Dear Prime Minister Sharon,
Nothing less than aberration! A one-word reaction as I read the interview you gave Ha'aretz; reading the words coming out of your mouth disappoints, overwhelms and enrages to no end. You, the past champion of the settlements, have obviously turned your back on all that was formerly holy to you. Is it old age, Mr. Sharon, fatigue or simple senility? No matter what the reason might be, I have a question for you: Mi samcha le'ish? Who, Mr. Sharon, appointed you as the sole inheritor and beneficiary of the lands given by G-d to the entire Jewish nation? Who appointed you, Mr. Sharon, to the position of landlord, while delegating the rest of us to the role of peasants and daily laborers? Who, Mr. Sharon, handed you the signed deeds and authorized you to disperse them at will? This inheritance, our inheritance, Mr. Prime Minister, is being hijacked by you.
As opposition leader (and many years prior) you steadfastly stood as the Rock of Gibraltar against anyone who hinted at the possibility of ceding our lands. Never an inch, was your motto. You lied! Short, precise and to the point. Did you amuse yourself all those years in opposition by wearing the mantel of champion? Were all those pronouncements as to the sanctity of our lands, and your declaration that no lands will ever be ceded, no more than a veil intended to blind? If such were the case, I must admit, Mr. Sharon, your ploy, underhanded as it was (and is), worked precisely as you contemplated.
Yes, Mr. Sharon! There were those who saw through you quite a long time ago; those who witnessed the dismantling of Yamit and the return of the Sinai to Egypt, foresaw the dagger you were wielding. Unfortunately, most of us chose to ignore their pleadings and dire predictions of your impending betrayal. These 'prophets' who predicted your future betrayal were ridiculed. After all, the champion of Israel Ha'shleima will never allow the break up of Israel. Vocally, we laughed at them. Secretly, in the deep recess of our hearts, the fear that they may be right, slowly ate at our resolve. We hoped they were wrong, but slowly the cracks in your supposed armor began to show. We, the general public, who trusted you and desperately wanted to believe in those fiery speeches you continued to give while in opposition, began to notice slight shifts. Those shifts became more vivid; and then, we were slapped awake. Late, perhaps, but the mask of pretense is coming off your face and the veil of betrayal can not hide it any longer. We began to hear how " it will be very painful"; the promises never to dismantle any settlements and never to dislodge Jews were suddenly omitted. Instead, your pronouncements have become less and less subtle and those you previously pretended to champion are suddenly betrayed.
Lest you forget, Mr. Prime Minister, let me remind you of our history; the history you are attempting to rewrite or change. You see, Mr. Sharon, the lands of Bet El and Shilo, Kiryat Arba and Ramot were sacred Jewish cities thousands of years ago. Our forefathers established them, our Prophets and Kings strolled through them and unknown numbers of Jewish soldiers, throughout that history, defended and protected them. Our forefathers, your forefathers, built Kiryat Arba and lie buried in Hevron. Shilo was the place where the Mishkon sat for many years; the prophet Samuel lived and died in Ramot. The history and sanctity every inch of land from the river to the sea, from North to South is irrefutable. These lands were deeded to us by G-d himself; you do read, don't you?
Let me both beseech and warn you, Mr. Prime Minister. I beseech you not to betray the awesome responsibility you have been given - to preserve the wholeness of the Holy Land. It is not your responsibility to create another Nazi-Fascist-Terrorist state, which will lay siege to Jerusalem. It is not your duty (or have you forgotten?) to reward our enemies by presenting them with a reward for fifty-five years of murder and mayhem. But it is your solemn responsibility (which you are repudiating) and undeniable duty to hold these lands together, as one. The true landlord of these sacred lands will surely demand an accounting of the treasures he entrusted you with. How, Mr. Prime Minister, will you come clean? Neither He nor the Jewish people will forgive you; Jewish history will not be kind. While America has its Benedict Arnold, we Jews may soon, G-d forbid, have ours.
Mr. Prime Minister Sharon, what's the reflection you see in the mirror?
--------------------------------------------------------
Isaac Kohn writes from Brooklyn, New York. He can be reached at Isaackohn@aol.com.
************
Spend Passover with Arutz Sheva at a resort in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Kfar Pines (near Hadera). Click here for info.
Nothing less than aberration! A one-word reaction as I read the interview you gave Ha'aretz; reading the words coming out of your mouth disappoints, overwhelms and enrages to no end. You, the past champion of the settlements, have obviously turned your back on all that was formerly holy to you. Is it old age, Mr. Sharon, fatigue or simple senility? No matter what the reason might be, I have a question for you: Mi samcha le'ish? Who, Mr. Sharon, appointed you as the sole inheritor and beneficiary of the lands given by G-d to the entire Jewish nation? Who appointed you, Mr. Sharon, to the position of landlord, while delegating the rest of us to the role of peasants and daily laborers? Who, Mr. Sharon, handed you the signed deeds and authorized you to disperse them at will? This inheritance, our inheritance, Mr. Prime Minister, is being hijacked by you.
As opposition leader (and many years prior) you steadfastly stood as the Rock of Gibraltar against anyone who hinted at the possibility of ceding our lands. Never an inch, was your motto. You lied! Short, precise and to the point. Did you amuse yourself all those years in opposition by wearing the mantel of champion? Were all those pronouncements as to the sanctity of our lands, and your declaration that no lands will ever be ceded, no more than a veil intended to blind? If such were the case, I must admit, Mr. Sharon, your ploy, underhanded as it was (and is), worked precisely as you contemplated.
Yes, Mr. Sharon! There were those who saw through you quite a long time ago; those who witnessed the dismantling of Yamit and the return of the Sinai to Egypt, foresaw the dagger you were wielding. Unfortunately, most of us chose to ignore their pleadings and dire predictions of your impending betrayal. These 'prophets' who predicted your future betrayal were ridiculed. After all, the champion of Israel Ha'shleima will never allow the break up of Israel. Vocally, we laughed at them. Secretly, in the deep recess of our hearts, the fear that they may be right, slowly ate at our resolve. We hoped they were wrong, but slowly the cracks in your supposed armor began to show. We, the general public, who trusted you and desperately wanted to believe in those fiery speeches you continued to give while in opposition, began to notice slight shifts. Those shifts became more vivid; and then, we were slapped awake. Late, perhaps, but the mask of pretense is coming off your face and the veil of betrayal can not hide it any longer. We began to hear how " it will be very painful"; the promises never to dismantle any settlements and never to dislodge Jews were suddenly omitted. Instead, your pronouncements have become less and less subtle and those you previously pretended to champion are suddenly betrayed.
Lest you forget, Mr. Prime Minister, let me remind you of our history; the history you are attempting to rewrite or change. You see, Mr. Sharon, the lands of Bet El and Shilo, Kiryat Arba and Ramot were sacred Jewish cities thousands of years ago. Our forefathers established them, our Prophets and Kings strolled through them and unknown numbers of Jewish soldiers, throughout that history, defended and protected them. Our forefathers, your forefathers, built Kiryat Arba and lie buried in Hevron. Shilo was the place where the Mishkon sat for many years; the prophet Samuel lived and died in Ramot. The history and sanctity every inch of land from the river to the sea, from North to South is irrefutable. These lands were deeded to us by G-d himself; you do read, don't you?
Let me both beseech and warn you, Mr. Prime Minister. I beseech you not to betray the awesome responsibility you have been given - to preserve the wholeness of the Holy Land. It is not your responsibility to create another Nazi-Fascist-Terrorist state, which will lay siege to Jerusalem. It is not your duty (or have you forgotten?) to reward our enemies by presenting them with a reward for fifty-five years of murder and mayhem. But it is your solemn responsibility (which you are repudiating) and undeniable duty to hold these lands together, as one. The true landlord of these sacred lands will surely demand an accounting of the treasures he entrusted you with. How, Mr. Prime Minister, will you come clean? Neither He nor the Jewish people will forgive you; Jewish history will not be kind. While America has its Benedict Arnold, we Jews may soon, G-d forbid, have ours.
Mr. Prime Minister Sharon, what's the reflection you see in the mirror?
--------------------------------------------------------
Isaac Kohn writes from Brooklyn, New York. He can be reached at Isaackohn@aol.com.
************
Spend Passover with Arutz Sheva at a resort in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv or Kfar Pines (near Hadera). Click here for info.