disgracefully under-reported by the media – will officially be regarded as of less importance and subject to lesser penalties than “price-tags.”
NAOMI SCHENDOWICH Jerusalem
Sir, – Lapid and Livni continue to call so called “price-tag” attacks acts of terrorism without even considering the underlying causes. Recent articles in The Jerusalem Post have pointed out that the IDF sits back and does nothing to stop the repeated stoning and fire-bombing of vehicles in Judea and Samaria.
This lack of response only emboldens the Palestinians to continue in their ways and is a direct cause of the retaliation by the citizens that live there. It is called self-preservation.
The way to stop the “pricetag” acts for is for the IDF to actively protect the citizens of Israel by any means necessary to stop the unlawful and murderous actions of the Palestinians. It is time we stopped worrying about what so-and-so might say and do the right thing.
We put up protective walls when necessary. We bombed the transfer of weapons from Syria to Lebanon when necessary. We erected checkpoints when necessary.
It is now necessary to stop the stoning.
VEL WERBLOWSKY Jerusalem
Unforgivable language
Sir, – Will Alice Walker ever learn the meaning of the word apartheid (“Walker urges Keys to boycott Israel,” News in Brief, May 31)? Last year I suggested that she visit Israel and see this thriving, integrated country for herself.
She would see the thousands of Arab students, the nurses, doctors, and the wonderful care that children with heart problems from all over the Arab world receive here, and the care that the families who accompany the patients are given. She forgets the young Jewish men and women who marched in Mississippi and Alabama and even died for the cause of desegregation.
The language that Alice used to discourage Alicia Keys from coming here to sing is unforgivable.
Kudos to Alicia for still planning to come here. I hope to send my children and grandchildren to hear her perform. Anti-Israel is the new cover-up for anti-Semitism.
ANNETTE UNGERLEIDER MARTIN Kfar Shmaryahu
A new Somalia
Sir, – In regard to the report “South China Sea tension mounts near Filipino shipwreck, (May 31) I wish to bring to your attention the fact that a Philippine government vessel used automatic weapons to spray an unarmed and not provocative Taiwanese fishing boat on May 9, which killed a fisherman in cold blood and severely damaged the 15-ton glass-fiber boat, operating in the overlapping exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the two countries.
The Philippine government vessel left the scene without rendering any assistance, a violation of the International Law and humanitarian obligation. The Philippine government later said that they fired at the boat in selfdefense, claiming the 15-ton glass-fiber fishing boat was trying to ram the 115-ton ship. The fishing boat refused their inspection and tried to flee.
After a parallel investigation by both sides, the crews on the Philippine government ship admitted after interrogation that there were eight people who fired weapons under the order of the commander. There was no attempt of ramming by the fishing boat and they opened fired just because the fishing boat wouldn’t leave the area at their request.
The government of Philippines has repeatedly tried to cover up the crimes committed by its crews. Taiwanese fishing boats have often been boarded and inspected by Philippine vessels operating in these waters. There were Taiwanese fishermen killed, most recently in 2006. This brutal killing has to be punished by law, otherwise a new Somalia is forming in this area.
RAY CHAO Tel Aviv The writer is the first secretary in the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Tel Aviv.
Turkish treachery
Sir, – We learn from “Power in Unity,” (Energy, Frontlines, May 31) that one of the options being considered in the exploitation of Israel’s natural gas fields in the Mediterranean is a pipeline through Turkey.
Whoever dreamt up that idea completely overlooked the nature of that country.
Just a few of the obvious signs of Turkey’s perfidious nature: the Armenian genocide which, according to Turkey, did not take place; Turkey’s annexation of part of Cyprus (which Turkey now calls “the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” the rest being “Greek Cyprus”); and the Turkish demand that Israel apologize and pay damages for blocking the Mavi Marmara flotilla.
One can understand that repeated attempts by the Post to contact the Turkish Energy and National Resources Ministry went unanswered: They were too busy working out what treachery they could get away with, if such a pipeline through Turkey were constructed! GERRY MYERS Beit Zayit
Wasted efforts
Sir, – I am a great admirer of Sarah Honig, whose op-eds are so instructive and written in an outstanding manner. Her most recent article exceeds even her own high standards. (“The light from London,” Another Tack, Observations, May 31).
The clear elucidation of the history of anti-Semitism makes it clear that there is really nothing that the State of Israel can do to remedy the situation. Previous editions of the Post have featured articles criticizing the Israeli government for not acting appropriately to counteract world anti- Semitism. Honig’s article indicates that any effort will fail and money would be wasted.
ROBYN ROTBERG Kfar Saba
Sir, – Anyone who still has Friday’s paper (May 31) shouldn’t throw it away just yet. It contains a pair of magnificent matching articles that possibly belong side by side in a picture frame.
The first is Alexander Zvielli’s “From our Archives,” which is always fascinating. In his piece for May 31, 1948, he says, “the Jewish forces also captured the important Ras al-Ain railroad station, a former British Air Force base, and a British Army camp.”
Ras al-Ain is today’s Rosh Ha’ayin. One can still see some of those distinctive, humpbacked Quonset huts – still in use – lurking around parts of Rosh Ha’ayin today.
And in case we were wondering from whom the Jewish forces captured these assets, we can turn to Sara Honig’s brilliant piece, “The light from London.”
She describes how the British turned over strategic assets to the Arabs. Even before World War II, the British were against us. Even as far back as the massacre at York in March 1190. So we shouldn’t be surprised.
Sara Honig points out that even if we follow Alexander Haig’s advice and give up all the “settlements,” we will not magically become popular in the world. She uses the rest of her space to clearly state why this is not so. The State of Israel must therefore resist all the peculiar foreign advice we are receiving, and just do what we have to do to survive.
Thanks and blessings to Alexander Zvielli and Sara Honig.
THELMA JACOBSON Petah Tikva