Why Arab Countries Are Reluctant About a PA State

By Yoram Ettinger, originally published in myesha.org.il, translated by Hillel Fendel

Yoram Ettinger

While Western policy focuses on how a Palestinian state would function in the future, Arab countries grant critical importance to how the Palestinians have functioned in the past, as a sign of how they would operate in the future.

Concentrating on the future is subjective and a matter of conjecture, whereas past performance is objective and documented. Well-known psychologist Dr. Albert Ellis said it clearly: "The most effective forecast of the future is based on the behavior of the past." Western thinking gives great weight to Arab "talk" that embraces the Palestinians, but ignores past Arab actions that actually seek to keep the Palestinians at bay.

Interview: Chaim Silberstein: Bet El Resident, Father of Terror Victim

Chaim Silberstein tells of his journey to the Land of Israel, lessons learned outside the classroom, and motivations for living a full Jewish life. Silberstein's daughter, Shira Ish-Ran, was seriously injured in a terrorist attack about a year and a half ago. In this interview, he also updates readers on the court case against the terrorist and shares his thoughts about the experience.

Chaim Silberstein and his family

Fifty Ways to Leave America

by Hillel Fendel

(First in a series)

Aliyah

One fine day a few years ago, a friend of mine was walking down the street in Silver Spring, MD, when he happened to meet a former American who had moved to Israel some years earlier. They got to talking, and the latter said at one point, "It's such a beautiful day! Why do you seem down?"

"Well, the truth is," my friend said, "I'm turning 50 this week, and I got to thinking: Am I going in the right direction Jewishly? I think there must be something I could do to really upgrade my Judaism."

The other didn't blink: "How about making Aliyah?"

The Trump Plan: Moving the Lines

Originally published by myesha.org.il, translated and edited by Hillel Fendel

Map of the West Bank detailed in Trump's Deal of the Century

What exactly is Trump's Deal of the Century? This question has been up in the air ever since it was festively presented at the White House during Prime Minister Netanyahu's visit to Washington in January.

Here at the Yesha Council for Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria, we have studied the 180-page book that comprises the Deal, with all its clauses and addenda. For nearly the past four months, we have been carefully studying and reviewing the text of the plan and all its ramifications on a daily basis. One thing is certain: It's a historic deal - and those of its aspects that will be accepted in one form or another will have tremendous long-term consequences for Jewish life in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley.

The text of this proposed compromise between the Israelis and the Arabs of Yesha [Judea and Samaria] basically makes for easy reading, though it includes not a few general principle and details.  As explained in the plan itself, the nitty-gritty details have not yet been worked out, and are to be decided in direct Israel-PA negotiations.

Still and all, media interviews with PM Netanyahu and US Ambassador David Friedman have somewhat clarified for us several points that, in written format, were left vague.

Danger!

What we can now say is this: We are now more certain of what we at first only suspected – namely, that this outline, as it appears at present, is dangerous for the Jewish communities in Yesha.

Land Concession is Like Wife Sharing

Rabbi Aviner on the Deal of the Century
[Translated by Hillel Fendel]

Former Beit El Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, Rosh Yeshivat Ateret Cohanim in the Old City, is interviewed by Rabbi Mordechai Tzion

Rav Shlomo Aviner

Q. Some say we should accept the Deal of the Century because it's the best deal we have ever received, and we won't get a better one, and if we try for too much we'll end up with nothing.

A. Of course we'll receive better offers! The reason why this proposal is less terrible than the others is not because the Americans suddenly fell in love with us. It is because, with G-d's help, our diplomatic standing in the world has become much stronger – militarily, economically, and in terms of our international relations.

And all of a sudden we see that the Arab nations around us would like normalization with us. And so our position is improving all the time. In any event, we don't make any deals with the Land of our life's blood.

Q. Some say that politics is just talk anyway, and therefore we can agree to this deal, because for sure the Arabs will refuse, and then we'll come out the good guys and we'll reap the benefits.

A. Regarding the Land of Israel, even just talk of betrayal is a terrible sin. It would be like a man who says that he agrees to lend his wife to his neighbor a few days a week, in the knowledge that his neighbor won't agree; this is also betrayal.

Bet El Construction Relaunches!!!

Will U.S.-Israel Relations Trump Sovereignty?

The Deal of the Century:

Opportunities and (Increasingly High) Risks

[by Hillel Fendel, based on articles by myesha.org.il and Haggai Huberman]

Senior officials in the Trump Administration are pressuring Israel to agree that it will suffice with 30% of the area – no matter what the PA does.

PM Netanyahu and President Trump shaking hands (Credit: The White House)

The Trump Administration's basic support for Israel is nothing to take for granted – but neither is it to be embraced without questions and doubts.