12 Tamuz 5770June 24, '10
Like everyone else in Israel, I applaud Israel Aircraft Industry's success in launching the Ofek 9 satellite. This is a technological achievement that we can all be proud of. The Ofek 9 will give us a clearer picture of how close the Iranians are to their nuclear bomb. Now, an Israeli satellite will pass over Bushehr every half hour instead of every hour, and its telescopic lenses will penetrate deep into the ground - a truly remarkable feat and we salute the Israeli engineers for their accomplishment.
But a nagging question must be asked: Will this information advance Israel's defense capabilities even one inch?
In Israel, technology is rapidly replacing content. Paradoxically, the stronger Israel becomes both economically and militarily, the weaker it becomes politically. To paraphrase Churchill, when leadership chooses disgrace in fear of war, it gets disgrace - and war as well. When advanced technological capabilities interface with true leadership and a clear vision, the technology becomes a significant power multiplier. But when advanced technology interfaces with small-time politicians concerned only with dousing the crisis at hand, it becomes a fig leaf.
Apparently, Israel's current leaders have already decided to stand by as the Iranians race toward nuclear capabilities. They will look the other way as Hezbollah acquires more advanced missiles that reach Eilat and will smile sheepishly as the Gaza port freely unloads state-of-the-art weaponry - because we have nothing to worry about: We have advanced technology.
Tragically, we are repeating the mistake of the Yom Kippur War. Instead of acting with conviction in the justice of our Jewish destiny in the Land of Israel, our leaders hide behind pompous military theories that glorify our technological ability to contain the first strike.
Israel's leaders must change the rules of the game and make the act of tampering with Israel's existence a venture too painful to consider. Its civilian population must be prepared for war - not peace. Protective gear must be distributed swiftly to the populace. Every person in the greater Tel Aviv area must know where he will find shelter in Judea or Samaria in an emergency.
Gaza and Lebanon must understand that missile attacks against Israel will be dealt with according to the Golan Heights model: Pictures of the abandoned Syrian villages there must be distributed widely. Since the Yom Kippur War, the Golan Heights model has proven itself as the only way to achieve lasting peace.
Those who think that they will be able to hide behind cutting edge technology in the approaching inevitable war would be well-advised to think again. Israel must go to battle with firm faith in the G-d of Israel and its Jewish destiny. With those two decisive factors in place, our cutting-edge technology will be a powerful tool for victory and not a fig-leaf for catastrophe.
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A few months ago, Moshe Feiglin wrote a beautiful article about his son, David, called "Sweet Defeat on the Hermon." Click here to read the article.
We are still reeling this week from David Yosef Feiglin's serious injury, trying to find ways to help and feeling that in a way, he is everybody's son. For years, many people have been experiencing the same feeling on a national level. Jonathan Pollard, who risked his entire future to save Israel, has been rotting in jail for over a quarter of a century. And even closer to home, Gilad Shalit has been in captivity for over four years. Jonathan and Gilad are also our sons, along with the children of Sderot and the Negev who live in fear of the Kassam rockets. The debate over the release of terrorists in exchange for Gilad Shalit is so emotionally charged because their potential victims, G-d forbid, are also our children.
Gilad Shalit's parents are fighting for their son's life and that is their job. Israel's government, however, should not be the focus of their protest. Israel's government is not keeping Gilad in captivity. It is the Hamas that must be the focus of the protests. For years, forces in Israeli society have been trying to deceive us and Gilad's parents into believing that his future depends on us. If we only give up enough, they cajole, just surrender to all the demands of the enemy, everything will be fine. Gilad will return home and the peace that was promised to us years ago with the Nobel Prize will finally spread its wings over the Land. That Oslo illusion has a steep price. Gilad is one of its victims.
There is some logic, nevertheless, in demonstrating against Israel's government. True, the government is certainly not in control of Gilad's fate. But is it taking the proper measures to secure his release? Is it acting like a mother desperate to protect her children?
In the Pollard case, the answer is clear. From the very beginning of the Pollard episode, Israel's leaders have misguidedly sacrificed him on the altar of Israel - US relations. It began when the doors of the Israeli embassy were locked to keep him out and continues until this very day. Pollard has been ignored - almost buried - by the official State of Israel.
The Gilad Shalit case is even more frustrating. While Gilad is kept in captivity, his captors get water and electricity, meat and other delicacies and even cash for their salaries from the State of Israel. Would Israel's leaders continue with this scandalous behavior if it was their son captive in Gaza?
Israel's leaders seem to have lost all sense of responsibility toward their citizens. They can boast of the success of the shameful flight from Lebanon, abandoning the soldiers of the South Lebanese Army who risked their lives for us along the way. They can leave the country at the mercy of the Hezbollah rockets with no plan of action. They can take care of their personal investments as Israel sets out to war, sure that everybody will forget their gaffes in just a short while.
Israel desperately needs leaders who are connected to the people. It needs leaders who will not sleep at night while the children of Sderot still live in fear, while Gilad remains in captivity and while Jonathan Pollard continues to rot in a US jail.
Prayers for the speedy recovery of
David Yosef ben Faigie Perel
Moshe Feiglin's son, who was seriously injured in a car accident,
will be held at the Ohel of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Bus will leave 770 at 10:30 a.m.
No reservation required.
And may G-d hear our prayers and shower the entire Nation of Israel
with healing, blessing and Heavenly mercy.
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