Editorial cartoon angers readers 

I am certain that you will receive a huge amount of mail regarding the Steve Greenberg editorial cartoon in your April 13 issue. Greenberg compares the street shooting of a Viet Cong rebel by a South Vietnamese officer to an Israel Defense Forces soldier shooting a Palestinian terrorist, most likely referring to the recent shooting of a wounded terrorist. He concludes the actions are “much the same.” 

In truth, they are not. The IDF is actively prosecuting and investigating the soldier involved in shooting a wounded terrorist. Furthermore, an audio recording demonstrates that the Israelis were concerned about the terrorist detonating a suicide belt. Since the terrorist was wearing a heavy coat in 80 degree weather, this was a realistic concern. Either Greenberg has not heard about this evidence, or he chose to ignore it. 

He has a right to this opinion, but I wonder why the Jewish Light has chosen to publish a cartoon based either on ignorance or deliberate misrepresentation of the truth. Have you become so obsessed with “evenhandedness” and the right to criticize Israel that truth does not matter? A good case can be made in defense of this soldier as well as the prosecution. While Israel is not perfect, we do not need to go on the offensive every time something happens. We have the right to analyze Israeli actions, but we have a responsibility to do so accurately.

Laura Goldmeier

Creve Coeur

Shame on the Light for printing the April 13 editorial cartoon by Steve Greenberg comparing the Vietnam War summary execution of the unarmed Viet Cong prisoner with the incident of the IDF soldier in Hebron killing the armed Arab terrorist attacker who had been wounded. 

The Hebron terrorist was still unbound and possibly free to move his hands. Since wounded terrorists in similar situations have used that freedom to kill — for instance, by detonating explosive vests — many Israelis felt the soldier might well have been justified in opening fire if he saw a suspicious movement. Long months of terrorist attacks on citizens with knives and autos have influenced Israelis to see that soldiers and civilians cannot be certain that wounded attackers are totally disabled.

Prime Minister Netanyahu and the IDF leadership have urged the legal system to investigate fully. The result was to charge the soldier with manslaughter; justice will be served. Is that “undermining the rule of law” as Greenberg charged? As for the charge in the cartoon that “Street Justice” has given “the other side a propaganda tool,” I’m more than willing to give the soldier the benefit of the doubt. Whoever was responsible for choosing to print that abominable cartoon endorsed Greenberg’s reprehensible attack on the IDF. Perhaps they have had experience in similar life or death situations, and are making journalistic decisions based on their terror combat expertise. Otherwise, why would they endorse that shanda?

Irl Solomon

St. Louis County

There are many things published by the Light that I do not agree with. The cartoon that was published this week was beyond disgusting. If I saw this in a European or Arab paper I would not be shocked. To see it in the St. Louis Jewish Light was so reprehensible that I asked my wife if I was missing something. The IDF has been recognized as the most humane Army by military experts not in the IDF. To accuse them of carry out “street justice” is an out and out lie. 

You should be ashamed of yourself and your paper. I am ashamed of your paper as a life long reader. You have brought the Light to a new low. You have brought the Light down to the level of those who would destroy the State of Israel.

Howard Loiterstein

Chesterfield

Editor’s note: The Light received a number of letters to the editor on last week’s editorial cartoon. We selected three that arrived in time for the print edition and were representative of letters submitted. Jewish Light Editor Ellen Futterman and Publisher/CEO Larry Levin discuss their perspective on page 11.