A delegation of Israeli rabbis from the Pikuach Nefesh (Preserving Life) organization is in the United States this week to lobby American Congressmen in an effort to prevent the planned Israeli withdrawal from Gush Katif.
In a Washington press conference this week, which included reporters from Arab countries, the delegates stressed that Jewish law forbids relinquishing any part of the Land of Israel from Jewish sovereignty.
The delegation includes the heads of Pikuach Nefesh, Rabbi Yosef Garelitzky, Rabbi David Meir Drukman, the Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Motzkin, and Rabbi Shmuel Levin. The rabbis initiated their campaign of meetings with dozens of members of Congress on Wednesday.
Among those with whom the delegation met was Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-NY), widely regarded as close to US President George Bush. During his conversation with the rabbis, Reynolds revealed that during a visit he made to Israel in 1999, he told then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak that the slogan "land-for-peace" just "doesn't work anymore."
Similarly, following their conversation with Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), the rabbis said they felt that his positions on the issues at hand were in line with those of the Israeli Right.
In conversations with the Congressmen, the rabbis reported, they informed the Americans of the position of Jewish law against relinquishing territory in Israel - something many of the Congressmen had not heard before.
In a Washington press conference this week, which included reporters from Arab countries, the delegates stressed that Jewish law forbids relinquishing any part of the Land of Israel from Jewish sovereignty.
The delegation includes the heads of Pikuach Nefesh, Rabbi Yosef Garelitzky, Rabbi David Meir Drukman, the Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Motzkin, and Rabbi Shmuel Levin. The rabbis initiated their campaign of meetings with dozens of members of Congress on Wednesday.
Among those with whom the delegation met was Rep. Thomas Reynolds (R-NY), widely regarded as close to US President George Bush. During his conversation with the rabbis, Reynolds revealed that during a visit he made to Israel in 1999, he told then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak that the slogan "land-for-peace" just "doesn't work anymore."
Similarly, following their conversation with Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN), the rabbis said they felt that his positions on the issues at hand were in line with those of the Israeli Right.
In conversations with the Congressmen, the rabbis reported, they informed the Americans of the position of Jewish law against relinquishing territory in Israel - something many of the Congressmen had not heard before.