A silver lining
Is it possible that there is a silver lining to the black cloud of the Iranian attack on Israel? First of all, let’s bless all of the parties involved in defending us: In the forefront, our unparalleled air defense system, the Israel Air Force, and the watchdogs, our allies who contributed to the interception of the Iranian missiles, with an unbelievable success rate of 99% (“Israel shoots down nearly all Iranian projectiles,” April 14, jpost.com).
If our leaders were visionary and proactive and yearning for peace, we could initiate cooperation with these supporters to help in distributing aid to Gaza and to find a post-war governing solution which would utilize their help and solidarity with Israel, not to mention their intervention for the release of our hostages. I pray for a silver lining to the threats and aggression to which we have been subjected.
DONNA TZINAMONAseret
“Moses said to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Reuben: ‘Shall your brothers come into war and you will sit here?’” (Numbers 32:6)
To my brothers in the haredi yeshiva world: On Saturday night, over 300 projectiles were aimed at Israel from Iran with the aim of killing as many of us as possible. They failed in this attempt, thank God. We are in an existential war, a war that is called a “mitzvah war,” where everyone is required to participate.
Yes, continue to pray, recite Psalms, and learn Torah. But so many of our brave soldiers are also doing that even as they wear the IDF uniform. Saturday night’s attack should be a message to you that you must do the same. Gad and Reuben did their part. Will you?
And to my brothers and sisters who protested Saturday night in Tel Aviv, carrying a huge sign reading, “Biden Save Them From Netanyahu” (photo, April 14): We are told that when the Israelites came to Mount Sinai, they were like “one man with one heart,” united as never before. There will be plenty of time to express your feelings about Israel’s governance at the ballot box.
This is not the time when we as a people are being attacked from all sides. Will you also step up to the plate so that we can all say with one voice, “in unity we will win?”
FRED EHRMANRa’anana
Halfhearted friends
Iran’s massive aerial assault is clear evidence that it doubts US President Joe Biden’s commitment of “ironclad” support for Israel. Earlier, Herb Keinon (“The Democratic Party and Israel,” April 12) wrote that the Biden administration’s shift on Israel’s prosecution of the war is being watched closely by Hamas and Iran.
However, Keinon ignored the impact that the toughness shown by Democrats toward Israel was having on countries not directly involved in the conflict. It matters little whether Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, and Senator Schumer, among others, are intentionally betraying Israel or are playacting for domestic, political reasons.
Either way, they are providing cover for those who may have been covertly anti-Israel but hesitated until now to act on their hidden opposition to Israel’s fully justified self-defense. Halfhearted friends may follow the US’s lead, hardening their own policies toward the Jewish state.
This problem has been exacerbated by Biden’s reprehensible silence in the face of blatant antisemitism from members of The Squad in Congress and thousands of anti-Israel demonstrators. It was not surprising that Muslim demonstrators in Michigan chanted both “Death to Israel” and “Death to America.” More reprehensible was Squad member Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s refusal to condemn those chants, calling a reporter who asked for her response, “Islamophobic.”
When 56 Democratic members of Congress call for Biden to halt arms sales to Israel pending completion of an investigation into the accidental killing of seven aid workers, even after Israel expressed its sincere apology and promised to do everything possible to avoid such tragedies in the future, the handwriting is on the wall. These Democrats will grasp at any available excuse to prevent Israel from achieving total victory over Hamas.
The administration was at pains to deny any American involvement in the assassination of IRGC General Mohammad Reza Zahedi. Biden’s willingness to throw one of its closest allies under the bus inevitably engenders fear among America’s other allies. They must now wonder if they could be next on the chopping block.
At best, Biden is displaying a disgraceful lack of principles to gain ephemeral political advantage. However, he may actually have concluded that, unlike any other sovereign nation, Israel has no right to defend itself against barbaric terrorists dedicated to its destruction.
Either way, Israel must be ready to withstand demands from a country that may no longer have its best interests at heart.
EFRAIM COHENZichron Ya’acov
Complete surprise
“Whitewashing Qatar” (April 12), an audacious article by David Weinberg, took me by complete surprise. It brought to mind the expression, “don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” In this case, the provider of “food” is none other than the Post, which had the courage along with the necessity to print said article. Kudos to both Mr. Weinberg and the Post.
My feeling about Qatar has never been that of respect or anything resembling respect for a nation that purports to be altruistic and kind. They are nothing of either and pour billions into Iranian proxies all over the world. They are part and parcel of the greater Arab world’s view of Israel: Kill us, wipe us off the map, and take over the land.
America, and Israel as its partner, in this folly of dancing with the enemy, led us to October 7. We can continue to kowtow to America or start to have some backbone. I believe that it is happening now; hence the not so friendly verbal exchanges between the countries. Yes, we need American support, weapons, and money, but we also are a sovereign nation and don’t need public slaps on the wrist.
Netanyahu knows that he was responsible on many levels for this horrendous war, and knows he will be skewered after the war is finished. The proper thing for him to do now is admit culpability, talk to the nation honestly, and when all hostages are back home and Hamas defeated, resign.
In addition, Israel must take the reins back for negotiating the release of our people, teach Hamas a lesson it’ll never forget, and honor the memories of all our fallen heroes, so that they did not die in vain.
DEBRA FORMAN Modi’in
Too often
I have read Gil Troy’s “Israel fights” (April 10), and of course his analysis is beyond criticism. In other words, he hits the nail fairly and squarely on its head. Tell me, though, are we doomed to have a repeat of what we are going through now? In other words, we reach an “agreement” with our sworn enemies and we have a few years of quiet, and when they deem themselves prepared we are “surprised” to find ourselves at war yet again.
It has happened too often in the past. Nobody needs reminding of when we’ve been caught with our pants down, so Gil, please tell me how we can prevent another such tragedy which takes from us the best and most beautiful of our youth.
BRENDA GOLDBLUMJerusalem