Biden, Israel and the Middle East peace process; L.A.’s supervisors and their cash stash.

Israel and us

Re “In Israel, it’s a question of timing,” March 13

Here’s the problem. Millions of Americans have risked life and limb serving in Iraq and Afghanistan -- including Vice President Joe Biden’s son -- and more than $100 billion in aid has flowed to Israel. Israel’s response has been to continue to build settlements that will make a “two-state” solution impossible.

We already know what has provided Israel with its greatest security and prosperity of the last 30 years: the Egyptian-Israeli peace agreement. And guess what was the foundation of that agreement? The removal of settlements from the Sinai.

We know what works. If Israel wants to continue to build settlements, let it pay the full price and the consequences of such folly.

American dollars should support what works in the Middle East, not bankroll what hasn’t. Israel isn’t going to change until we stop subsidizing its mistakes.

George Saade
Downey
The Times reports that one observer thinks Israel may be saying: “We don’t take dictates from anyone, not even the U.S.”

A very principled stand. Now, will the same apply to our money?

Walter Carlin
Del Mar

The snub Biden received from Israel, our ally, overshadows a deeper story: the growing risk that Israeli settlements pose to the United States.

Building homes on land acquired by war both damages American prestige and threatens U.S. security.

Kevin McKiernan
Santa Barbara

Benjamin Netanyahu’s apology to Biden for Israel’s poor timing appears to be a regret of style and not substance.

This leads me to believe the putative peace process is not so much a failure but a fraud perpetrated on Israelis, Palestinians and all who seek a negotiated and lasting peace.

Joe Batarse
Azusa

Your photograph of the Palestinian praying and Israeli police holding him back does not deserve to be on the front page.

Your photo of the Israeli child sitting behind the broken car window should have had prime exposure.

There was a good reason why the police kept out the worshiper: He could have been a terrorist, and Israeli security is right on target.

Rhya Turovsky
La Habra Heights

The supplications of promoters of the Muslim cause are drowned out by the shriek of their rockets. Stop the rockets, start the talks.

Robert D. Robinson
Azusa

Re “Clinton’s criticism leaves Israel reeling,” March 14

The Times asks the wrong question regarding Israel’s construction of homes.

The question should be: Why is this administration fixated on berating its only ally in the Middle East?

Does this administration believe that Arabs will suddenly stop their intransigence and actually recognize a Jewish entity in the Middle East if Israel stops constructing houses, or that kowtowing to Arab preconditions won’t lead to even more preconditions to peace talks?

Klara Shandling
Los Angeles

Re “Staying true to ‘two-state,’ ” Editorial, March 11

We agree that a mutually negotiated two-state solution remains the best path to peace between Israel and the Palestinians. However, we caution against the use of the term “apartheid.”

Even in the context of warning what situation might occur in the future, the term is incendiary. Anti-Israel activists have exploited this term against Israel as part of a campaign to delegitimize and demonize the state. This frequently misused and politically loaded term should have been used more cautiously.

Nicole Mutchnik
Los Angeles
The writer is board chair, Anti-Defamation League, Pacific Southwest Region.

Re “Full engagement,” Opinion, March 12

The thought of returning to “proximity talks,” or starting from scratch, on peacemaking in the Middle East is maddening. Will another generation of Israelis and Palestinians grow up with animosity toward one another?

What we need now, more than anything else, is the political courage and leadership to bring the Israelis and Palestinians back to the table, face to face, and move with some serious urgency toward the final status negotiations.

While having Biden in the region was an important step, it is clear from the reactions of both governments that President Obama needs to be the leading force on this issue.

The status quo is untenable. Obama should listen to his national security advisor, James Jones, and treat this as his No. 1 foreign policy issue -- one that has the capacity, if solved, to greatly affect and improve all other national security matters we face.

Rabbi Joshua Levine Grater
Pasadena
The writer is senior rabbi of Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center and serves on the national advisory board of J Street.

What’s next, Moshe Beck?

Re “Clash of the media titans,” Column One, March 10

As a solid supporter of Israel, I’d always assumed that such a highly educated people would never fall for the neocon disinformation types that have fouled our waters here for too long.

Then I read of Bush operatives helping in Israeli elections. Then my relatives in Israel started sending me videos showing hate-filled rants about not only Arabs but also American liberals. Then Israel got its own John Bolton in the form of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

Now they get their own “fair and balanced” newspaper. What’s next? Moshe Beck? Shlomo Hannity?

Barry H. Davis
Agoura Hills

Have tax money, will spend

Re “Supervisors spend millions on pet projects,” March 11

I don’t care how the supervisors spend their own money. They can donate their salary or part of it to any group they choose. As for tax dollars beyond their salaries, I want to know where the money goes and what is received in return.

Staffer Patrick Ogawa’s suggestion that compiling this information for The Times would have been arduous suggests that there is no regular, ongoing record-keeping.

I hope The Times will pursue this inquiry. The attitude of the supervisors seems to be that citizens have no need or right to know how our money is spent, even in these tough times.

Maybe we need some change in leadership.

John A. Brock
Los Angeles

I will save this article and refer to it at election time. I hope every voter will do the same. We pinch pennies, and they throw millions. It’s our money, not theirs.

Carlie Harris
Harbor City

Over the last 15 years, I’ve contacted supervisors Gloria Molina, Zev Yaroslavsky and Don Knabe each at least once. They have been responsive and have helped resolve problems.

This attack on the supervisors appears political, evidenced by the unattributed observation that the money currently set aside for “pet projects” like a youth center, an AIDS foundation and a museum could pay for 260 more social workers.

L.A. County’s problem is we have too many social workers and bureaucrats who waste our tax dollars and often make life more difficult for us. It’s the supervisors who keep a lid on spending. Imagine how much would be wasted without them?

If Knabe’s driver protects him from harm and Yaroslavsky’s online presence makes him more accessible, it’s worth it. There is no smoking gun here, just smoke-blowing.

Tom Fenholt
Long Beach