Proposed Bill Potentially Fatal for Israel
I’m writing in response to “House Bill on Israel is Flawed, But Our Jewish Civil War is Worse,” on April 29.
The bill to limit aid to Israel, proposed by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) and other progressives will harm Israel. It is endorsed by known anti-Israel/anti-Jewish legislators. Pro-Israel Jewish organizations should absolutely take a public stand against it. Aid to Israel should not be based on the falsely reported treatment of the Palestinians. The bill is not flawed — it is potentially fatal.
No Jewish organization should find merit in a bill to hobble Israel. Israel’s legitimacy is denied in most of the Islamic world, its physical and economic safety are consistently under attack, the double standards applied to Israel are legion. And yet …
Yehuda Kurtzer identifies himself as a progressive Zionist, part of the broad spectrum of pro-Israel groups. He warns that progressive values must be included or eventually Jewish groups will fade. He stressed the need for Israel to address Palestinian self-determination and their human rights, as if Israel’s 70 years of inviting compromise had never occurred.
And when does Arab recognition of Jewish rights and self-determination begin?
Progressive Zionists support for Israel, based on documented facts, is very welcome. Those of us who have done it for so long can use more help.
Roberta E. Dzubow | Plymouth Meeting
Piece on Rise of Antisemitism Lacked Context
I wanted to respond to Shira Goodman’s and Jeremy Bannett’s op-ed (“Antisemitism Mutated Like a Deadly Virus in 2020,” May 6) in the Exponent.
What they left out is context, which is that crime also mutated wildly at the same time as antisemitic incidents spread. Robberies, rapes, shootings and murders rose rapidly, often over 100% in several categories. In New York where I live, the cause is largely due to the recent “No Bail” law, which effectively releases criminals within hours of being arrested.
A recent example of this is the arrest of a serial synagogue defiler who had been arrested 41 times for his actions and was arrested yet once more for repeating his antisemitic attacks. The no bail law left the judge no choice but to release him back onto the streets, no doubt to repeat his criminal activity. Forty-two attacks, which should have ended at one.
Added to this are new laws which remove limited immunity from police, criminalize several techniques used to subdue a perpetrator and an atmosphere that demonizes them and coddles the criminal. Derek Chauvin’s actions were criminal and he was punished, but you can’t use him as the poster boy for all police without decreasing police morale and emboldening the criminal class.
As anarchy takes over the streets of our cities, Jews, Asians and other vulnerable minorities will see increases in attacks. It’s time to reject the knee-jerk reaction to demonize all because of the crimes of the few. l
Steve Heitner | Middle Island, New York
