Ketzaleh
KetzalehFlash 90

Yediot Aharonot wasn’t afraid to publish a special edition marking 50 years since the 6-Day War in which a poll was featured about the future of a united Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Golan Heights.

The poll found that a conclusive Jewish majority wants us to remain in the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria established in the past 50 years. A definitive majority of Israeli Jews and Arabs don’t believe that it’s possible or needed to reach an agreement with the Arabs of Judea and Samaria.

In Makor Rishon, an article was published 3 weeks ago whose title was “50 years since the unification and liberation of Jerusalem, and 10 years of Netanyahu’s freeze.”

Both the article and the poll survey the opposition to what’s happening in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria: On the one hand, Netanyahu’s intentional freeze - and on the other, efforts of those - headed by Zambish, Moshe Merchavia, Yossi Dagan, Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, Malachi Levinger, Avi Noam and others - doing holy work and seeking to find building solutions despite Netanyahu’s decree.

In the last 10 years, as a result of the almost total freeze on building in Jewish neighborhoods in eastern Jerusalem, some 100 thousand Jews left our capital city.

Maale Adumim, following the freeze in that city, went from being young and vibrant to being tired and aging.

Following the destruction he caused the girls’ school and Dranoff houses in Beit El, Netanyahu promised to the community’s Rabbi, Rabbi Zalman Melamed, 300 housing units. Netanyahu has been delaying the marketing of those houses for 5 years already.

It’s hard to believe that a Jewish Prime Minister does not allow planning and building in Jerusalem neighborhoods and legal Jewish communities with an approved city building plan.

Netanyahu’s behavior is strange. 21 years ago, when he was chosen as Prime Minister, he demanded that all building in Judea and Samaria and eastern Jerusalem get his approval, and even passed a government decision along these lines (decision “number 50”).

There are those who will say that Netanyahu is careful, and there are those who will say that Netanyahu suffers from a sense of fear, when it is he who is creating the fears himself. That is his way with those surrounding him, as well: A constant fear that somebody will snatch the leadership position from him.

Netanyahu is talented, intellectual, charismatic, and eloquent. With these qualities Netanyahu manages to fool everyone, including the innocent leaders of Yesha. Their meeting last week with him, their crawling into his arms reminds us of the return of a battered wife to her husband, when everyone knows that there was never a prime minister of Israel who abused the residents of Judea and Samaria like him.

As in exile, they crawl to the ruler of the day, praising and extolling him.

There is an alternative to Netanyahu within the nationalist camp. Katz, Erdan, Levin, Elkin - could replace Netanyahu. Maybe they are not charismatic like he is, but they are more trustworthy, have experience, and are honest.

The nation of Israel deserves an honest, trustworthy, idealistic prime minister, who speaks the truth and is not afraid.