JEWISH PRIDE WILL RESCUE ISRAELDate: Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 1:16 PM1751 Second Ave, New York, NY 10128
Tel: 212-828-2424; Fax: 212-828-1717; afsi@rcn.com; www.afsi.org
Contact: Helen Freedman, Executive Director
March 23, 2010
JEWISH PRIDE WILL RESCUE ISRAEL
By: Helen Freedman
We’ve been subjected to a flurry of condemnations, apologies, clarifications, and subjugations in the unfolding before us of the Obama/Clinton/Biden/Netanyahu drama.
First we saw Biden “shocked and humiliated” by the municipality of Jerusalem announcing the continuation of a building project in a developed neighborhood in Jerusalem. This was followed by Israeli apologies for the bad timing of the announcement. Despite this, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton excoriated Israel for hindering the “peace process.” She continued along this vein when speaking to the 7,500 people gather at the AIPAC Conference in Washington on March 21.
In her speech, where she made constant assurances of America’s bond with its long-time ally, Israel, she equated the building of “settlements” – even in Jerusalem, with Hamas and PA terror, incitement, rocket launching and murder of innocent victims. It is hard to believe the promises of “commitment to Israel’s security” when President Obama boycotts the delivery of bunker busters to Israel, which would be needed in Israel’s dealings with the Iranian nuclear threat. And it is hard to believe there is U.S. concern about Hamas and PA refusal to recognize Israel and all the abominations that go along with that, when there is silence from the U.S. when Arab terror murders Israelis.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the same AIPAC Conference on Tuesday night, March 22. He also spoke about Israel and America “facing monumental challenges together,” but he stressed that there are those “who continue the assault against the Jewish state and who openly call for our destruction.” In light of that, “The future of the Jewish state can never depend on the goodwill of even the greatest of men. Israel must always reserve the right to defend itself.” He spoke about the great danger that Iran presents to Israel and the world, and the fact that its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, have amassed rockets on the borders of Gaza and Lebanon to fire into Israel. Therefore, “A peace agreement with the Palestinians must include effective security arrangements on the ground…We are prepared to take risks for peace, but we will not be reckless with the lives of our people and the life of the one and only Jewish state.”
In addition to these very real security issues, PM Netanyahu touched on the nerve center of what I believe is Israel’s central problem today, Israel’s entitlement to its homeland. He said, “The attempt by many to describe the Jews as foreign colonialists in their own homeland is one of the great lies of modern times.” This failure on the part of Israelis, themselves, to believe in their biblical, political, historical rights to all the land of Israel is what has undercut Israel’s strength as a sovereign nation.
Recently I met with Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely in New York. She spoke earnestly about the need to deepen the roots of the Jewish heritage amongst Israelis. Knowledge of Jewish history, citing the heroes and amazing accomplishments of the Jewish people, would strengthen Israeli voices and remove the apologetic, door-mat groveling that seems to surface so often. MK Hotovely stated that the Israeli/Arab conflict is not the primary issue; the need to return to our Jewish heritage is most important.
Aharon Pulver, Executive Director of the Israel Independence Fund, is also making efforts in the direction of educating Israelis about their roots. One of his programs is bringing IDF soldiers to the ancient city of Pek’iin, where twenty Jewish families live who trace their origins to the time of the First Temple. There is also an ancient synagogue there and many sites dating back to biblical times. All of this serves to strengthen Israeli ties to the ancient Jewish heritage in the Land of Israel.
In conclusion, if Israelis and their leaders were strong in their belief of entitlement to the Land of Israel, there would be no program of “proximity” talks where America would be the middle man between Israel and the PA. There would be no talk of a “two-state solution” with a non-existent “partner.” There would be no tolerated American “outrage” over building in Jerusalem, or anywhere else in the Land of Israel. The announcement that the grave of Mother Rachel and the Cave of the Patriarchs would be historical monuments would not have been greeted with cries of outrage. The rebuilding of the Hurva synagogue in the square of the Old City in Jerusalem would not have prompted incitement and denunciation. There wouldn’t have been an Oslo Accord in 1993, and when Rabbi Goren ascended the Temple Mount in 1967 and declared that the “Har Habayit is in our hands,” there wouldn’t have been the mentality that would then transfer control into the hands of the Arabs.
Pride of ownership, self-respect, and knowledge of oneself and one’s country are pre-conditions for survival. May Israelis and their leaders, as well as Jews throughout the world, nurture these qualities in themselves and go from strength to strength.
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