English TV news

With regard to “Future of English-language TV news still in doubt” (September 25), I am appalled that the new Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation would even consider not carrying the news in English when it begins operations shortly.

The English-language news broadcasts are a major source of news for Anglo olim and Anglos like myself who maintain an apartment here and split their time between Israel and English-speaking countries. Many of these Anglo olim and part-timers, no matter how much time they spend in an ulpan, are never going to achieve the level of Hebrew proficiency to fully understand the numerous Hebrew-language news broadcasts on radio and TV.

Your newspaper constantly features articles about the State of Israel’s fight against antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and BDS in the United States, Canada, the UK and other English-speaking countries. The best possible advocates for Israel in those countries are the Anglo olim and part-timers; when they return even for short periods, they can argue Israel’s case with personal, first-hand knowledge.

English-language TV news is an important, if not vital, resource for the Anglo community. To abandon it because of political infighting or false claims of the effect on the economy would be a real mistake and make it so much harder for the Anglo community to effectively defend the State of Israel in all the ways that your newspaper is constantly exhorting us to do.

I simply do not understand why the State of Israel should even consider eliminating a great source of knowledge and information that people can use to advocate for Israel where it is really needed. JOSEPH RAFALOWICZ Jerusalem