Biased against Israel
In his article (“Panel slams choice of Power as U.S. ambassador to U.N.,” WJW, July 11), Eric Schwartz didn’t mention most of the serious concerns about Power’s views on Israel. Power has complained about Israeli “war crimes” and “human rights abuses”; compared former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to terrorist Yasser Arafat, complaining that America “lambasted” only Arafat — never Sharon; lumped Israel with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Russia as those who commit “sins … in the war on terror”; stated one “longstanding foreign policy flaw is the degree to which special interests [i.e. the Jewish Lobby] dictate the way in which the ‘national interest’ as a whole is defined and pursued. … America’s important relationship with Israel has often led foreign policy decision-makers to defer reflexively to Israeli security assessments. …”
Yet another troubling statement she made, in 2002, that she herself claims she doesn’t remember or understand, was that the U.S. should “invest … billions of dollars … in the new state of Palestine .. .and support … a mammoth protection force … a meaningful military presence” to protect Palestinians from “major human rights abuses that we’re seeing there… .” And Power said this in the midst of a six-year suicide terrorist-bombing war against Israel that Arafat had launched, murdering more than 1,000 Israelis.
Coupling all this with the fact that she has virtually never criticized the Palestinians makes one legitimately wonder if she is biased against the Jewish state.
DR. MICHAEL GOLDBLATT, Chairman, Zionist Organization of America
Fixated on Israel, Palestinians
Imagine being offered to “friend someone” on Facebook at a price of $1,000. Difficult to imagine, but isn’t that what the Arab initiative is? Arab despots, dictators and autocrats, are willing to “friend” Israel, but only if Israel gives up land and security. And in Kerry’s current effort, Israel must release terrorists for the “privilege” of just talking to the Palestinians (“Back to the table,” WJW, July 28).
Imagine if someone proposed legalizing segregation, since there were already places where out of fear African Americans could not go, changing de facto segregation into legalized discrimination. Difficult to imagine, but isn’t that what the division of Jerusalem means? There are Arab sections where Jews fear to go, but isn’t dividing Jerusalem really legalized discrimination? Imagine if Jews said no Palestinians allowed?
Imagine if jihadists proposed a two-state agreement with the U.S. Before demonstrating peaceful intentions they would be given a state, with undefined boundaries and a home to their fellow jihadists. Outrageous, yet the world accepts a Palestinian state on those terms and demands Israel do the same. As a state, Palestinians could support terrorists and bring in whatever weapons they choose. And if the new state fired rockets into Israel as Hezbollah and Hamas do now, who would stop them? A piece of paper!
The world stands with an Arab initiative from dictators and despots. The world stands with Palestinians who would bar Jews from parts or all of Jerusalem and Hebron. The world stands for the creation of a Palestinian state, whose existence would pose a direct threat to all Israelis.
In exchange Israel gets a worthless piece of paper and empty promises of peace and acceptance by the Arab world and Europe.
With thousands killed in Syria, hundreds killed in Iraq and Egypt in turmoil, John Kerry fixates on Israel and Palestinians seeking the fame and glory that eluded him as a senator and presidential candidate.
MELVIN FARBER, Silver Spring
Shame on him
Unfortunately Washington Jewish Week has to publish what you consider “balanced” points of view, hence, the bigoted letter from Murray Katz (“Out of the bottle,” July 25) regarding gay marriage. Shame on him! The attitude he exhibits sounds like the prejudiced words we heard half a century ago. Where has he been all of these years? The Supreme Court has spoken, and so have millions of others including your president.
Mr. Katz wake up from your Rip Van Winkle sleep and accept the fact that gay people deserve the same benefits I am paying for you to enjoy.
ALICE L. HABER, Rockville
