It is unfortunate that some Israeli economists agree with people like columnist Shlomo Maital ("free to Choose Poverty," Jan 8). His misrepresentation of Milton Friedman and the power of capitalism to bring freedom and wealth to Israel and the world is disappointing. Maital falsely blames Friedman for the mistakes made by prime minister Menachem Begin. In Friedman's autobiography, he notes that while he gave some advice to Begin, the prime minister "had no interest in, or feel, for economics.". As a result, rather than a contraction of the economy as Friedman suggested, under Begin's rule, the economy expanded. Had Begin listened to Friedman, Israel would not have seen the horrible inflation under the continuation of the same statist policies espoused during decades of Labor domination.

Milton Friedman was committed to scientific rigor and dedicated to the value of freedom and liberty. If only economists like Shlomo Maital were committed to the same values, imagine how much stronger Israel could be, Israel would be "free to choose" prosperity.