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From Participant Evaluations OU/RCA
Israel Solidarity Mission My daughter Rebecca and I have just returned from a week-long investigative trip to Israel as part of the OU Solidarity Mission. During our visit, we spent more than an hour with Prime Minister Sharon, and we heard from American Ambassador Kurtzer. More importantly, we visited more than a dozen Jewish villages and towns in Benyamin and Ephraim Provinces, as well as in Judea and Samaria and in the eastern part of Greater Jerusalem. I am proud to report that many Jews are moving into the high ground, often choosing their site for a new village in order to deny the position to Arab snipers, often after actual sniper attacks have been made there. And, Jews are reacquiring houses in Jerusalem and in the so-called Arab Quarter of the Old City. Most of these houses are originally Jewish, with deeds from the Turks more than one-hundred years old. However, the houses are occupied by Arab squatters whose rights are protected by the Israeli Supreme Court, rather in the manner that New York has rent control". So, it takes money and time and careful efforts to document that the squatters have broken the law by not paying rent or taxes. Often, the Jews simply buy them out using funds donated for that purpose. According to our guide, who is instrumental in developing Jewish housing on Mount of Olives, other houses in the area belonged to Arab Christians who are disgusted with Arafat and who have left Israel in droves, eager to sell to Jews. He told us that Bet Lechem ("Bethlehem") was eighty percent Christian Arabs two years ago, but now is only about twenty percent Christian, most having emigrated to South America. It is worth noting that the population of that part of Jerusalem often referred to by the media as "traditionally Arab East Jerusalem" is actually an area of 400,000, half of whom are Jews. And, as noted, many of the Arabs live in Jewish homes. We spoke with victims of Arab terrorism who survived attacks, and with parents of children who did not. In Tekoa we heard from two parents whose teenage boys were abducted and beaten to death, beaten so badly they could not be identified without dental records. None of these people have any intention but to remain in Israel, to bear more children if they can, and to continue building. They are not heedless; they have built excellent communications systems and rescue services to aid in protecting them from Arab terrorism, but they know the risks and they still want their children to grow up in historic Israel, free to be Jewish. Most moving of all our encounters was with two soldiers who had participated in the siege of Jenin. They described how they quickly surrounded the town and trapped the known terrorists inside. Had they followed the procedures any other army, including our American Army, would have followed, the battle would have been over in a day. The standard procedure would have been to announce to the town that non-combatants should leave, and that the terrorists should surrender. After giving time for that to happen, artillery would simply bomb the place into rubble. However, Jews don't kill innocents if it is at all possible to avoid it. The soldiers knew that many in Jenin who were innocent were being held against their will by terrorists. So, instead of taking the easy way, even though it would have been completely legal under international law, they began a dangerous house-to-house battle which resulted in many Israeli deaths and injuries. One of our speakers, an officer, lost thirteen men at once to a booby-trapped house. He shook with grief and cried openly as he described this. Both men were astounded that ayone would claim there was a "massacre" in Jenin, unless they were referring to the Israeli soldiers killed by snipers and booby-traps. Prime Minister Sharon seems to be a delightful person with a great sense of self-effacing humor. He shared his satisfaction at our President's June 24 speech in which President Bush affirmed the uselessness of dealing any further with Arafat, and, more importantly, elaboratedly the "Bush Doctrine" of forward defense against terrorism. The war against terrorism will not be a short one, according to the Prime Minister; plan for ten years. The Palestinians are pawns of the real enemies, Syria, Iran, and Iraq, who have both the intent and the potential capability to wage wars of annihilation against, not only Israel, but against all Western States. Happily, Ambassador Kurtzer had said very nearly the same to us earlier. Mr. Sharon assured us that the "Fence" is not a political boundary, but a measure designed to reduce terrorist infiltration. He said he understood that the curfues and the occupation of Arab cities are problems for Israel, both in expenses and in international opinion, but he insisted that the measures are working to prevent planned attacks against Israelis. A later briefing by an IDF counterintelligence officer was convincing, as he described his debriefing of several would-be suicide bombers. We came away knowing that the terror will continue, as indeed it has at Hebrew University and other places, but we left with a confidence that the brave Israelis will shoulder the burden of civilization's defense, and do it well, despite the great sacrifices demanded again of the Jews. We know that civilization will continue to prosper in Israel despite the odds. And, though we cannot be certain what shape the boundaries of a secure Israel will be eventually, we know that there are those who put their lives on the line every day to hold onto all of Jewish Jerusalem, to the tombs of our ancestors at Chevron (Hebron), and in eastern Jerusalem at Rachels Tomb. Our People are also on the heights in Tekoa, Beit El,Migron,Shilo near the site of the ancient Mishkan, on The Mount of Olives, and at Gush Etzion where the Arabs slaughtered Jewish residents in 1929, and in 1948. Ironically, we were hailed by Israelis as heroes, as "Brave Tourists". Everywhere we went we were profusely thanked, fed abundently and warmly embraced. Though, on average, one Israeli was killed every day we were in Eretz, we never felt fearful. Life goes on. The young people still throng to Ben Yehuda Street on Saturday night, and the shops are filled with bargains for the "Brave Tourists". I welcome inquiries
about our experiences. Shalom. "Appreciate
on-line photos; a most memorable trip." |
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