In his article, entitled "A Foreign and Strange Proposal," in Machon Meir's weekly publication, Rabbi Aviner, Dean of Yeshivat Ateret Cohanim in the Moslem Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, first presents the following question he has often been asked:
"Perhaps, for lack of choice, we should propose our own territorial compromise - for if not, we are liable to lose everything, both the land and the people. We are losing our national unity... Even if we are ethically correct, perhaps we should give up parts of the Land of Israel in order to retain our national unity. In addition, if we don't give up parts of Yesha, we are liable to lose all of Yesha!"
Rabbi Aviner responded:
"No! This is the foundation of faith... There are many tribulations in life, and with G-d's help we will overcome; but out of our own free will to agree to the destruction of our People, Torah and Land - Heaven forbid!
"If someone schemes to abduct your wife, would you engage him in dialogue and abandon her for half the week in order not to lose her altogether?! Jewish law states that if gentiles threaten Jews and demand that we give up one Jew or else they will kill all of us - we must not give up one Jew, come what may. Why? Because if they forcibly take all of us, then this is a great tragedy - but our hands are clean. But if we give over even just one, then we are great sinners, and this is much worse.
"When the first core group of Elon Moreh [the first Yesha community] tried to take root, our leaders were willing to accept a compromise and move the settlement to a nearby army camp - but our teacher Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook refused, saying, 'Is this the Land of Israel or is this not the Land of Israel?!' As a result, we received nothing. There were some Gush Emunim leaders who said, 'Rav Tzvi Yehuda doesn't know how to be politically flexible, next time we won't bring him here.' But the fact is that he was right, because that struggle infused a great spirit into everything, ultimately leading to the settling of 250,000 Jews throughout Judea and Samaria. True, he lost the battle at that time, but he won the war, because the spirit had been lifted.
"In business, true, you give up a little in order to gain much, and the same in checkers and chess. But this is not business and not games; this is the essence of life. Spiritual matters are not up for give-and-take...
"This compromise proposal is therefore one of foolishness, sadness, and despair. But we are not given to despair. We are full of strength and full of future hope, despite all the difficulties. There have always been hardships, and we have always overcome. If not today, then tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, then the next day."