Sir,– Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan calls the flotilla incident “thebloody massacre that Israel carried out” and calls the deaths of ninethugs a “crime against humanity.”What does he call the Turkishholocaust against the Armenian people just a little less than a centuryago, resulting in the genocidal deaths of anything between one half andone and a half million people? No doubt, the morerecent invasion and ethnic cleansing of Northern Cyprus is another oftheir “humanitarian” enterprises, and the hostile treatment of theirKurdish minority highlights their peace-loving commitment to universalhuman relations. LEN GREEN HaifaSir, – Prime Minister Erdogan needs to be reminded that he is murdering Kurdish people both in Turkey and in other countries. MIKE MORRIS Kiryat OnoWho are the hypocrites?Sir,– Frankly, I feel deep shame each time the Armenian genocide ismentioned in the backdrop of recent Turkish anti-Israel behavior. Thatevent, which probably resembles the Holocaust more than any otherhistorical period, deserves our recognition and public condemnation.Israel failed in the past to speak out because the Turks were ourfriends, and as we had so few, we could not afford to alienate them.Onlynow, when it is convenient to remember the Armenian genocide, do weremember that the Turks are not so morally grounded. Contrast this withthe Germans, who were forced by the world to face their deeds, allowinga new generation to emerge.The Turkish people have been robbedof the opportunity to face their deeds and make changes. This is atravesty of justice for the perpetrators as well as the victims. Howdare we complain about Holocaust denial but silently overlook themurder of one million innocent people.Speaking out for truthand justice is always the right choice, even when it conflicts withpolitical expedience. Israel needs to understand that its right toexist is granted not by fickle friends, but by God in heaven, and weneed please only Him. SHARON LINDENBAUM RehovotNo, not reallySir,– I suppose you are receiving hundreds of e-mails daily that expressdismay at Israel’s inability to reverse the spiral of violence with thePalestinians. Seen from Britain, your government’s strategy appearsbound to fuel more anger from Gaza and from across the world. Themajority of the population in Gaza voted for the presentadministration... you have voted to behave as a rouge state. This istragic.Peace can only arise from justice, not from bullying an oppressed, desperate people. DAVID IRESON Exmouth, UKTheLetters Editor responds: Almost all the e-mails received by the Post inthe past week that have been critical of Israel have found fault withthe way it handled the flotilla interception and the resulting fallout,and not with its “inability to reverse the spiral of violence with thePalestinians.”And in other news...Sir, – While Bank ofIsrael Governor Stanley Fischer may be trying to fix the real estate“bubble” by limiting mortgages to 60 percent of a home’s value, hecompletely ignores a major cause of the bubble – foreigners who buy asecond home in Israel, and wealthy new immigrants who buy homes withcash (“Fischer putting squeeze on young couples while tycoons cleanup,” June 4).In popular cities such as Jerusalem, Ra’anana andother Sharon-area hot spots, high demand and people willing to pay anyprice are driving housing prices up. No cap on lending rates willchange that. CHANA PINTO Ra’ananaSir,– Why on earth aren’t people standing with posters outside the YeshurunSynagogue and writing letters about the outrageous behavior of itsboard (“Synagogue shuts counseling center due to ‘immodesty,’” May 25).Youcan bet the daughters and sons of those rabbis, who don’t want to lookat the “immodestly dressed” girl soldiers, aren’t serving our country.How dare they kick out these young men and women who wanted a place forcounseling and relaxing!My daughter was a lone soldier beforewe came here; her flat mate was a lone soldier, and the programdirector was a lone soldier. They are working to make lone soldiers whocame after them have an easier time. SYBIL KAPLAN Jerusalem
June 7: Best possible outcome?
Monday morning quarterbacking – hindsight – doesn’t consider the possibility that any other operation could have had worse results.
Sir,– Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan calls the flotilla incident “thebloody massacre that Israel carried out” and calls the deaths of ninethugs a “crime against humanity.”What does he call the Turkishholocaust against the Armenian people just a little less than a centuryago, resulting in the genocidal deaths of anything between one half andone and a half million people? No doubt, the morerecent invasion and ethnic cleansing of Northern Cyprus is another oftheir “humanitarian” enterprises, and the hostile treatment of theirKurdish minority highlights their peace-loving commitment to universalhuman relations. LEN GREEN HaifaSir, – Prime Minister Erdogan needs to be reminded that he is murdering Kurdish people both in Turkey and in other countries. MIKE MORRIS Kiryat OnoWho are the hypocrites?Sir,– Frankly, I feel deep shame each time the Armenian genocide ismentioned in the backdrop of recent Turkish anti-Israel behavior. Thatevent, which probably resembles the Holocaust more than any otherhistorical period, deserves our recognition and public condemnation.Israel failed in the past to speak out because the Turks were ourfriends, and as we had so few, we could not afford to alienate them.Onlynow, when it is convenient to remember the Armenian genocide, do weremember that the Turks are not so morally grounded. Contrast this withthe Germans, who were forced by the world to face their deeds, allowinga new generation to emerge.The Turkish people have been robbedof the opportunity to face their deeds and make changes. This is atravesty of justice for the perpetrators as well as the victims. Howdare we complain about Holocaust denial but silently overlook themurder of one million innocent people.Speaking out for truthand justice is always the right choice, even when it conflicts withpolitical expedience. Israel needs to understand that its right toexist is granted not by fickle friends, but by God in heaven, and weneed please only Him. SHARON LINDENBAUM RehovotNo, not reallySir,– I suppose you are receiving hundreds of e-mails daily that expressdismay at Israel’s inability to reverse the spiral of violence with thePalestinians. Seen from Britain, your government’s strategy appearsbound to fuel more anger from Gaza and from across the world. Themajority of the population in Gaza voted for the presentadministration... you have voted to behave as a rouge state. This istragic.Peace can only arise from justice, not from bullying an oppressed, desperate people. DAVID IRESON Exmouth, UKTheLetters Editor responds: Almost all the e-mails received by the Post inthe past week that have been critical of Israel have found fault withthe way it handled the flotilla interception and the resulting fallout,and not with its “inability to reverse the spiral of violence with thePalestinians.”And in other news...Sir, – While Bank ofIsrael Governor Stanley Fischer may be trying to fix the real estate“bubble” by limiting mortgages to 60 percent of a home’s value, hecompletely ignores a major cause of the bubble – foreigners who buy asecond home in Israel, and wealthy new immigrants who buy homes withcash (“Fischer putting squeeze on young couples while tycoons cleanup,” June 4).In popular cities such as Jerusalem, Ra’anana andother Sharon-area hot spots, high demand and people willing to pay anyprice are driving housing prices up. No cap on lending rates willchange that. CHANA PINTO Ra’ananaSir,– Why on earth aren’t people standing with posters outside the YeshurunSynagogue and writing letters about the outrageous behavior of itsboard (“Synagogue shuts counseling center due to ‘immodesty,’” May 25).Youcan bet the daughters and sons of those rabbis, who don’t want to lookat the “immodestly dressed” girl soldiers, aren’t serving our country.How dare they kick out these young men and women who wanted a place forcounseling and relaxing!My daughter was a lone soldier beforewe came here; her flat mate was a lone soldier, and the programdirector was a lone soldier. They are working to make lone soldiers whocame after them have an easier time. SYBIL KAPLAN Jerusalem