A band of personages from Israeli media, politics, the judiciary and the arts are trying to run in the opposite direction of the train that is carrying the Nation of Israel back to its very source – but when the final stop comes, they will have no choice but to sober up.
High-powered transportation comes in a variety of ways. There are cars powered by engines of thousands of horsepower, and there are planes driven by advanced jet engines – and there is a train carrying the People of Israel that is powered by none other than a Divine engine.
The Nation of Israel's progress in so many areas has been so swift that even those generally considered intelligent, such as Cabinet ministers, advisors, journalists, and others in their circles, stand with mouths agape, amazed at the pace of achievements of the Jewish nation in its land.
Years ago, many different people climbed aboard the train of Israel's statehood: Journalists such as Aryeh Golan and Razi Barkai, Supreme Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak and his female colleagues on the Supreme Court bench, former Prime Minister Ehud Barak with MKs Eitan Cabel, Tzippy Livni and others… and many others including famous writers, poets, actors, musicians, and radio and TV personalities – and all of them were uncontrollably focused on one clearly-defined mission: the establishment in Eretz Yisrael of a state founded upon secular foundations, a state of "all its citizens" [as opposed to a Jewish one], a state detached from the traditions and long, rich history of the Jewish People. It would be a classic Western country, with liberal underpinnings such as in Germany, France, England, etc.
At first, they seemed to be succeeding to a certain extent. But following the Six Day War, 51 years ago this month, a change in direction began to be noticed, in terms of nationalism, religion, and settlement. The above-named passengers and their ilk did not lose heart, however, and worked hard to try to turn back the new trend beginning to take shape among Israelis, largely regarding the new-found desire to settle their entire land. Their goal was one: to rid themselves of the areas of Judea and Samaria (AKA the West Bank), and maybe even eastern Jerusalem, that had been liberated in 1967, by giving them to the Arabs.
But the Divine-powered train carrying the Nation of Israel is traveling very fast, and the above-named counter forces are running inside it, in the wrong direction. Though they are fleet of foot, no matter how long and hard they push backwards, the train continues to carry them, along with the rest of the Nation, to its intended destination. When it ends up at the "Central Bus Station," they will emerge to find that greeting them there is a different nation than the one they planned for.
Demographically speaking, the Jewish Nation is winning, soon to be closing in on seven million Jews in Israel. Our relations with the United States are better than ever, and the American Embassy is located not in Tel Aviv, but in Jerusalem. The Israeli economy is doing great, and unemployment is lower than ever. Tremendous gas deposits have been discovered off the coastline, from which Israel exports to many countries.
The Jewish mother has become more prolific than the Arab mother. At the same time, the Arabs of Israel are much better off than those in any Arab country.
The Israel Defense Forces is the best, most efficient, and most ethical army in the world. Sometimes it is actually too ethical…
Amazingly, the population of Jews in Judea and Samaria as of June 1st numbers 441,167 (source: Interior Ministry). Approximately 325,000 Jews live in the 22 Jewish neighborhoods that have been built in eastern Jerusalem since 1967. Another 25,000 reside in the Golan Heights. Thus, nearly 800,000 Jews today live beyond the Green Line, of blessed memory.
The immigration of Jews from abroad continues apace, with 28,000 Jews arriving during Israel's 70th year. The Sages tell us that the very air of the Land of Israel increases wisdom, and even the most secular and the most anti-Zionist elements will soon, despite their current feelings, become part of the basic trend of the Israelite nation.
Unfortunately, it can be assumed that for now, most of those named above will continue running in the wrong direction, counter to that of the Divine Train. But at the same time, they are still on the train and are traveling swiftly forward, against their declared will, in the direction of the Jewish Nation. Some of them have already woken up to reality, but the rest will have to wait until, with G-d's help, the doors open at the train's next stop.
The writer is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arutz-7 Group, and former Chairman of the Knesset's National Union Party.
[Translated by Hillel Fendel]