Support for Israel Shifts to the Right
Jo-Ann Mort’s discomfiture over the ulterior motives behind the Christian right’s support for Israel (Opinion, May 19) is shared by many Jews whose outlook can be considered liberal. Nevertheless, while those of us on the Jewish left have felt free to criticize Israel’s settlement policies and second-class treatment of Israeli Arabs--as have many Israeli Jews--one has to wonder why mainstream Christians have largely kept silent in the face of repeated suicide murders and the corruption, ineptitude and autocratic style of Yasser Arafat’s leadership.
After all, the democratically elected Ariel Sharon and his Likud Party would not be in power today had Arafat possessed the vision to choose the path of peace, prosperity and political reform presented to him in 2000 by President Clinton and Ehud Barak.
Harold N. Bass
Northridge
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An unholy alliance? No, a sick alliance on the part of any Jew who joins it. A Christian right that expects all Jews to convert to Christianity, or that supports the notion that all Jews must be in Israel in order for Jesus to come again, represents profound, bizarre anti-Semitism. The Anti-Defamation League’s support of Ralph Reed is disgraceful. Mort says the Christian Broadcasting Network’s view of Israel may make Jews “uncomfortable”? It should make them furious, and they should reject the support of all such bigots.
Ann Bourman
Los Angeles
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