Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2005 10:11 AM
To: letters@latimes.com
Subject: letter to the editor
Dear Editor,
Robert Fisk, who wrote Telling it like it isn’t [Dec. 25, 2005], is really telling it like it isn’t. In his op-ed piece, Fisk spouts pure sophistry by denouncing Israelis for living on “Arab lands” and protesting Israel’s security barrier as cutting “deeply into Arab land.” Israel won the land after being attacked, so they are, at least arguably, Israeli lands. It’s ironic that no news service ever mentions this. In any case, all the settlements or "colonies" were built on land that was empty. Fisk can’t even bring himself to accept the more neutral term "disputed land."
And Fisk is no historian. Jews are called Jews because they are from Judea – now known as the West Bank. Arabs are called Arabs because they are from the Arabian Peninsula. Jews had been in Israel for over a thousand years before there was an Arab anywhere near. Yet he calls the Jews “colonists”! Fisk has little concern that truth will get in the way of his promoting the Palestinian cause. Should he ever have the need, he would have no problem finding work at Al Jazeera.
Michael Berenhaus
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Monday, December 26, 2005
Letter to USA Today
Dear Editor,
In his review of “Munich" (USA Today 12/22/05), Anthony Breznian says that the Palestinian “argument for the right to a homeland… sounds eerily like the Israeli point of view.” So Israel’s right to their own country, the one Jewish country in the world, is equated to the Palestinian’s desire to have their own Arab country, of which there are 22? In a world that has persecuted Jews for the past two thousand years, Jews need a safe haven. If there had been a Jewish homeland during the most horrendous case of Jew hating, the extermination of the Jews of Europe, millions of lives could have been saved. This is similar to the Palestinian experience?
The movie depicts the massacre of Israeli athletes in 1972. Israel won the West Bank and Gaza in 1967. How can Breznian compare this 5 year "longing" to the Jews 5000 year longing for a homeland? There was not even such a thing as a Palestinian Arab until the 1960’s, when they adopted that moniker to mislead the world (not to mention Spielberg and USA Today) into thinking they had been there since time immemorial. This film, along with other reporting on the conflict, ends up as a revision of history that provides more fodder for the persecution and hatred of Jews.
Michael Berenhaus
In his review of “Munich" (USA Today 12/22/05), Anthony Breznian says that the Palestinian “argument for the right to a homeland… sounds eerily like the Israeli point of view.” So Israel’s right to their own country, the one Jewish country in the world, is equated to the Palestinian’s desire to have their own Arab country, of which there are 22? In a world that has persecuted Jews for the past two thousand years, Jews need a safe haven. If there had been a Jewish homeland during the most horrendous case of Jew hating, the extermination of the Jews of Europe, millions of lives could have been saved. This is similar to the Palestinian experience?
The movie depicts the massacre of Israeli athletes in 1972. Israel won the West Bank and Gaza in 1967. How can Breznian compare this 5 year "longing" to the Jews 5000 year longing for a homeland? There was not even such a thing as a Palestinian Arab until the 1960’s, when they adopted that moniker to mislead the world (not to mention Spielberg and USA Today) into thinking they had been there since time immemorial. This film, along with other reporting on the conflict, ends up as a revision of history that provides more fodder for the persecution and hatred of Jews.
Michael Berenhaus
Monday, December 19, 2005
Correction from USA Today
From: Dr. Michael Berenhaus
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 8:02 PM
To: 'editor@usatoday.com'
Cc: 'kpaulson@usatoday.com'; 'etinsley@usatoday.com'; 'accuracy@usatoday.com'
Subject: letter to the editor
Dear USA Today,
Bethlehem is not surrounded by 24 foot walls, I have been to Israel twice this year – please verify this on your own.
Thank you,
Michael Berenhaus
From: Cox, Jim [mailto:jcox@usatoday.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 2:19 PM
To: mberenhaus@comcast.netSubject: USA TODAY
Dear Dr. Berenhaus,
Thank you for pointing out an error in our Dec. 14 story about Israeli security facilities near Bethlehem. We are running a correction alerting readers to the fact that Israel's security wall separates the city from Jerusalem but does not encircle it, as we originally reported.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Jim Cox
Foreign Editor USA TODAY
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 8:02 PM
To: 'editor@usatoday.com'
Cc: 'kpaulson@usatoday.com'; 'etinsley@usatoday.com'; 'accuracy@usatoday.com'
Subject: letter to the editor
Dear USA Today,
Bethlehem is not surrounded by 24 foot walls, I have been to Israel twice this year – please verify this on your own.
Thank you,
Michael Berenhaus
From: Cox, Jim [mailto:jcox@usatoday.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 2:19 PM
To: mberenhaus@comcast.netSubject: USA TODAY
Dear Dr. Berenhaus,
Thank you for pointing out an error in our Dec. 14 story about Israeli security facilities near Bethlehem. We are running a correction alerting readers to the fact that Israel's security wall separates the city from Jerusalem but does not encircle it, as we originally reported.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Jim Cox
Foreign Editor USA TODAY
Friday, December 16, 2005
Letter to The Washington Post
Dear Washington Post staff:
I was startled to read Transport to Link Gaza, West Bank Remains Elusive by Daniel Williams [Dec. 15, 2005] while crunching on my cereal this morning. It is yet another article [there have been at least ten] describing the personal stories of Palestinians who have had their movement impeded ‘by Israel’ whether by Israeli checkpoints, security barriers, or (in this case) delayed bus service. In all cases, the Washington Post has failed to describe the relevant context.
Five years ago, Palestinian Arabs renewed their war with Israel, and it goes on to this day. Measures need to be put into place during a war for the safety of a country’s citizenry. Does the Washington Post object to this? The reason there haven’t been as many articles lately on Palestinian attacks is precisely because they have been thwarted by security measures such as these checkpoints and security barriers.
If the Palestinians have anyone to blame for their impeded movement, it is they themselves. If they would stop their war against the citizens of Israel via homicide bombers and Qassam missile attacks, then Israel would have no need for counter-measures. This is the missing context. Where are the Washington Post articles on it?
I was startled to read Transport to Link Gaza, West Bank Remains Elusive by Daniel Williams [Dec. 15, 2005] while crunching on my cereal this morning. It is yet another article [there have been at least ten] describing the personal stories of Palestinians who have had their movement impeded ‘by Israel’ whether by Israeli checkpoints, security barriers, or (in this case) delayed bus service. In all cases, the Washington Post has failed to describe the relevant context.
Five years ago, Palestinian Arabs renewed their war with Israel, and it goes on to this day. Measures need to be put into place during a war for the safety of a country’s citizenry. Does the Washington Post object to this? The reason there haven’t been as many articles lately on Palestinian attacks is precisely because they have been thwarted by security measures such as these checkpoints and security barriers.
If the Palestinians have anyone to blame for their impeded movement, it is they themselves. If they would stop their war against the citizens of Israel via homicide bombers and Qassam missile attacks, then Israel would have no need for counter-measures. This is the missing context. Where are the Washington Post articles on it?
Letter to The Washington Post
From: Dr. Michael Berenhaus
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 1:31 PM
To: letters@washpost.com
Cc: vickk@washpost.com
Subject: letter to the editor
Dear Editor,
Your article, Iran’s President Calls Holocaust ‘Myth’ in Latest Assault on Jews, by Karl Vick [Dec. 15, 2005], reports on a matter of great concern regarding nuclear-developing Iran. Not since Adolph Hitler, has the leader of a country threatened to commit genocide against the Jews, and this time it is even more blatant. Iranian President Ahmadinejad now declares his intention to murder the Jews of Israel.
In the 1940’s, Jewish leaders pleaded for countries to intervene, but the world stood silent. Today, with another Holocaust threatened, the same countries do nothing of substance. Expressions of moral outrage, threatened boycotts, and possible UN resolutions merely serve as lip service. The world has another chance to avert catastrophe, yet it does nothing. Are Jewish lives worth so little?
Michael Berenhaus
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 1:31 PM
To: letters@washpost.com
Cc: vickk@washpost.com
Subject: letter to the editor
Dear Editor,
Your article, Iran’s President Calls Holocaust ‘Myth’ in Latest Assault on Jews, by Karl Vick [Dec. 15, 2005], reports on a matter of great concern regarding nuclear-developing Iran. Not since Adolph Hitler, has the leader of a country threatened to commit genocide against the Jews, and this time it is even more blatant. Iranian President Ahmadinejad now declares his intention to murder the Jews of Israel.
In the 1940’s, Jewish leaders pleaded for countries to intervene, but the world stood silent. Today, with another Holocaust threatened, the same countries do nothing of substance. Expressions of moral outrage, threatened boycotts, and possible UN resolutions merely serve as lip service. The world has another chance to avert catastrophe, yet it does nothing. Are Jewish lives worth so little?
Michael Berenhaus
Thursday, December 1, 2005
Letter to Fox News
From: Dr. Michael Berenhaus [mailto:mberenhaus@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 12:37 AM
To: oreilly@foxnews.com
Subject: For use on the Bill O'Reilly show viewer email
Bill,
Your segment which implied that consumers should not buy from stores that don’t wish them a “Merry Christmas” was ludicrous. What’s next: boycotting stores that don’t wish their customers a Happy New Year? Or what about a Happy Thanksgiving?
The fact that that you recommended boycotting stores that don’t celebrate or offer good wishes for a particular religious holiday is really where you have crossed the line. A foundation of America’s greatness is freedom of religion, yet you advocate penalization of those that don’t subscribe to the majority view. O’Reilly, although I love your show –you swung and missed on this one. Contrary to what you seem to believe, we are not a Christian country. We are a country of mostly Christians. With your segment, you presented an excellent case why Christmas should not be honored as a national holiday – the opposite of what you espouse.
I will continue to watch and enjoy your show, and bust on you when you mess up.
Michael Berenhaus
Potomac, Maryland
Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2005 12:37 AM
To: oreilly@foxnews.com
Subject: For use on the Bill O'Reilly show viewer email
Bill,
Your segment which implied that consumers should not buy from stores that don’t wish them a “Merry Christmas” was ludicrous. What’s next: boycotting stores that don’t wish their customers a Happy New Year? Or what about a Happy Thanksgiving?
The fact that that you recommended boycotting stores that don’t celebrate or offer good wishes for a particular religious holiday is really where you have crossed the line. A foundation of America’s greatness is freedom of religion, yet you advocate penalization of those that don’t subscribe to the majority view. O’Reilly, although I love your show –you swung and missed on this one. Contrary to what you seem to believe, we are not a Christian country. We are a country of mostly Christians. With your segment, you presented an excellent case why Christmas should not be honored as a national holiday – the opposite of what you espouse.
I will continue to watch and enjoy your show, and bust on you when you mess up.
Michael Berenhaus
Potomac, Maryland
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