Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu
Rabbi Shmuel EliyahuArutz Sheva

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, the Chief Rabbi of Safed and one of the leading rabbis of the religious Zionist community, addressed the peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates which was reached last week as well as the consequent decision to suspend the application of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

"The fact that there is peace in the world is a blessing and a joy. The fact that more and more Arab countries are blessing it and rejoicing over it is a blessing. However, the fact that we paid a price for it is a mistake that we repeat over and over again," said Rabbi Eliyahu.

He said, "The United Arab Emirates needs us a thousand times more that we need them. Israel today has diplomatic ties in almost every country in the world. But why give up annexation? We should remember what was written in the Torah: 'To your seed I give this land.' It does not belong to the Palestinians or to Hamas or to Hezbollah."

"We know to our great sorrow what these people do. They slaughter and kill, smash and destroy their own people more than they do ours. What are they good at? Only destroying and killing. Why should we give them the land? What good would that do? We've been through the Oslo Accords. It brought only destruction and ruin, death and injury to us and to them," Rabbi Eliyahu stated.