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Letters to the Editor Regarding "Birthright CEO: 'We are broke,'" by Ranit Nahum-Halevy, January 4, 2009 Taglit-Birthright Israel is not "broke" and will continue to provide trips to Israel for 14,000 participants this winter season. My mention of not having one dollar left was taken out of context and refers to Taglit's policy of using every dollar we receive, to provide as many young people as possible with the gift of an educational trip to Israel. Advertisement Every dollar from the $110 million budget allotted for 2008 was utilized to meet our goal of bringing the largest number of youths from around the world to Israel - to mark Israel's 60th anniversary. Our 2008 budget was increased accordingly (as you know, thousands are on the waiting list of Birthright Israel). We just celebrated the arrival of our 200,000th Taglit participant at our mega event honoring Miriam and Sheldon Adelson's continued support and commitment to Taglit. Our key donors and thousands of participants attended this celebratory event. The number of Birthright Israel participants in 2009 will return to the high average of the years prior to 2008, as our budget returns to the level of those years, ranging between $75 million and $80 million. We, alongside key philanthropists such as Dr. and Mr. Adelson, Charles Bronfman, Al Levitt of the Jim Joseph Foundation, Lynn Schusterman and Michael Steinhardt, together with the Jewish communities, and the Israeli government, intend to continue to provide what has come to be a Jewish rite of passage for Diaspora youths. Gidi Mark CEO of Taglit-Birthright Israel The Oslo Accords attempted to transfer control to the Palestinians and we should be thankful that this attempt failed. Both during Yasser Arafat's time and afterward, Palestinian self-rule was exploited to build up a military force rather than develop economic power, as is the practice of small countries in the Far East. Therefore, the situation in Gaza has only two stable solutions, both of them involving the transfer of government authority from the Palestinians to a neighboring country: Either Israel reverts to controlling the entire Strip via the army (as was the case until the Oslo Accords) or Egypt, which is both a neighbor and an Arab country, will rule Gaza, as was the case up until the Six-Day War. So far, Egypt has made every effort to have the problem known as the Gaza Strip remain in Israel's hand (and Menachem Begin, as part of his Greater Land of Israel ideology, agreed to this approach). If Israel does not want to revert to ruling Gaza, as it does today in Judea and Samaria, then Egypt should be compelled to control Gaza, even if only by means of a UN mandate (and in return for payment) for several years. Gabi Bahan Arad As far as is known, during the period of calm and under its auspices, Hamas managed to arm itself with Grad rockets and Katyushas, weapons with ranges reaching Ashdod and Be'er Sheva. Up until six months ago, it had only Qassams and mortars in its possession. Therefore, the most important thing right now is to bring about a situation - using all necessary military and diplomatic means - by means of which, at the end of the latest conflagration, an effective supervisory mechanism is set up that will prevent Hamas from continuing to arm itself with missiles and other weapons. David Gilat Tel Aviv Bookmark to del.icio.us   'With total determination' Widow of IDF soldier killed Monday remembers her fallen hero. Anti-Semites unite! Protests against Gaza op worldwide have had a hateful, violent tone.

Read & React Bradley Burston / Gaza War Diary III: If Mexico shelled Texas, like Hamas shells Israel Responses: 151 At least 30 die in strike on Gaza school; IDF: Troops fired in self-defense Responses: 103 ANALYSIS / Israel is on its way to reoccupying all of the Gaza Strip Responses: 32 ANALYSIS / Price of stubborness over Gaza exit is dead Israeli soldiers Responses: 59 More Headlines 02:12 Abbas at UN calls for Gaza truce, fresh peace talks 01:51 Israel to establish 'humanitarian corridor' for Gaza Strip 01:55 Egypt's Gaza truce plan: ceasefire followed by border security talks 00:21 IDF shell kills 30 in Gaza UN school; Israel mulls appeal over Hamas fire from UN facilities 22:47 Obama breaks silence on Gaza, calls civilian deaths 'a deep concern' 23:03 Al-Qaida No. 2 urges Muslims to attack Israeli and Western targets over Gaza op 23:50 Five Israeli soldiers killed in 24 hours, as IDF closes in on Gaza cities 23:42 French TV claims photos from 2005 showed damage from Israel's Gaza operation 16:21 Gaza rocket hits Gedera, 30km from Tel Aviv; baby lightly hurt 17:12 ANALYSIS / Price of stubborness over Gaza exit is dead soldiers 18:20 Get up to the minute coverage of the warfare in Gaza directly to your email 00:22 'You'll be proud of me, yet' slain IDF soldier told family before entering Gaza 21:45 The view from Ramallah / An Intifada in its infancy? 22:19 Turkey-Israel basketball game canned after pro-Gaza protesters storm court 14:37 ANALYSIS / Israel is on its way to reoccupying all of the Gaza Strip 19:17 'Iran pledged Hezbollah won't respond to Gaza op,' says top Lebanese MP 18:39 Jewish and Arab students clash on Gaza offensive 13:06 ANALYSIS / The unspoken goal of bringing down Hamas in Gaza 20:07 Hospitalized but defiant, Israeli soldiers eager to return to Gaza battle 13:40 Israeli general: Never knew I was evacuating my wounded soldier son from Gaza 13:00 Burning car rams synagogue in southwest France 13:46 Egypt bars doctors from entering Gaza Strip 05:44 Hamas puts Gazans in danger by drawing IDF into urban warfare 18:21 PICTURE GALLERY / Gaza incursion sparks protests around world Previous Editions Select Day 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec 30 dec 29 dec 28 dec 26 dec 25 dec 24 dec

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