Begin and conclude

Regarding “The journey to Jewish pride, beginning with Begin” (March 1), Menachem Begin was my hero. When he replied to the question after his election, how he intended to govern, he replied simply, “As a good Jew,” which was beautiful.

However, a “good” Jew doesn’t sacrifice the Jews’ “right to sovereignty in their ancient homeland and the right (and duty) to defend themselves from the unique hatred directed again them.” Yet after a war that we won at great sacrifice, he surrendered to Egypt the whole of the Sinai, including forcibly removing Jews from Yamit.

Instead of Israel bringing Egypt to its knees, it was Israel that was humiliatingly defeated diplomatically. Sadly, this was the precursor to other forcible evictions of Jews from their homes in order to appease the enemy, which of course didn’t work as an enemy becomes more powerful when it sees its adversary is weak.

In “The existential threat of a Palestinian state” (March 3), Shmuley Boteach outlines many of the compelling reasons why it is beyond folly to entertain carving out another country, particularly one that is unstable and fundamentally hostile, in the small area between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Once we accept that this land is ours by virtue of it being given to our forefathers and their progeny in perpetuity, it is clear that this means one land for one people, the Jewish people. This land has to be under the full control of the people that God returned here to build and settle it. We ask for no more than our historic and just rights to the Land of Israel, freed of all those that would take it from us.

EDITH OGNALL Netanya