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Letters to the Editor

When Parties Compete, Israel Wins

I respectfully disagree with your article "It's time to stop making Israel a wedge issue in U.S. politics ."

Support for Israel is stronger among Republicans than Democrats. Unable to refute reality, Democratic supporters respond that Israel should not be a partisan issue. This response is short sighted. As a communal strategy, we benefit when there is competition for Jewish votes. Both parties are entitled to credit and criticism as to how their policies impact on our community.

-- Aaron Finestone, Philadelphia, PA

Not Only Sharonistas Support Israel

I respectfully differ with Aaron Finestone's characterization that "support for Israel is stronger among Republicans than Democrats." Sharonistas like Finestone would like to believe that support for Israel's every action, no matter how ill conceived or poorly executed, is a measure of one's commitment to a Jewish State in the promised land of the Jewish people. The misguided belligerence of aggressive military action in Lebanon or the Territories, and the territorial acquisitiveness of the Allon plan, have hardly led to a secure Israel. Indeed, the wisdom of Menahem Begin's concessions continues to shine as a light to the nations. If blind support for aggressive policies is the measure of support for Israel, then Finestone would place me and others -- both Democrats and Republicans -- as somehow construed against Israel. However, Finestone is mistaken. Those who disagree with the Sharonistas are neither against Israel, nor are we identified with one or another American political party.

-- Ben Burrows, Elkins Park, PA

Fallible After All

President Bush is being commended for acknowledging mistakes in Iraq and accepting responsibility for them. I am worried about this. After all, the President has often related that God told him how to proceed. I see only three possibilities in the President's acknowledgment of mistakes:

• First, he is an ineffective Chief Executive, and has been unable to enforce on those below him the directives he has received from God.
• Second, he has not accurately communicated God's directives, but has instead advanced his own, erroneous, plans in the name of God.
• Third, the voices in his head that he has been obeying don't come from God.

-- Kenneth Gorelick, Newtown Square, PA

The Philadelphia Jewish Voice welcomes the submission of articles and letters to the editor letters @ pjvoice.com. Please include name, address and phone number for identification purposes. We cannot publish every submission we receive. We also reserve the right to edit submissions for length, clarity, grammar, accuracy, and style, though we will never intentionally distort the author's intent.

Editor-in-chief Charles Smolover editor @ pjvoice.com. 

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