Don’t know much about history

Lindsay Goldman (“Anti-Israel pulpits,” Letters, February 19) seems to have been brainwashed, or she has never learned much history.

She apparently is unaware that the nascent state of Israel was attacked by overwhelming Arab armies who encouraged local Arabs to leave their homes by promising them more land after the Jews were thrown into the sea. Transjordan, whose forces were helped by the British, managed to conquer eastern Jerusalem and the “West Bank” and proceeded to massacre/expel the remaining Jews. They made the area Judenfrei and proceeded to damage anything that was Jewish.

The fact that there are numerous Arabs in Israel who don’t want to be part of a Palestinian state and the fact that there are no Jews in Jordan or other Arab countries should be a clue to Goldman which countries are apartheid. Certainly not Israel.

There were also countless Jewish refugees from Arab states who lost everything and have yet to be compensated. No refugee fund was established for them; they were absorbed by the state, while Arab refugees were ignored by their own to be used as propaganda pawns.

We have been forced to take security measures to prevent terrorists from blowing up buses, slitting babies’ throats or shooting diners in restaurants.

If she knew history and the current reality better, she would have appropriate answers for Apartheid Week propagandists. It is sad that she has been duped by their lies.

FREYA BINENFELD Petah Tikva