To the editor: This isn’t a “deal” between Israel and Hamas. It is extortion. (“Cease-fire between Israel and Hamas begins with hostages being handed over,” Jan. 19)
Trading a 2-year-old Kfir Bibas and youngsters criminally kidnapped from a musical venue for convicted and sentenced terrorists is not a deal. It shows that extortion pays, like trading a kidnapped journalist and basketball player for spies that were tried and sentenced in a court of law (which Russia did), or kidnapping tourists or people visiting relatives in Iran and trading them for convicted spies.
At least do not call these trades “deals.”
Jesa Kreiner, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Donald Trump is starting his presidency with a big bang.
The cease-fire negotiated by former President Biden may never have been reached without Trump’s hand on the scale. The war in Ukraine will probably end soon because of his influence with both sides. The southern border will at long last be secured, and bad relations with China (which Trump exacerbated in his first term) may actually improve.
All these things are good and achieved only because of the president’s unpredictability. No one wants to poke this bear. It’s like throwing a live grenade on the deck of a pitching ship. No one wants to grab it to throw it overboard.
The problem is that in time it will play out and predictability will return, even to the unpredictable one. In the long run, bullying and scare tactics will not replace the benefits of planning, diplomacy and cooperation.
As for myself, I don’t want to live in a world fraught with unpredictable danger, institutionalized nastiness and distrust of institutions — no matter what the rewards may be.
Michael Telerant, Los Angeles
