Editor's Letter

JREEN ay
yl swtE

DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

theJEWISHNEWS.com

Advertising Sales

Publisher/President Arthur M. Horwitz
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
Sales Director: Keith Farber
kfarber@renmedia.us
Account Executives: Ann G. Abrams, Jan Haskell,
Melissa Lltvin, Heidi Martin, Rick Nessel, Dharlene Norris
Senior Sales Assistant: Kim Metzger

Take Iran Seriously

T

he Palestinian people have lived under the rule of an
occupying, oppressive regime beholden to Zionism
for 62 years — deprived of freedom, security and the
right to self-determination. The occupiers, meanwhile, have
basked in being internationally recognized.
That's the gist of Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's pronounce-
ment regarding the Israeli-Palestinian
crisis. Yes, it's balderdash; but ifs also
scary. The Islamic Republic of Iran
already has the means to keep condi-
tions in the Middle East unsettled; the
ante rises dramatically if the mullahs
actually develop a nudear bomb.
Ahmadinejad devoted just a small
portion of his United Nations General
Assembly address to "the Zionists',' the
closest he comes to identifying Israel
or Israelis. But what he said shouldn't be discounted. He's a
Holocaust denier who believes the Jewish state should be erased
from the map. His government is a legitimate global threat,
nuclear armed or not, because of the influence it wields among
terrorists who rely on Iranian support and backing.
Take, for example, Hamas, the Palestinian terror-
ist organization that governs in the Gaza Strip. Its
rocket attacks into Negev population centers keep
Israel constantly on guard. Iran and Syria also sup-
ply logistical support to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

the United States are being sacrificed at the altar of Zionism',' he
declared.
As if that lie-strewn tirade wasn't enough, he added,
"Solutions are doomed to fail because the right of the
Palestinian people is not taken into account."
That pathetic assessment came on the heels of Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas threatening to end newly
resumed peace talks when Israel didn't extend its partial freeze
on new settlement construction in the West Bank.
I have real compassion for the Palestinian people. Sadly, their
leadership, in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, has no interest in
recognizing Israel's right to exist as a sovereign Jewish state.
In a bizarre claim, Ahmadinejad said Israel's "horrendous
crimes" might not have occurred had the Israeli government
recognized "the sovereign right of the Palestinian people." He
conveniently forgot that Israel was forced to have a military
presence within the Palestinian territories not only because
Jews lived there, but also as a deterrent to Palestinian-inspired
terror against the State of Israel.
His conclusion was rooted in the dream of Palestinian refu-
gees returning to "Palestine" (namely, Israel), "their homeland;'
and having a sovereign say over the type of governance. That
dream fulfilled really would "wipe out the
Zionist enemy:' satisfying a key part of
Ahmadinejad's plan to reorder the region.

By The Numbers
Palestinian refugees and descendants,
post-1948 Israel statehood, number more
Wide - Ranging Chutzpah
than 4.5 million in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria
Addressing the 65th session of the U.N.
and the disputed Palestinian territories,
General Assembly on Sept. 23 in New York City,
according to the United Nations Relief
Ahmadinejad spoke of Palestinian homes being
and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees
destroyed and Palestinians going hungry presum-
in the Near East. UNRWA provides assis-
ably because of Israeli oppression.
tance and advocacy pending the pursuit of
What's more, he said, "the Zionists" have:
Palestinian statehood or relocation.
Iran's Mahm oud
•"Imposed five all-out wars on neighboring
Of course, there is an Arab state that
Ahmadineja d
countries and on the Palestinian people'
should welcome homeless Palestinians;
• "Committed horrible crimes against defenseless people in
it's called Jordan, whose majority population is made up of
wars against Lebanon and Gaze
Palestinian Arabs. A complete right of return for Palestinian
•"Attacked a humanitarian flotilla in a blatant defiance of all
refugees and their descendants would doom Jewish control of
international norms and killed civilians?'
Israel, a country of 7.6 million people — 5.5 million Jews and
The Iranian leader ignored that Israel was provoked into war
1.52 Arabs, according to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics.
and coaxed into the flotilla blockade. Israel had no choice. It
Despite tougher international financial, energy and travel
responded as a defensive move against terrorists in the case of
sanctions, Iran defiantly still eyes nuclear weaponry. And it
war and against lawbreakers in the case of the sea baffle.
hates America's unconditional support for Israel. Ahmadinejad
In the ultimate act of delusion, Ahmadinejad suggested
told the U.N.: "The Iranian nation, and the majority of the
the United States orchestrated the 9-11 attacks "to reverse the
world's nations and governments, are against the current dis-
declining American economy and its grips on the Middle East
criminatory management of the world. The inhumane nature of
in order also to save the Zionist regime." He maintained that
this management has put it at a dead-end and requires a major
"some segments within the U.S. government" were complicit
overhaul."
in the attacks. He asked the U.N. to name an independent fact-
"Reforming" America, he believes, would help bring world
finding group to investigate.
"tranqulity and prosperity."
The best way to neutralize Iran is to fear it. Dismissing Iran's
Continued Israel Bashing
tyranny as ineffectual would be at the civilized world's peril. ❑
Not one to hold back, Ahmadinejad further took advantage of
the international stage to challenge Israel's "absolute support"
among some Western nations (like the U.S. and Great Britain)
Should the civilized world consider
and to suggest the Zionist "regime" regularly endangers near-
in w Iran a grave and legitimate threat?
by countries, "continues publicly announced assassination of
1— 0
z z Would Iran ever actually attempt to
Palestinian figures and others" and brands all opponents as
0 0 deploy a nuclear missile at Israel?
"terrorists and anti-Semites."
"All values, even the freedom of expression, in Europe and in

Business Offices

Customer Service Asst.: Jan Shain
Billing Coordinator: Pamela Turner
Collections Analyst: Hazel Bender

Creative Services

creative@thejewishnews.com
Creative Director: Deborah Schultz

Production By FARAGO & ASSOCIATES

Manager: Scott Drzewiecki
Designers: Jeffrey Meyer, Pam Sherevan, Michelle Sheridan

Editorial

Editor: Robert A. Sklar
rsklar@thejewishnews.com
Associate Editor: Alan Hitslry
ahitsky@thejewishnews.com
Story Development Editor: Keri Guten Cohen
kcohen@thejewishnews.com
Arts Editor: Gail Zimmerman
gzimmermangthejewishnews.com
Senior Writer: Shelli Liebman Dorfman
sdorfman@thejewishnews.com
Senior Columnist: Danny Raskin
dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net
Columnists: George Cantor, Robin Schwartz, Steve Stein

Copy Team:
Senior Copy Editor: David Sachs
dsachs@thejewishnews.com
Copy Team Assistant: Sy Manello
smanello@thejewishnews.com

Platinum:
Executive Editor: Gail Zimmerman
gzimmerman@thejewishnews.com
Contributing Editor: Lynne Konstantin

Teen2Teen:
Executive Editor: Keri Guten Cohen
kcohen@thejewishnews.com

Southeast Michigan Jewish Alliance

Program Manager: Rachel Lachover

Published by: Jewish Renaissance Media
Chairman: Michael H. Steinhardt
President/Publisher: Arthur M. Horwitz
ahorwitz@renmedia.us
Chief Operating Officer: F. Kevin Browett
kbrowett@renmedia.us
Controller: Craig R. Phipps
Editorial Director: Robert A. Sklar
IT & Circulation Director: Deanna Spivey

Fulfillment

circulationdesk@thejewishnews.com
Customer Service Manager: Zena Davis

Departments

General Offices: 248-354-6060
Advertising: 248-351-5107
Advertising Fax: 248-304-0049
Circulation: 248-351-5174
Advertising Deadline: Monday, 4 p.m.
Editorial Fax 248-304-8885
Deadline: All public and social announcements must
be typewritten and received by noon Tuesday, nine
days prior to desired date of publication.

Subscriptions:
1 year
2 years
3 years
1 year out-of-state
2 years out-of-state
Per year foreign

$79
$142
$189
$119
$214
$286

Detroit Jewish News
29200 Northwestern Highway
Suite 110
Southfield, MI 48034

©copyright 2010 Detroit Jewish News

N

October 14 • 2010

5

