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Kerry Questions Netanyahu’s Judgment Over Iran Deal

Dear Editor:

I knew this day was coming 5-years-ago when Obama led Netanyahu out of the White House by the service entrance. I repeatedly warned people on my list, including some influential Israelis, that it was time to adjust Israel’s strategy to a USA with a hostile president. And I remember saying just that on the next day while Netanyahu was flying back to Israel. In my naiveté I imagined the adjustment would start on the plane! I’m very sorry I couldn’t persuade anyone over there of any substance. And it’s no consolation for me to say I tried. And even less consolation to say, this is how Jews have always behaved. We ignored a giant like Jabotinsky, so what chance did I have?

But I intend to keep fighting, even if the fight just got rougher. The stakes have never been higher and evil has overrun my country.

Sincerely,

Dan Friedman NYC

“The Lessons of the Holocaust”

Dear Editor:

I recently came into possession of someone’s speech at the 30th National Triennial Conference of the Union of Jewish Women in 2014. In this speech, Menachem Begin was quoted on 6 lessons he taught 30 young Jewish American’s visiting Israel. They were the lessons of the holocaust.

Ten years ago had I read his speech I would have found it a bit farfetched and filled with paranoia.

However, if we are to truly introspect, as a nation, just in a South-African context, we would need to appreciate that now more than ever we need to live these rules. Not because there is an eminent threat but to ensure that such a threat cannot occur.

1.     We have enemies. Within our world there are people that cannot distinguish between Israel and Jew and that calculated mistake can bring about unwanted issues to our nation.

2.     A Jew being attacked for his religion needs to be defended in numbers. Defense can come in the form of representation, words, money, efforts, protests and conversation to name a few. The bottom line is to find more reasons to help rather than excuses not to.

3.     Defense comes in the form of knowledge and not necessarily physical strength.

4.     Tolerance of anti-Semitism and other remarks and jokes is widespread but worse than that our worst critics happen to be ourselves.

5.     Stand united. If you Jewish keep your internal battles within and put on a brave public face of unity.

6.     This is the one point I would like to challenge Honorable Begin on, let’s not repeat history. Let us be a light to the darkness and a flame that draws rather than repels.

I challenge all Jews from today to become an ambassador of the Jewish faith. Regardless of the politics in Israel and around us. Take head of Menachim Begin’s words and learn to lead by example and defend by truth. We are a tiny nation with lots to give. Let’s make peace universally.

Signed,

Darren Bergman
Member of Parliament – South-Africa

‘Skip the Speech’: Comment on Netanyahu’s Congressional Address

Dear Editor:

Today [March 3, 2015], Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will give a speech to the United States Congress about the Iranian-American peace talks. This speech has caused a lot of controversy and has been viewed by many as a sign of disrespect and disregard for the United States president and a campaigning opportunity for Netanyahu in the upcoming elections in Israel.

Netanyahu has been one of the most unpopular prime ministers in recent history in Israel. His policy has been criticized by both the extreme right and extreme left in Israel. The extreme right believe he has not taken a tough enough stance on Iran and Hamas in Gaza, while the extreme left believes he is hindering any chances at peace with Iran. They also criticized his extreme military operations in Gaza this past summer. Netanyahu also has been under fire for some of his domestic policies mainly economy related issues such as housing costs.

Netanyahu has shown his selfishness and stubbornness when he agreed to give the speech to Congress. Disregarding the blatant controversy and lack of willingness from politicians and the American public to have him here has shown that he has no one’s interest in mind but his own. Not even Israel’s best interests supersede his.

For the first time in years the United States is finally reaching a deal with Iran that could make relations better between the two nations. Netanyahu however, despite any lack of evidence as proven by the recent spy cable leaks, is still trying to push this narrative that Iran poses a threat to Israel.

Even if Iran was at 90% enrichment, Iran would never think about launching a nuclear warhead towards Israel. Iran knows they will be obliterated in retaliation in a matter of minutes. There are nine nuclear powers in the world today and only one of them has ever used a nuclear bomb and that was so long ago it happened before Israel’s existence.

Countries with nuclear warheads keep these weapons as deterrents, with no clear intention of ever using them. Israel’s problem is that it wants to be the only Middle Eastern nation with that leverage. Netanyahu’s address to congress is a desperate attempt to show that he is still influential in swaying his allies but he is wrong. He always has been. Back in 2002 he told Congress that, “There is no question whatsoever that Saddam is seeking, is working, is advancing towards to the development of nuclear weapons.” He continues to say that “If you take out Saddam, Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region. “He was wrong then, and he will be wrong again today.

Sincerely,

Ismaeel El-khateeb
Lawrenceville, NJ

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