Over the past twenty months, supporters of Israel have witnessed a
consistent escalation of the war against the Jewish people. A war unlike
previous wars in the civilized world, it is a deliberate war of terror that
specifically targets defenseless women and children, men in wheelchairs,
the aged and the infirm, and infants.
Tactics range from drive-by shootings to suicide/homicide bombings in
shopping malls, pizza parlors, synagogues, children's play areas and parks
where pregnant women and old men congregate, to shooting attacks on women and children asleep in their beds. Massive car bombings carried out by automobiles packed with explosives pulled alongside crowded buses, as well as the assassination of a cabinet minister. It is a war designed to break
the will, heart and soul of the Israeli people.
The response from the Israeli government has been tepid at best. Although
the Israeli army is considered one of the best armies in the world, the
current administration in Jerusalem has yet to unleash its full power in
defense of its people.
Bombing empty buildings is a waste. Targeting the masterminds of the
terrorist plots only eliminates a small percentage of the thousands of
terrorists and terrorists-in-training in the Palestinian Arab areas
(according to polls, some 73% of all Palestinians support suicide bombings).
Operation Defensive Shield took back certain military control in Judea and
Samaria aka "the West Bank", but didn't discourage the murderers. The
building of a fence separating "the West Bank" from Israel on the side of
the old pre-1967 ceasefire lines aka "the Green Line" may seem to solve
some of the defensive needs, but in reality only sets the political stage
for the next "trade off" in which Israel gives more land, more tangible
national assets, in exchange for more empty promises.
For Israel to truly combat this war of terrorism, its response must
escalate along with the escalation of the violence of the suicide bombers.
No, I don't refer to a military response. I am talking of a political
response.
I humbly suggest four tactics to my friend, the Prime Minister.
First, the official reversal of Oslo. Since the Oslo peace process has been
consistently violated in almost every respect by the Palestinians from the
very beginning, it is time for the Prime Minister to formally announce that
Oslo is dead, never to be revived.
Second, repair the damage of Oslo piece by piece. All this talk in the
international community of the need to show tangible benefits to the
Palestinian people, ignores the tangible benefits that were already given
to the Palestinians as part of the "Oslo Trojan Horse Process."
· Control of their own cities in exchange for an end to violence
· Political control of their own people in exchange for the end to
incitement
· Hundreds of millions of dollars in economic aid in exchange for "peace"
Hence, each time that a suicide bombing or a roadside shooting takes place
Israel must respond by taking control of the city or village from which the
suicide bomber or shooter originates - completely and irreversibly - not
just a temporary military takeover, but a political takeover. That is the
only way that the Palestinians will see the tangible losses they could
suffer as a result of not controlling the suicide bombers and other
terrorists and, in fact, advocating and encouraging the terror attacks.
Third, the Temple Mount: The Palestinians in the Arab world have
labelled the war against the Jews the "Intifada Al-Aqsa", "the Al-Aqsa
Uprising." Although, they are attacking Jewish targets from territory under
Palestinian Authority government control so the use of the word
"Uprising"/"Intifada" is a misnomer at best. Al-Aqsa is the Arab name for
the mosque on Jeursalem's Temple Mount, the holiest Jewish site in the
world (when Muslims pray in this mosque, they turn their backs on the
Temple Mount and face Mecca, which is actually their holy site, not the
Temple Mount) .
Palestinian Arab use of "Intifada Al-Aqsa", may be an Islamic rallying cry,
but has little to do with the Prime Minister's visit to the Temple Mount in
September, 2001. Rather, it has to do with the desire of the Arab world and the Palestinian Arabs to take away the legitimate historical, Biblical and
religious right of Jews to the State of Israel ? all of the State of
Israel.
In the same vein, PLO-PA leader, Yasser Arafat, denied recently that
Jerusalem was ever the capital of the Jews; instead he astonishingly
referred to Nablus (Biblical Shechem) as the capital.
So too, one of the first acts of terror committed by the Palestinians was
the destruction of several Jewish holy sites including the Joseph's Tomb in
biblical Shechem, and the ancient synagogue of Jericho.
In response to these acts of terror and the war against the Jews, Israel
must once again permit Jews to pray at the Temple Mount. This is of utmost importance religiously, psychologically, historically and politically.
You, Arik demonstrated its importance in September of 2001; show it again.
Fourth, there will be no Palestinian terror state in Judea and Samaria. It
is absolutely clear to all thinking men that a terror state on "the West
Bank" would signal the destruction of the Jewish state. Such a state would
conduct the same coordinated planned terror activities that it conducts
today but with greater weaponry, and more political legitimacy. No
self-respecting country in the world would permit such a terrorist state to
be formed on its borders.
Palestinian self-determination was supposed to be earned by the
Palestinians in exchange for peace. With 73% of the Palestinian Arabs
advocating the murder of innocent Israeli women and children and the aged
and infirm among Israeli society, there can be no such claim.
Does the world think that by granting a Palestinian state, suddenly the
Palestinian Arabs will advocate peaceful relations instead of murdering
babies? After the past twenty months, no one can be that na?ve. An
entire society needs to be taught a new mindset: that the Jew is a human
being like all others, that the Jew has a right to live as do people all
around the world. The Palestinian population cannot be separated from the
Palestinian leadership when they advocate such abhorrent acts. By changing leadership we do nothing to change the Palestinians' view of the Jew and of Israel.
Mr. Prime Minister, I agree with those critics who say that a political
process must accompany a military process; however, I advocate a political
process that stands up for the rights of the Jewish people and for Israel
to live in peace and security, rather than a political process that negates
hard won military gains and leads to a new hell for the Jewish people..
--------------
The author is the Chairman of American Friends of Likud , a member of
the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and
the Chairman of Media Watch International.
consistent escalation of the war against the Jewish people. A war unlike
previous wars in the civilized world, it is a deliberate war of terror that
specifically targets defenseless women and children, men in wheelchairs,
the aged and the infirm, and infants.
Tactics range from drive-by shootings to suicide/homicide bombings in
shopping malls, pizza parlors, synagogues, children's play areas and parks
where pregnant women and old men congregate, to shooting attacks on women and children asleep in their beds. Massive car bombings carried out by automobiles packed with explosives pulled alongside crowded buses, as well as the assassination of a cabinet minister. It is a war designed to break
the will, heart and soul of the Israeli people.
The response from the Israeli government has been tepid at best. Although
the Israeli army is considered one of the best armies in the world, the
current administration in Jerusalem has yet to unleash its full power in
defense of its people.
Bombing empty buildings is a waste. Targeting the masterminds of the
terrorist plots only eliminates a small percentage of the thousands of
terrorists and terrorists-in-training in the Palestinian Arab areas
(according to polls, some 73% of all Palestinians support suicide bombings).
Operation Defensive Shield took back certain military control in Judea and
Samaria aka "the West Bank", but didn't discourage the murderers. The
building of a fence separating "the West Bank" from Israel on the side of
the old pre-1967 ceasefire lines aka "the Green Line" may seem to solve
some of the defensive needs, but in reality only sets the political stage
for the next "trade off" in which Israel gives more land, more tangible
national assets, in exchange for more empty promises.
For Israel to truly combat this war of terrorism, its response must
escalate along with the escalation of the violence of the suicide bombers.
No, I don't refer to a military response. I am talking of a political
response.
I humbly suggest four tactics to my friend, the Prime Minister.
First, the official reversal of Oslo. Since the Oslo peace process has been
consistently violated in almost every respect by the Palestinians from the
very beginning, it is time for the Prime Minister to formally announce that
Oslo is dead, never to be revived.
Second, repair the damage of Oslo piece by piece. All this talk in the
international community of the need to show tangible benefits to the
Palestinian people, ignores the tangible benefits that were already given
to the Palestinians as part of the "Oslo Trojan Horse Process."
· Control of their own cities in exchange for an end to violence
· Political control of their own people in exchange for the end to
incitement
· Hundreds of millions of dollars in economic aid in exchange for "peace"
Hence, each time that a suicide bombing or a roadside shooting takes place
Israel must respond by taking control of the city or village from which the
suicide bomber or shooter originates - completely and irreversibly - not
just a temporary military takeover, but a political takeover. That is the
only way that the Palestinians will see the tangible losses they could
suffer as a result of not controlling the suicide bombers and other
terrorists and, in fact, advocating and encouraging the terror attacks.
Third, the Temple Mount: The Palestinians in the Arab world have
labelled the war against the Jews the "Intifada Al-Aqsa", "the Al-Aqsa
Uprising." Although, they are attacking Jewish targets from territory under
Palestinian Authority government control so the use of the word
"Uprising"/"Intifada" is a misnomer at best. Al-Aqsa is the Arab name for
the mosque on Jeursalem's Temple Mount, the holiest Jewish site in the
world (when Muslims pray in this mosque, they turn their backs on the
Temple Mount and face Mecca, which is actually their holy site, not the
Temple Mount) .
Palestinian Arab use of "Intifada Al-Aqsa", may be an Islamic rallying cry,
but has little to do with the Prime Minister's visit to the Temple Mount in
September, 2001. Rather, it has to do with the desire of the Arab world and the Palestinian Arabs to take away the legitimate historical, Biblical and
religious right of Jews to the State of Israel ? all of the State of
Israel.
In the same vein, PLO-PA leader, Yasser Arafat, denied recently that
Jerusalem was ever the capital of the Jews; instead he astonishingly
referred to Nablus (Biblical Shechem) as the capital.
So too, one of the first acts of terror committed by the Palestinians was
the destruction of several Jewish holy sites including the Joseph's Tomb in
biblical Shechem, and the ancient synagogue of Jericho.
In response to these acts of terror and the war against the Jews, Israel
must once again permit Jews to pray at the Temple Mount. This is of utmost importance religiously, psychologically, historically and politically.
You, Arik demonstrated its importance in September of 2001; show it again.
Fourth, there will be no Palestinian terror state in Judea and Samaria. It
is absolutely clear to all thinking men that a terror state on "the West
Bank" would signal the destruction of the Jewish state. Such a state would
conduct the same coordinated planned terror activities that it conducts
today but with greater weaponry, and more political legitimacy. No
self-respecting country in the world would permit such a terrorist state to
be formed on its borders.
Palestinian self-determination was supposed to be earned by the
Palestinians in exchange for peace. With 73% of the Palestinian Arabs
advocating the murder of innocent Israeli women and children and the aged
and infirm among Israeli society, there can be no such claim.
Does the world think that by granting a Palestinian state, suddenly the
Palestinian Arabs will advocate peaceful relations instead of murdering
babies? After the past twenty months, no one can be that na?ve. An
entire society needs to be taught a new mindset: that the Jew is a human
being like all others, that the Jew has a right to live as do people all
around the world. The Palestinian population cannot be separated from the
Palestinian leadership when they advocate such abhorrent acts. By changing leadership we do nothing to change the Palestinians' view of the Jew and of Israel.
Mr. Prime Minister, I agree with those critics who say that a political
process must accompany a military process; however, I advocate a political
process that stands up for the rights of the Jewish people and for Israel
to live in peace and security, rather than a political process that negates
hard won military gains and leads to a new hell for the Jewish people..
--------------
The author is the Chairman of American Friends of Likud , a member of
the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, and
the Chairman of Media Watch International.