February 22, 2002

"‘67 Borders - A PR Ploy and a Trap"

Saudi Arabia's Crown prince is offering Israel full recognition of every Arab state if Israel agrees to return to the 1967 borders. This meaningless public relations ploy has the Israeli left screaming with joy; they want us to believe that settlements are the only impediment to peace. Few lies match this one; let me explain. 

In all the verbiage about settlements and return to ‘67 borders, the word contiguous is injected, a word seldom heard and completely ignored. Gaza, the Arabs say, must be contiguous to the West Bank to prevent the Palestinian state from being geographically divided. By contiguous, they do not mean a road, but land. Imagine a swath of land across Israel dividing the North from the South. Then just imagine the negotiations to determine the width and depth of this piece of contiguous land necessary to thwart any strategic plan in the event of another Arab war against Israel. Were returning to ‘67 borders a genuine peace offer, it should include the Jordanians, who controlled the West Bank and the Egyptians, Gaza. Ramot, Gilo, Maaleh Adumim, Bet El, Ariel and many other communities would be destroyed. 

Returning to ‘67 borders smacks of anti-Semitism, Jew hatred. Hitler's great dream was a Judenrein Europe, and when Israel returned the Sinai, the Egyptians demanded an end to Jewish life there. In simple words, they wanted a Judenrein Sinai. Not that I would suggest that Jews live anywhere under Palestinian rule, but never did I hear a serious suggestion that Jews would be given citizenship and complete freedom if they should decide to  remain in their homes in Samaria, Judea and Gaza. Israel has some one million three hundred thousand Arabs living within its borders as full citizens who elect Arab members to the Knesset and could technically have an Arab as Prime Minister. 

Dismantling Jewish settlements is a ruse, and the Saudi Arabian plan is nothing more than an evil thought calling for elimination of Israel. Giving the Palestinians the West Bank, Gaza and a swath of land between would be suicide and a surrender to Jew haters. One of the many reasons a Jewish state was created was to protect our people from anti-Semitic onslaught, especially after the Holocaust. 

Ehud Barak offered Arafat ninety-six percent of the West Bank, all of Gaza and equivalent land to compensate for the four percent deficiency. He also included all of East Jerusalem where the Arabs would build their capital, and Arafat responded with war. I can understand why the media and many others were deceived by this, but I find it perfidious for any Jew to see this as a ray of light and hope for peace. I wish this was true; I, like most Jews and people of good will, yearn for peace and pray for an end to all the hostility and violence.

Sharon could tell the Saudi Crown Prince that going back to ‘67 lines is really not such a bad idea. Let the Jordanians have most of the West Band and the Egyptians, Gaza, two countries with whom Israel has peace treaties.

Forget about a Palestinian state, and let Jordan and Egypt worry about terrorism and all the other horrors. Of course, no such thing will happen. These are indeed difficult times. It's excruciatingly painful hearing about unending suicide bombings and merciless attacks against innocent civilians, but tough times demand hitherto unknown faith and courage. We suffer the ridicule of a cruel media and the return of Jew hatred on the part of many world leaders. In olden times, Jews were called cowards, afraid to stand up against tyrants and demagogues. But Zionism taught us to "hang tough." No longer are we called cowards; instead, we are referred to as oppressors and militants. With G-d as my witness, I prefer being called anything other than a coward. The cowardice label led us to the gas chambers of Auschwitz, like sheep to slaughter. 

Israel is G-d's gift to a people who led the way for the rest of the world's down-trodden to rise against colonialism and exploitation. We will not tolerate anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism or any other form of hateful bigotry. Now more than ever, Israel represents humanity's cry for justice and truth. Israel's flag is today's banner for all of G-d's children who yearn for freedom and the inalienable right to live in peace.

Shabbat Shalom