Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook used to tell his students about a group of academicians who had suggested to him that he meet with Muslim clergy and discuss issues of the times. Rabbi Kook didn't refuse, but he made the meeting conditional on the Muslim clerics' recognition of the right of the Jewish People to Eretz Yisrael. At this point, the rabbi would say, humorously, "Until today, I am awaiting their reply, which has never arrived."
Indeed, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda strongly insisted that there is no room for negotiations with the Arabs and there is nothing to talk about with them as long as they do not recognize our right to our land in its Biblical borders.
Since the Six Day War, in which we were privileged to liberate Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, Israeli prime ministers from Left and Right have been willing to talk and to negotiate with the Arabs without preconditions. In other words, they accepted the Arabs' false claim that they, so to speak, have a share in the land of our life's blood. Our leaders dispensed with the just argument, held by the Jewish People down through the generations and during their 2,000-year exile, that Eretz Yisrael belongs exclusively to the Jewish People, as it says in our holy Torah. As was promised to Abraham: "On that day, the L-rd forged a covenant with Abraham, saying, 'To your seed have I given this land.' " (Genesis 15:18)
The Arabs, with their false propaganda that we conquered a land not ours, succeeded in influencing some of our prime ministers and some of our people. This weakened us and ultimately led us to the wretched, dangerous "Oslo" accords, to Ehud Barak's Separation Plan and to Ariel Sharon's Disengagement Plan and the forced expulsion of Jews from Eretz Yisrael. For their part, the Arabs and the entire world view that expulsion as a victory for the Arabs, and as proof that terror pays.
Today, the Hamas election victory requires our nation and leadership from the entire political spectrum to reassess their relationship to Eretz Yisrael and to the Arabs. Our nation must recognize the fundamental error of being willing to negotiate with the Arabs without demanding that they sincerely recognize our right to all of Eretz Yisrael. We must find ways of working to strengthen and exalt the nation's spirit, and to provide it with a new political and social agenda.
Out of faith and fortitude and trust in the justness of the Jewish People rising to rebirth after 2,000 years of exile, to bring light to the world, we must learn and recognize what the Jewish People is and what is its destiny: The People of Israel in the Land of Israel is the light of the universe, as all the prophets said. Whoever rises up against them is seeking to snuff out the light from the universe. Ours is a war of the sons of light against the sons of darkness. We must return to ourselves and acknowledge our identity, worth and purpose. If we do so, we will be able to stand up to our enemies with fortitude and valor, and we will merit true peace, as it says: "The L-rd will grant strength to His people. He will bless His people with peace." (Psalm 29:11)
Indeed, Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda strongly insisted that there is no room for negotiations with the Arabs and there is nothing to talk about with them as long as they do not recognize our right to our land in its Biblical borders.
Since the Six Day War, in which we were privileged to liberate Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, Israeli prime ministers from Left and Right have been willing to talk and to negotiate with the Arabs without preconditions. In other words, they accepted the Arabs' false claim that they, so to speak, have a share in the land of our life's blood. Our leaders dispensed with the just argument, held by the Jewish People down through the generations and during their 2,000-year exile, that Eretz Yisrael belongs exclusively to the Jewish People, as it says in our holy Torah. As was promised to Abraham: "On that day, the L-rd forged a covenant with Abraham, saying, 'To your seed have I given this land.' " (Genesis 15:18)
The Arabs, with their false propaganda that we conquered a land not ours, succeeded in influencing some of our prime ministers and some of our people. This weakened us and ultimately led us to the wretched, dangerous "Oslo" accords, to Ehud Barak's Separation Plan and to Ariel Sharon's Disengagement Plan and the forced expulsion of Jews from Eretz Yisrael. For their part, the Arabs and the entire world view that expulsion as a victory for the Arabs, and as proof that terror pays.
Today, the Hamas election victory requires our nation and leadership from the entire political spectrum to reassess their relationship to Eretz Yisrael and to the Arabs. Our nation must recognize the fundamental error of being willing to negotiate with the Arabs without demanding that they sincerely recognize our right to all of Eretz Yisrael. We must find ways of working to strengthen and exalt the nation's spirit, and to provide it with a new political and social agenda.
Out of faith and fortitude and trust in the justness of the Jewish People rising to rebirth after 2,000 years of exile, to bring light to the world, we must learn and recognize what the Jewish People is and what is its destiny: The People of Israel in the Land of Israel is the light of the universe, as all the prophets said. Whoever rises up against them is seeking to snuff out the light from the universe. Ours is a war of the sons of light against the sons of darkness. We must return to ourselves and acknowledge our identity, worth and purpose. If we do so, we will be able to stand up to our enemies with fortitude and valor, and we will merit true peace, as it says: "The L-rd will grant strength to His people. He will bless His people with peace." (Psalm 29:11)