The reach of each speech

In “An accidental PM competing with shadows” (October 1) Herb Keinon tries to analyze why PM Naftali Bennett’s speech at the UN lacks the punch of speeches by former PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Acknowledging that Bennett’s English is just as good, he feels the weakness is in Bennett’s delivery: pacing, voice, etc. However, as co-author of a study of Netanyahu’s speeches, I suggest that the answer lies in Netanyahu’s rhetorical choices, which invite cooperation, empathy, and friendship with the audience, such as:

• “I was deeply moved” (UN 2012);

• “Can diplomacy stop this threat? Well, the only diplomatic solution that would work is one that fully dis

mantles Iran’s nuclear weapons program” (UN 2013);

• “Let us realize the vision of Isaiah” (UN 2011);

• “Would any of you bring danger so close to your cities, to your families? Would you act so recklessly with the lives of your citizens?” (UN 2011).

• “I extend my hand to the Palestinian people, with whom we seek a just and lasting peace. (UN 2011). BEVERLY A. LEWIN, PH.D.

Ramat Hasharon

It was such a relief to read David M. Weinberg’s

“scorecard” on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s first 100 days in power (“Rating Bennett’s premiership after 100 days in power,” September 30). Too many people are

searching for faults.

Remember that 100 days ago all we kept hearing was that the Bennett-Lapid government wouldn’t survive a

month, and that was the polite reaction. The screaming and cursing we heard from the MKs and former ministers who had been counting on remaining in that “twilight zone” of power forever proved to many of us that they had been in power many years too many. Weinberg’s points are all excellent.

About Bennett’s UNGA speech, it was fine and gave the world a chance to meet him. Of course Naftali Bennett can’t compete with Binyamin Netanyahu’s skills as an orator. Honestly, I don’t know if anyone in the world can. Netanyahu is an extraordinarily gifted orator – among the very best in the world. That’s no reason for him to stay prime minister.

But there’s one thing that Naftali Bennett can do that his predecessor can’t. Bennett can get along with people. I wish our PM success – and just hope it doesn’t go to his head...

BATYA MEDAD

Shiloh (October 3) further emphasizes the phenomenon of Arabs murdering Arabs and the general recent spate of violent crime in the Arab sphere in Israel. The question is being debated in the media and fingers are being pointed at suggested excuses, such as too few police, or police stations or even the indifference of the authorities. Proposals are being mooted from setting up a separate ministry to deal with the problem, to a grand-scale operation to collect all illegal arms.

But all this ignores the basic problem in all its starkness. Judaism has a precept that when one saves a human life one saves a whole world. Not so the Arab world; the value put on human life by the Arab world sometimes borders on zero.

One need not look further than the executions and kangaroo courts of people suspected of selling land to Jews, or of “snitching” on imminent terror attacks, torturing to death of one who dares to express moderate ideas, the liquidation of journalists who do not toe the line, the numerous outright murders (in the name of family honor) of young women who are suspected of infidelity – and, while mentioning the word “infidelity” we need not look further than the general ideology of “kill the infidel.”

None of the actions being proposed will bring an end to the murder of Arabs by Arabs – and I am afraid that not even education will help much either. Disregard of human life is ingrained and (to use the terminology of prime minister Yitzhak Shamir) imbibed with their mothers’ milk.

LAURENCE BECKER Jerusalem