Another Stellar Issue
Last week’s Jewish Press had two pivotal articles. I applaud the newspaper for its headline story by Jonathan Braun (“Let it Fall: The UN’s ‘Imminent Collapse’ and Long War on Israel”) and Rabbi Mordechai Weiss’s column (“Seeing the Whole Leader: It’s Time to Cut Netanyahu a Break”) about showing fairness to Netanyahu.
Bravo!
Matthew Isaacson
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Truth-Talking about Turkey’s Threat
Your editorial, “What to Do About the New Saudi-Turkish Axis Bombshell” (Feb. 13), offers a clear-eyed assessment of what you rightly describe as a bombshell. At a time when the Middle East remains one of the world’s most volatile regions – made even more dangerous by Turkey’s deepening alignment with Iran – strategic realism is not optional; it is essential.
The December 22 trilateral summit in Jerusalem between Israel, Greece, and Cyprus reflected that realism. Prime Minister Netanyahu, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides pledged to reinforce cooperation on security, defense, and military matters in the Mediterranean. That declaration was a sober recognition that democracies facing shared threats must stand together with clarity and resolve.
Netanyahu’s warning to those who “fantasize they can reestablish their empires” was an unmistakable response to Ankara’s increasingly assertive posture. President Erdoğan’s subsequent attacks on Israel and Cyprus – and his vow that Turkey “will never leave Gaza alone” – only reinforced the concerns your editorial raises.
Nor can Turkey’s hostility toward Israel be dismissed as the product of a single leader. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, often mentioned as a potential successor to Erdoğan, has repeatedly labeled Israel a “terrorist state” and “the biggest threat to stability in the Middle East,” while pursuing expanded cooperation with Iran. Turkey’s refusal to designate Hamas as a terrorist organization and its longstanding embrace of the group as a “liberation movement” further underscore how far Ankara has drifted from the values and security interests of the West.
As your editorial makes clear, confronting this emerging alignment requires firmness and strengthened cooperation among reliable partners. The Greece-Cyprus-Israel partnership offers a constructive counterweight grounded in shared democratic principles and mutual self-defense. Policymakers in Washington and beyond would be wise to reinforce this partnership rather than indulge in fantasies about Turkey being a Western ally.
Moshe Phillips
National Chairman,
Americans For A Safe Israel
Pride and Joy for Blue & White
Proud Jews everywhere should be extremely proud of Israeli basketball whiz Dani Avdija who’s such a star player that he’s been chosen for the NBA All-Star Game (“First-Ever Israeli Player Chosen for NBA All-Star Team,” Feb. 6). He’s certainly the talk of the town here in Israel. And for good reason – this guy is a true credit to the Jewish people, wearing his Israeli identity proudly and showing grace and humility in his interactions with teammates as well as with the media. He might not be religious, strictly speaking, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a real mensch. After all, it’s not easy representing Israel these days (sadly), but Avdija is a great ambassador for the Jewish State and a once-in-a-generation player too.
Good luck in the All-Star Game – we’re all rooting for you, Dani!
Eli Shafer
Modiin, Israel