You May Have Missed These Letters

In the Jerusalem Post:-

Police behavior...

Sir, - Police authorities have concluded that the officer who climbed aboard the tractor but did not shoot the terrorist acted properly. He determined that the driver had no pulse, and was therefore neutralized ("Police reject criticism over handling of bulldozer attack," July 8).

Had he fired his weapon, Batsheva Unterman would be alive today.

It took an off-duty soldier, "M," to take the initiative and end the carnage, in a near-replay of events at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva four months ago. There, while the terrorist was slaughtering teenagers inside, a policeman sat safely outside, ostensibly to prevent civilians from entering. He was also not officially censored.

"M" credited his action to his upbringing and the injunction in Leviticus 19: "Do not stand idly by while your neighbor's blood is spilled." In contrast, the police's guideline seems to be: "To protests by your fellow citizens apply violence, but to your enemies be indulgent and wear kid gloves."

TUVIA MUSKIN
Rehovot

...& misunderstanding

Sir, - Thank you for this clear rendering of the Knesset Internal Affairs Committee meeting. I'm proud of our having a moral police commander like the popular Mickey Levy, who testified about why the terrorist wasn't killed before he did more damage.

However, the source of this police failure becomes clear from his misquoting the Torah and seemingly being unaware of the full scope of Jewish teachings on attackers.

The Ten Commandments say "Don't murder," not "Don't kill." The Talmud explains that if someone sets out to murder you, kill him first. And the rabbis teach: He who is merciful to the cruel will end up being cruel to the merciful - as indeed happened last week.

So I disagree with MK Marina Solodkin that there is not enough professionalism in the police force. Yes, an error was made, but it was in understanding how to deal with wicked people.

For the same reason we needed the (Shai) Dromi Law, to tell us that we can and must defend ourselves most forcefully when there is a risk of acute danger to our lives.

M. HAGENAUER
Jerusalem