Headlines matter

The heading on your October 20 front page, “Netanyahu says he won’t cave to Gantz’s budget demands,” shouts out exactly the wrong message at this critical time.

The country is torn between the compelling conviction of half of all Israelis that Netanyahu is causing damage to the country, and the other half who fully support his continuing in his present position. One of the issues with the most serious ramifications at the present time, highlighting this difference in opinion, is the crisis due to the delay in approval of a budget. The generally accepted opinion, particularly among economists, appears to be that to renege on the coalition agreement by passing a one- year budget at the end of this year instead of a two- year budget as agreed, has only disadvantages for the country; the only possible beneficiary is Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The above heading gives, in a couple of words, the clear impression that Gantz is causing the crisis because of his “budget demands.”

Regardless of affiliations, this is clearly the opposite of the truth, which could be expressed as “PM says he won’t comply with budget contract,” which blames the delay on the correct party and for the correct reason.

CHARLES SMITH Shoresh

Regarding “Blue and White: No chance of 2021 budget passing by Dec. 23 deadline” ( October 26), what kind of country do we live in, when our underpaid, overworked, heroic first responders do not have adequate staff, salaries and equipment because we still don’t have a budget?

What kind of country do we live in, when the idea of yet another election that will cost the country millions of shekels, puts smiles on the faces of many of our politicians while people are out of work, hungry and suffering?

What kind of country do we live in when members of Knesset are staying stuck to their seats rather than thinking about the citizens they should be serving?

And why should they? They were not elected by us! They were put there by their party bosses, who have no idea what it’s like to be us – and have no interest in finding out.

What kind of country do we live in when the government will not let the eminently qualified Dr. Gamzu do his job fighting the coronavirus, because they think they know better than he does, to the detriment of all of us?

What kind of country do we live in where our prime minister can only think of staying out of jail and has no time or energy to do his job properly?

Is there any other country in the developed world that would tolerate such an obscene situation?

Is this what we came to Israel for?

PHYLLIS FREED NARROL

Beit Shemesh