‘The Message Behind the Vote’ (Editorial, July 23)
Congressional Democrats need to realize that a vote to vastly cut aid to Israel, an important ally, is not the way to send a message of dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy toward Palestinians in Gaza. The “major reset” in U.S.-Israel relations, as House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries phrased it, should be a plan for Gaza that would, in the short term, bring back the Palestinian Authority to govern it. A long-term plan should be an election of candidates, not affiliated with Hamas, to end the humanitarian crisis in the short run, and work toward coexistence with Israel in the long run.
Barry Dwork, Alexandria
‘France’s Schizophrenia’ (Op-Ed, July 16)
It might seem cool or trendy to use terminology with its casual, layperson’s meaning, but there are much better word choices than “schizophrenia” to describe a government’s vacillation between widely different policies and views.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness identified by hallucinations and delusional thoughts, among other symptoms. It is treatable with varying effectiveness, but the last thing a person with schizophrenia needs is further stigmatization and misunderstanding than they already experience. There are far more accurate ways to describe the French government without resorting to the misuse of a clinical term.
Rhona Bosin, Silver Spring
Send Us Letters
WJW welcomes letters on topics we have covered. Letters, no longer than 300 words, must include a first and last name, town of residence and a daytime phone number for verification. Please provide a source for any facts in your letter that were not part of our coverage. If they can’t be verified, they may be omitted. We reserve the right to edit letters for style, content and space. Writers are limited to one letter per month. Email them to: letters@washingtonjewishweek.com
