Considering Disengagement
Reuven Koret at
Israel Insider has a great article up at his site:
Disengaging from delusion. He asks what we will get in return for this "disengagement":
If our reward would be never needing to send our soldiers to defend us or having our citizens never again die in terrorist attacks, or (remember when people talked about that?) true peace - that price may be worth considering. But of course no one is expecting or promising this.
On the contrary, we can expect to get more of the same, with less ability to defend ourselves, with transportation routes, army facilities and defensive positions in enemy hands. And we can expect the Israeli weakness at the top that led to this inexplicable cave-in to invite only more terrorism and diplomatic pressure.
That's what happened after Ehud Barak fled from Lebanon. Now southern Lebanon is lined with hundreds of missiles, some capable of bearing chemical warheads, which for the first time put Haifa and points south in range.
No one disputes that Gaza and northern Samaria will become armed camps, refuges of terrorists and repositories of weapons. Except Israel will have waived its ability and right to re-enter and clean up these terror nests in any significant way.
If there was a chance that this is the final price we will be expected to pay to achieve de facto or de jure annexation of Gush Etzion, Gush Ariel, the Jordan Valley, Jewish Hebron, the Jerusalem envelope - that at least would be a calculation that reasonable people could evaluate for its costs and benefits.
I think the key point is that it may be possible that some form of evacuation of Jewish communities in Israel may be justified, as part of a larger package that would bring us the greatest good. But, that's not what is up for vote.
Say the following plan was being proposed: Evacuate Netzarim and Kfar Darom, and the four towns slated for removal in Shomron. Build a security fence only around that area in Shomron, and separating Gush Katif from the rest of Gaza. Offer stipends to the evacuated Jews, and offer incentives to help settle them and other Jews in Hebron, Bet Lechem, or eastern Jerusalem. Annex all the remaining land. This will lower the number of Arabs included in this annexation by about 2.5 million. As for the areas from which we "disengaged," make it a real disengagement. No more supplying the residents with Israeli electricity, water, and employment. No travel in and out of those areas. Any Arab who does not want to live under Israeli rule can go to the "disengaged" areas - a free one-way ticket. Even though the idea of destroying Jewish communities in Israel is repulsive to me, I would probably support this plan.
However, that is not what is being proposed. Instead, over 8,000 Jews will be expelled from their home. The plan does not say if they will be compensated, or where they will go. The beautiful homes they once called their own will be taken over by terrorists. Those terrorists will be able to keep their jobs in Israel, commuting in and out of Israel every day. Israel will not be able to stop any further terrorist activity in Gaza; it will be off-limits to the IDF. But it will not be off limits to Hamas, Hizbollah, and Al-Qaeda. President Bush may have recognized that "facts have changed" regarding major Jewish areas of Yesha. But we are not planning on annexing them. Maybe we will try in a few years, but who will remember Bush's "recognition" at that point? In fact, the security fence will still exclude many tens of thousands of Jews. Instead of Homesh and Sa-nur, with only a few hundren residents, being the last of our destructions in Shomron, they will be the first, paving the way for the destruction of towns of thousands which are also beyond the fence: Beit El, Shiloh, Ofra.
The plan being presented is not a whole plan; it is a half a plan, and it's the half where we get screwed. Anyone voting on this plan needs to be asking the question: what are we getting in return, and what is the message we are sending? Anyone living in Israel who is not eligible to vote on this plan should take this opportunity to join the Likud party.
Manhigut Yehudit has been trying for years to get believing Jews to join the Likud, in order to have a real voice in influencing the policiies of the state. They never imagined how on-target they would be: for better or for workse, the future of the state is up to the members of the Likud party. Go to the Manhigut Yehudit site
here to get a Likud registration form. And of course, anyone not living in Israel: if you've been reading this blog, you know what to do.
Gush Katif on Yom HaAtzmaut
Dear Friends,
Thousands of people are heading to Gush Katif on Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day). The communities there have a huge event planned and I thought we should join them as well. This is a good opportunity to celebrate with Gush Katif, to see beautiful Israel, and to show solidarity with this special place.
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO GO! I propose that we participate as an English speaking contingent made up of Kumah folks, new and veteran Olim, students and other assorted friends.
General Information: There will be buses to Gush Katif on Tuesday the Sixth of Iyar, 27th of April between 10:00am and 11:00am leaving from Binyanei Haumah (the International Convention Center) in Jerusalem across from the Tachan Merkazit (central bus station) and returning there at 7:30pm. The cost of the buses is 25 NIS round trip.
When will we meet: 10:20am, Tue 27th of April, at Binyanei Haumah - we will leave on one bus together at 10:45am.
What should I bring: 25NIS, some food (there will be concession stands in Gush Katif) and your good spirits.
Who is the contact person: Yishai Fleisher 050-356-263 - feel free to call.
Chag Sameach! I look forward to seeing you there.
A tribute to a true Kumahite
"
What we need to have in Israel today is not criticism of Gush Emunim what we need is JEWS! YOU! That's what we need! " -- Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu (Simon) Dolgin ZT'L in 1981
My very first blog and it's a sad one. Rabbi Dolgin of Ramat Eshkol passed away last night. He was a tremendous advocate for Aliyah and a true
Bonah Yerushalayim , and he even had philosophical discussions about religion with Ben-Gurion.
But I don't mean for my first blog to be an obituary. Arutz-7 posted a
brief one.
I would like instead to share a story about him as told to me by my grandfather who was his friend. After making Aliyah from Beverly Hills (a lesson for all comfortable Jews on its own) Rabbi Dolgin tried to get permission from the city to build a Beit HaKnesset in Ramat Eshkol, Jerusalem. Teddy Kolleck was the mayor at the time. Mayor Kolleck made things hard for the Rabbi as he wanted Ramat Eshkol to remain a totally non-dati neighborhood. After all was said and done he was only permitted to built his Congregation down a hill, way off the main road "Rachov Paran." Most people expected it would never survive down there. (The spot Rabbi Dolgin wanted became a Kupat Cholim instead.) Unfazed by all these hurtles he raised funds and built a
large beautiful Beit HaKnesset , which was named after
his old Beverly Hills one "Beit Yaakov." Afterwards, some S'fardic Jews who loved the Synagogue asked him if they can build one too- exactly the same building, that is - so he gladly shared the building plans. (I still find that amazing!) And today there are two beautiful identical Synagogues side by side: Ashkinaz and S'fardic, while preserving their respective traditions, together they stand in total Achdus.
The basement has became a mini - catering hall and because our friend Teddy had them build all the way down the hil,l the backyard leads right into a magnificent garden and park where weddings are held! It's called Calati and you may have been there!
If Rabbi Dolgin gave up because he didn't get the approval he wanted or because he didn't have funding a very special part of Yerushalayim would never have been built! If you're making Aliyah you have to make sure the red tape of the Israeli Government doesn't spoil your plans either! On a similar note the government might have their own ideas of where Jews should be living and praying-- but G-d has his own plans. "Hina Kel Yishuasi Eftach V'Lo Efchad, Ki Azi V'Zimras Kuh Hashem, V'yihe Li Lishuah!"
Rabbi Dolgan summed up the philosophy of Kumah: "
Just come. We need Aliyah. We need aliyah in a sense that people will rise themselves. They'll elevate themselves! They'll lift themselves up! They'll grow! They'll be great! They'll be something that is insurmountable to the world and they will become a light to the world!"
Amen!
