While Ms. Costanzo understandably presents a benign façade, these and other details have been documented by NGO Monitor.
By LETTERS TO THE EDITORLetters(photo credit: REUTERS)Benign façadeRegarding “Violence or nonviolence: That is the question” (Comment & Features, May 10), in attempting to defend her organization, Simonetta Costanzo, head of the Spain-based NOVACT (International Institute for Nonviolent Action), actually confirms NGO Monitor’s report on EU-funded NGOs that whitewash violence.The evidence clearly shows how NOVACT and its partner organizations use the language of “resistance” to erase terror. The organization provides funds to and works with the Popular Struggle Coordination Committees (PSCC), which organizes protests that become violent.PSCC board member Manal Tamimi has inserted virulently antisemitic and violent rhetoric and imagery on social media, and PSCC head Munther Amira asserts that “occupation and terror are two sides of the same coin” (NGO Monitor translation from Hebrew). Reflecting their close cooperation, earlier this year, Amira and Tamimi were invited to speak at an EU-funded conference co-organized by NOVACT, under the façade of “Preventing Violent Extremism.”Similarly, in 2015, a NOVACT report claimed: “The right of the Palestinian people to resist Israeli military occupation is not only a moral right, but also a recognized right under customary international law.” The term “resistance” is used in the context of the conflict to justify violent attacks against Israelis, and the interpretation of international law is entirely false.While Ms. Costanzo understandably presents a benign façade, these and other details have been documented by NGO Monitor.GERALD M. STEINBERGJerusalemThe writer is president of NGO Monitor.
Asset, shmassetRegarding “Jewish Diaspora is an intelligence asset for US, says Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton” (May 9), this might be so. But do you need to splash it on your pages? Do we in the Diaspora need an acknowledgment and virtual declaration by your paper that Diaspora Jews are ready to spy on their country of residence to help Israel and its allies? Asset, shmasset! How about a bit of gray matter in the brain?MICHAEL GALAKMelbourne, AustraliaEnglish news It is very disappointing that the paper whose sole readership is English speakers has not consistently backed the campaign to save the English news on Israeli TV. Even the scant 20 minutes a day we have had for a short while was most important to the Anglo segment here in Israel.My main concern is that the foreign press and diplomats will now turn to sources like Al Jazeera and the BBC for their “take” on Israel – something that will be disastrous for our miserable hasbara (public diplomacy), which needs all the help it can get.Maybe if The Jerusalem Post made it a crusade, the tide could still be turned to help its readers have a brief respite daily from the foreign news channels. Before it is too late, help your readership to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.DVORA WAYSMANJerusalemCan anyone give me the times and frequencies for English news on Jordanian radio and television?LARRY ISRAELRehovotAs a person who was made redundant after 30 years of service along with 1,500 colleagues due to a takeover by another company, I sympathize very much with the Israel Broadcasting Authority employees who were made redundant by the Israel Broadcasting Corporation.But as my late mother-in- law used to say, when one door closes, another opens.In my case, it turned out for the best.JOE GELLERT NetanyaCORRECTIONS• A sentence in “US decision to arm Syrian Kurds threatens Turkey, says foreign minister” (Regional News, May 11) should have been “Cavusoglu said Trump would discuss the issue with Erdogan during his planned May 16-17 visit to Washington” and not as stated.• The arson attack in the West Bank village of Duma mentioned in “Cars, homes in J’lem, North vandalized in apparent spate of renewed ‘price tag’ acts” (May 10) killed not only the infant, Ali Dawabsha, but also his parents, Sa’ad and Riham.
