by Orit Strook, translated by Hillel Fendel
Our government has much to learn from the mission on which Moses sent the Spies, over 3,300 years ago, to scout out the Land. He told them, among other things, to check if the inhabitants were "strong or weak, many or few," and whether "their cities are open or fortified."
The classic commentator Rashi explains that Moses was indicating to them that if the cities were not closed in, this was a sign of their strength and confidence, but that if they fortified and closed themselves off behind walls, this meant they were weak, living with a constant sense of danger and fear. The scouts, the leaders of the Israeli tribes, were instructed to pay attention to this phenomenon when coming to evaluate the security situation in the Land of Israel.
Today, the Jewish villages in the heart of the Galilee dwell in "fortified cities." And we [in the government], who have been sent to act as today's "leaders of the tribes," must take note of this difficult situation, and under no circumstances ignore or overlook it. We must act in accordance with this grave state of affairs, and advance every necessary measure to bring about a major change.
A recent report states: "The existing situation in the heart of the Galilee is that many Jewish villages, main traffic routes, and the roads leading to the towns themselves, are surrounded by dense Arab population centers… In order to provide the necessary security to the residents of the Galilee, and to allow freedom of movement in the area, a significant strengthening of rural [Jewish] settlement is necessary, as well as a change in the demographic balance."
This analysis, which appears in a booklet entitled, "Security and Governance in Israel, Beginning with the Galilee and the Negev," is signed on by tens of security personnel from all sides of the political spectrum.
A recent gathering was held of the "Forum for Security, Governance, and Settlement" – sponsor of the above document – featuring former top figures in Israel's various security and defense bodies. Among them were former Police Commissioner Shlomo Aharonishki, retired IDF Generals Eyal Ben-Reuven, Moti Almoz, Amos Gilad, Amos Yadlin, and very many others. The above analysis was produced.
Also signed on the analysis are nearly every municipal leader in northern and southern Israel, as well as a long line of public figures, most of whom are far from being identified with the "right," including: Kibbutz Movement Secretary-General Nir Meir, former Justice Department Director-General Ami Palmor, Ben Gurion University President Prof. Daniel Chaimovitz – and the list goes on and on.
They all stand behind the following statement: "A national program to encourage the settlement of an Israeli population [Ed. note: the lack of the word "Jewish" is glaring!] in the Galilee and Negev areas is a national and existential necessity of the first degree (emphasis added)."
Also written there: "The program should include the thickening and establishment of new communities based on acceptance committees, incentives to those who served in the security forces or did civil service, encouragement for the relocation of business centers…" Of course, the paper also emphasizes that which should be self-evident but will certainly be the hardest element to implement: "The government's clerical framework and statutory authorities must be subordinated to the directives of the political level, and a clear government policy must be outlined to strengthen the outlying areas of the Israeli populace."
All of this we started doing over the last few weeks, with a series of government decisions and laws that are currently making their way through the Knesset.
This past week, I was privileged to speak, at the Knesset podium, about an important bill submitted by MK Yitzchak Kroizer [of the Otzmah Yehudit (Jewish Strength) party]. The bill will enable Jewish communities in the Galilee and Negev to grow and expand to include 1,000 households, instead of the current legal maximum of only 400.
This bill is already at a very advanced stage in the legislative process: under preparation for its final readings in the Knesset. It passed its first readings in the previous Knesset [before MK Kroizer became a Knesset Member], but he requested to co-sponsor the bill. I of course congratulated him for this, as it is always praiseworthy to join a mitzvah endeavor, and especially the mitzvah of settling the Land of Israel.
I explained to the Knesset why it is so important to increase the number of families in this manner. First of all, most of the communities have already hit the 400 mark and can grow no further. The problem is that many of the original residents moved there in the 1980's or thereabouts, and are growing older – as are the communities themselves. Nurseries and kindergartens are closing up by the dozens. Many of the residents have retired, and soon we will no longer be able to speak of the number of batei av (households) there, but rather of the number of batei avot (assisted living centers). What this means is that younger families must be allowed and encouraged to join, while still retaining the critical need to ensure that the new members correspond to the character of the community.
Of course, voices were heard in the Parliament calling this amendment "racist." To them, I responded very simply: "Zionism is not racism." Strengthening Jewish settlement is not racism, but rather a supreme national value of the State of Israel. It is our country's obligation to enable the communities to continue to grow, and to ensure that they do not wither away. This is a basic ethical obligation of a State towards its villages and towns, and this is also its Zionist obligation.
And in fact, this new amendment enjoys the support of a large majority in the Knesset, and not just from the coalition, but also from significant parts of the opposition.
Were the State of Israel to abandon the Jewish settlement enterprise in the Galilee and Negev, it would be a breach of its most basic obligation and function, as well as of its right to exist.
Not to support the Jewish settlement enterprises would be not only immoral from a personal standpoint vis-à-vis the residents there, which the State itself sent there to help develop our country. It would also be a betrayal of its task as the national State of the entire Jewish People. Promoting and bolstering Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel is a supreme Zionist value.
The present government is determined to act in accordance with these values, and I am happy to see that many in the opposition are also not turning their backs on them; on the contrary, they are supporting it with their words, deeds, and even votes.
This week, with G-d's help, we will move ahead with this important legislation in the Knesset Committee for National Initiatives headed by MK Ohad Tal (Religious Zionism). Working together and inspired by these Zionist values, we will accomplish and succeed.