For all of those horrified, so-called enlightened people who point an accusatory finger at the parents of those young people who proved their courage, fortitude and love of Israel during the last year in Gush Katif, Samaria and Amona, I wish to clarify something.
This land of ours has always seen the involvement of our youth; it has always been those young people who, holding the torch, would be willing to sacrifice anything and everything for the cause. During the pre-establishment of the state, it was the youth, through their youth groups, busy training and carrying messages during the Turkish and British occupations.
It was the same youth who, instead of studying, were joining the underground units and Hagana to serve their people. Proving their patriotism, they kept their activities even from those closest to them - their loved ones, their families and friends.
This trait was one that was widely admired and acclaimed by those who understood that our survival depends on patriotism and not politics: our survival back then, and even more, our survival now.
Today, we continue to struggle to survive here in our land, and today it is even more dangerous because we are fighting an enemy from within. We are cursed with a lack of leadership that actually understands just what it is that we are fighting; we are burdened with defeatism, shortsightedness, corruption and even treason.
In any other country, aiding and supporting the enemy would be cause for prison or worse. Here, we have a dangerous combination of bad politicians, corruption within both the courts and police, and the military being used as a political tool - all encouraged and supported by the media.
The brutality of the police and soldiers in Amona was staged and orchestrated in the same way that the uniforms (costumes), sunglasses and orders were given to the masses of soldiers and police in Gush Katif and Smaria.
We, who are the ones serving in the elite units, we, who have until now encouraged our children to continue to volunteer to serve in the most dangerous units, have been so disappointed by the cynical and even cruel use of the army and police. They put on uniforms to protect life and limb, but we are witness to the exact opposite.
The horrific violence unleashed by so-called security forces against men, women, youth and children - bashing in skulls, mercilessly beating people while they were down on the ground or standing unarmed - is ominously reminiscent of darker days when Jews were abused by the forces of evil. In fact, many times, the subordinates surpassed the violence encouraged by the ones giving the orders.
Were we wrong in saying that we are one people? The deliberate orders to be violent against us is unprecedented. Never before when troops were called in to destroy houses that were "illegal" were so many thousands of troops trained, prepped and sent out to use extreme force. Not even following the brutal lynching of an unarmed soldier held in a bus surrounded by police were troops sent out with the orders to smash their skulls.
Our youth have witnessed every shred of democracy destroyed. These young people have seen their beloved soldiers turn into forces of destruction. They know that not only was it done in the name of corrupt politics, but they know also that because of this destruction more Jews will be murdered by the terrorists, who were given rewards for murdering Jews.
If those politicians who are sitting in the seat of power were honest with themselves and with the population of Israel, then they would realize that these noble youth, who on the most part did not use unwarranted violence against the troops sent in to destroy, are like the famous child in the fable who alone cries out, "But the emperor is nude." At the same time, all of the rest - government, army, courts, police and media - continue to play this dangerous game of rewarding the very terrorists who wish to destroy all of us, no matter where we live in Israel and regardless of so-called "illegal outposts".
It is this youth that will carry on the struggle for our survival long after the corrupt politicians and courts, with the mobilized media, are gone. It is this youth that carry the responsibility of being leaders and protecting our future. It is this youth that know the truth of this struggle, that it is not about "illegal outposts", nor is it about Katif, Judea or Samaria, but about our survival in our land. It is up to them to shout, "The emperor has no clothes!" And for this, I salute them and am thankful that they are what they are.
This land of ours has always seen the involvement of our youth; it has always been those young people who, holding the torch, would be willing to sacrifice anything and everything for the cause. During the pre-establishment of the state, it was the youth, through their youth groups, busy training and carrying messages during the Turkish and British occupations.
It was the same youth who, instead of studying, were joining the underground units and Hagana to serve their people. Proving their patriotism, they kept their activities even from those closest to them - their loved ones, their families and friends.
This trait was one that was widely admired and acclaimed by those who understood that our survival depends on patriotism and not politics: our survival back then, and even more, our survival now.
Today, we continue to struggle to survive here in our land, and today it is even more dangerous because we are fighting an enemy from within. We are cursed with a lack of leadership that actually understands just what it is that we are fighting; we are burdened with defeatism, shortsightedness, corruption and even treason.
In any other country, aiding and supporting the enemy would be cause for prison or worse. Here, we have a dangerous combination of bad politicians, corruption within both the courts and police, and the military being used as a political tool - all encouraged and supported by the media.
The brutality of the police and soldiers in Amona was staged and orchestrated in the same way that the uniforms (costumes), sunglasses and orders were given to the masses of soldiers and police in Gush Katif and Smaria.
We, who are the ones serving in the elite units, we, who have until now encouraged our children to continue to volunteer to serve in the most dangerous units, have been so disappointed by the cynical and even cruel use of the army and police. They put on uniforms to protect life and limb, but we are witness to the exact opposite.
The horrific violence unleashed by so-called security forces against men, women, youth and children - bashing in skulls, mercilessly beating people while they were down on the ground or standing unarmed - is ominously reminiscent of darker days when Jews were abused by the forces of evil. In fact, many times, the subordinates surpassed the violence encouraged by the ones giving the orders.
Were we wrong in saying that we are one people? The deliberate orders to be violent against us is unprecedented. Never before when troops were called in to destroy houses that were "illegal" were so many thousands of troops trained, prepped and sent out to use extreme force. Not even following the brutal lynching of an unarmed soldier held in a bus surrounded by police were troops sent out with the orders to smash their skulls.
Our youth have witnessed every shred of democracy destroyed. These young people have seen their beloved soldiers turn into forces of destruction. They know that not only was it done in the name of corrupt politics, but they know also that because of this destruction more Jews will be murdered by the terrorists, who were given rewards for murdering Jews.
If those politicians who are sitting in the seat of power were honest with themselves and with the population of Israel, then they would realize that these noble youth, who on the most part did not use unwarranted violence against the troops sent in to destroy, are like the famous child in the fable who alone cries out, "But the emperor is nude." At the same time, all of the rest - government, army, courts, police and media - continue to play this dangerous game of rewarding the very terrorists who wish to destroy all of us, no matter where we live in Israel and regardless of so-called "illegal outposts".
It is this youth that will carry on the struggle for our survival long after the corrupt politicians and courts, with the mobilized media, are gone. It is this youth that carry the responsibility of being leaders and protecting our future. It is this youth that know the truth of this struggle, that it is not about "illegal outposts", nor is it about Katif, Judea or Samaria, but about our survival in our land. It is up to them to shout, "The emperor has no clothes!" And for this, I salute them and am thankful that they are what they are.