We Wait

"Just behold and guard very carefully not to forget the things your eyes have seen so they do not leave your heart all the days of your life, and inform them to your sons and to the sons of your sons." Deuteronomy 4:9

What is a person to do, singlehandedly prevent the war to destroy Israel? How about to know one’s history and be able to separate some basic facts from fiction?

First, we were taught it was the “Israeli-Arab Conflict.” How ingenious to reverse the order, putting Israel first, making it Israel’s fault. This was not a “Conflict” but a series of wars by the Arabs, their repeated attempts to defeat, conquer and destroy Israel.

Then Arch-Terrorist Yasir Arafat realized that freedom fighting would be much more effective if he sits in Israel, rather than in Jordan, Lebanon or Tunisia. Syria and Egypt were not locations of choice since there are other competing elements fighting to destroy the Zionist Entity and to claim victory.

Abroad he was called a terrorist. In Israel he was a hero, a freedom fighter back “home” (birthplace Egypt, irrelevant).

Arafat moved to his beloved Palestine, a name he decided to nationalize since he saw a potential no one else recognized. He would create a nation striving for a return to its land, a modern statehood and youthful energy fighting singlehandedly the evil, all-powerful Zionist Regime. How ingenious, extraordinarily creative, although not actually original.

Arafat shrewdly stole his idea from the Zionist textbooks, but the Israelis were oblivious.

Why did Israel fall into his trap? Likely because Israel was tired of fighting wars and ongoing terrorism and embraced the idea that peace with Arch-Terrorist Arafat was finally at its doorstep.

This love affair would metastasize into terrorism unleashed by Israel’s self-perceived “Peace Partner,” the likes of which Israel has not known before, called the Intifadas.

What seemed to be achievable matured into a serious existential threat. First the plan managed to sway Israelis and Jews into advocating Arafat’s position. That was not difficult, for Israelis always fought for the underdog, and Arafat was a master-crafter of illusions.

Second, Israeli Arabs who enjoy all the benefits of citizenship and its numerous privileges, sans any obligations associated with it, turned away from Israel. “Privileges?” the Arabs would say. “We are an underprivileged minority. We want our ‘RIGHTS’ and entitlements.” The Jewish dream and statehood is not part of their DNA, thus when presented with the alternative of rising up and ridding themselves of the Jews, is the path not obvious?

Third, there was the world, tired of making nice to the Jews. Anti- Semitism never subsided; it was only buried beneath the surface after WWII. The Europeans may have behaved differently outwardly, but the Arabs’ hatred toward the Jews remained exposed and festered in time.

They saw a tiny, determined Israel undefeated in one war after the next. They saw Israel bleeding and hurting during each terrorist attack yet resume normalcy without delay or hesitation, despite hurt, mayhem, injuries, casualties and bereavement. They could not understand the willpower to go on, despite their actions. It made them more driven.

They witnessed amazing expansion, roads paved, high-rise buildings joining the landscape, commerce and trade, agriculture and culture, all emanating from the Jewish State. They saw strength, pride and devotion. Arabs wanted it all, too, but without any effort. They want to take over.

They wanted more than ever, with all their will, to destroy Israel once and for all.

Arafat’s idea of stealing the Zionist history and duplicating it germinated and grew. The world over, a movement was created supporting the idea of Palestine: a statehood, a land, a people exiled, a David against an all-powerful Colonialist, Imperialist, Super-Military-Power, Racist Jewish State.

They wanted the “right of return.” They wanted “their land back.” They want reparations. They already had recognition by most countries around the world, but they demanded to be equals among equals. They were getting ready for the next stage in their drama.

And Israel? Israel was lost. What leaders like the late Rabin or Peres had said just a decade or two ago now sounded racist. We had suddenly become so accepting of the idea a Jewish State should be tolerated no longer.

A Democratic or a Jewish State, we were asked to choose, since the two cannot co-exist, our enemies from within have declared.

Arabs claimed Occupied Territories did not belong to Israel, and the overwhelming majority of Israelis agreed. After all, who lived there anyway, just monkeys and apes (i.e. “Settlers,” i.e. religious zealous fanatics).

We all forgot about the truthful facts, the history and the very name itself: “Judea and Samaria.” Judea is the source of the name of a person being Jewish. How distanced we have now become from our very core. Cut a magnificent tree from its roots, and see if the tree will survive.

Instead of fighting the enemy, Israelis turned against the “Settlers” and “The Occupation.” It is not sustainable, they cried in unison and went in droves to demonstrate against Israel’s supposed atrocities in Gaza, the “Blockade,” the “Siege” and “The Wall.”

We forgot very basic realities: God named each creature He created, thus giving it life and meaning. If we call Judea and Samaria an “Occupied West Bank,” what is one to expect?

The West Bank is also a misnomer. West of the River Jordan is the reduced portion of the British Mandate earmarked for a Jewish state. What today are Israel and Jordan is the manifestation of two states living side by side in peace, one Jewish the other Arab. In fact, the majority of people in Jordan call themselves “Palestinians.”

Jordan does not have a claim to Judea and Samaria, even though Israel conquered it (and Jerusalem) in 1967, nor does it carry a grudge against Israel.

The West Bank, however, does not refer only to some portion within a “green line.” Rather, the Arabs correctly call what they consider “Occupied,” “Racist” and “Apartheid” everything from the Jordan to the Mediterranean. Nothing excluded: Jerusalem and Ramallah, Nahariah and Acre, Haifa, Beer Sheba and Eilat, Tel-Aviv Jaffe and the rest of Israel.

They state their intentions clearly: They want the totality of Israel and will not be satisfied even with an inch less.

For 18 long years Israel has given up everything, liter after liter of its blood draining, until it has reached its deathbed. Delirious with fantasies of peace and tranquility, of allowing its enemies a “RIGHT OF RETURN,” Israel has now crossed the very last red line: Jerusalem is divisible.

Once, no one would have dared talk about Israel’s eternal capital: Zion Jerusalem. The place where God’s Temple once stood, where God is said to reside among his people, is now, acceptably and expectedly, the eternal capital of the Palestinians, their right and duty.

Eternal capital indeed! They pray with their backs to Jerusalem. Are they buried facing Jerusalem expecting to wake up and be revived there? Is Jerusalem mentioned in their holy book (not even once) or their daily prayers? How about their very special holidays? Never.

Jerusalem is indeed symbolic to them. A symbol of death and destruction, not life, love and essence of eternal being.

What we witness is the parasite taking over the host body, to finish it once and for all. It is the most aggressive cancer finally metastasizing into the lungs and liver, taking over the brain and the heart.

I do not know what regimen would rescue Israel at this stage, what course of action can bring Israel back to among the sane, the living?

I do know one thing: Israel has lost the will to fight. Maybe a war forced upon her will reenergize the secret power from within, her devotion and conviction her fight is just. For Israel’s own survival, Israel must fight back. No one can do it for her.

The series “Postcards from America—Postcards from Israel” by Ari Bussel and Norma Zager is a compilation of articles capturing the essence of life in America and Israel during the first two decades of the 21st Century.

The writers invite readers to view and experience an Israel and her politics through their eyes, Israel visitors rarely discover.

This point—and often—counter-point presentation is sprinkled with humor and sadness and attempts to tackle serious and relevant issues of the day. The series began in 2008, appears both in print in the USA and on numerous websites and is followed regularly by readership from around the world.

I do know one thing: Israel has lost the will to fight.

I have to disagree with this. I believe that Israel is fighting even at this very moment. And I believe Israel is ready, willing, and quite able to defend itself.

What you apparently lament is the subtle, incremental destruction of Israel from within; the slow, excruciating surrender. As an American, I know exactly how that feels.

Here in America, the communists - - who we were told we had defeated in a "cold war" after the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union dissolved - - are now openly operating in the White House and the halls of Congress. America now has communist health care, a sodomized military, and a burgeoning socialist welfare state. And it keeps getting worse, with the two political parties arguing only about how fast the destruction should proceed.

Recently, many Americans woke up, looked around, and realized that the communists had won after all.
Very shortly we will see if it's too late to do anything about it.

FRegards, and thanks for posting your excellent columns in their entirety here.
LH

P.S. I think you already know that Israel gets a lot of support around here. And I believe you also discovered something else a couple of months ago - - Pollard is a very, very bad subject to bring up around here.

I have to disagree with this. I believe that Israel is fighting even at this very moment. And I believe Israel is ready, willing, and quite able to defend itself.

The military and some leaders are well-equipped to conduct military ops. I'm not sure this is what the author meant - I think he was speaking of the People as a whole who do not have the will to fight and events indicate they are suffering the same type societal decline as the rest of the world.

I sympathize with Israel. She is getting a raw deal on the world stage, and the world stage, unfortunately, is lead by Obama presently.

American Jews are largely predisposed to side with Obama - for whatever misguided reasons - liberals, too by and large. Short of seizing power here in the US and ousting him, there is nothing we can do.

Israel will have to bide its time and wait for a real US leader to be elected, or it will have to defend herself with all military options on the tables - nukes if it comes to that. Either that, or be prepared to be removed from its homeland.

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