"Shock" at the Smotrich Plan – as if Judea and Samaria are not Jewish!

by Haggai Huberman, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Journalist Ronen Bergman's "shock" at the idea that Israel, and not the IDF, should actually administer Judea and Samaria reveals Israel's terrible PR failure of the past 57 years.

Revealed: Israeli Cabinet Minister Betzalel Smotrich has made dramatic progress in ensuring that Yesha (Judea and Samaria) not turn into a Palestinian state. Smotrich is not only the Finance Minister, but he also serves as a Minister in the Defense Ministry for Yesha affairs. 

Essentially, ever since the Six Day War, Yesha has been governed by the IDF – and Smotrich has made significant moves to transfer the IDF's authorities in Yesha to civilian bodies. Smotrich himself explained to an audience of "hilltop outpost" leaders earlier this month – in a speech that was leaked to journalists – that the body in charge of civilian affairs in Yesha will no longer be the Civil Administration run by IDF officers with a left-wing agenda, but rather a civil administration run by civilians who are in touch with day-to-day Jewish life in Yesha.

Bergman wrote in Yediot Acharonot what scares him so much about the Smotrich program: "It undermines everything that the State of Israel has always claimed in justifying its continued possession of the West Bank and the entire settlement enterprise there. Israel has always explained that the settlements are legal because the Geneva Convention allows the occupying power to make temporary use of the land in question until an agreement is reached to terminate the occupation. The Supreme Court has similarly ruled that as long as the settlement enterprise is under the wings of the army, the claim of 'temporary use' still stands."

Bergman added that the International Court of Justice is currently writing a studied brief to the UN General Assembly on "the legality of Israel's occupation of the West Bank," and he warns that it will cite Smotrich's moves to bolster its case against Israel. 

IDF Gen. (res.) Shlomo Gazit, the first head of the IDF Civil Administration in Yesha, wrote in his autobiographical book "At Decisive Junctures" the following: "It is hard to grasp this today, but the assumption that shaped our policy in those early days was that Israeli rule in the conquered territories would not last long… At least at first, we tried to refrain from taking steps that would contradict this assumption."

Even the annexation of eastern Jerusalem and its official incorporation into the State of Israel was to be seen in this light, according to Gazit: It showed that Israel was annexing only Jerusalem, and not the other 70,000 square kilometers of the Sinai, Golan, Gaza and Yesha.

Stop, Just Stop!

In short, the government of Israel over the years acted as if we were in fact occupiers - and the world responded in kind: "If you yourselves admit that you're occupying the land, and that you support a two-state solution [as Netanyahu announced more than once], then stop building settlements [Jewish communities] and get out of there as soon as possible!" 

This is a logical claim, and it demands a clear Israeli response: We must stop, once and for all, talking about a two-state vision! 

The Three-Word Triple Lie

In his shock, Ronen Bergman reveals Israel's great PR failure of the past 57 years, i.e., its own attitude towards Yesha as area that must be temporarily occupied for Israel's security needs. And there were even those who went further and referred to Yesha as the "occupied Palestinian territories" – each word of which is a lie: These are not just "territories," they are not "Palestinian," and they are not "occupied." 

Before I elaborate, let me just note that a nation cannot be an occupier in its own land. Unfortunately, we have not sufficiently remembered the exchange between Syrian-Greek King Antiochus and Simon the Maccabee (Maccabees I 15). The former accused the Jews of taking over "Jaffa, Gezer, and Jerusalem, the cities of my kingdom," and demanded that they "give them back now!" Simon famously responded: "We have not taken a foreign land… This is rather the inheritance of our forefathers which was unlawfully taken over by our enemies…"

Let us now state the facts: 

• Judea and Samaria are not "territories," for in the Land of Israel every land area has a name: Golan, Galilee, Jezreel Valley, Samaria, the Coastal Plane, Sh'felah, Judea, Gaza.

• Yesha is not "Palestinian" – for there was never anything under something called "Palestinian sovereignty." Nor is there any international legal document that states that these areas are one day to come under such sovereignty. The Oslo Accords certainly say no such thing; they say only that within five years the "permanent status" of Yesha will be determined based on negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. That's it. 

• Finally, Yesha is not "occupied," because legally, area can only take on that status if it is taken over from another country. The Palestinians, as stated, never had a country and were certainly never sovereign in Yesha. At most, it was Jordan that was sovereign there – but only by its own decision; the world never recognized this sovereignty. And in any event, King Hussein ceded this sovereignty back in 1988.  

Not only that, but Israeli rule in Area C of Yesha – where the Jews live, broadly speaking – has nothing to do with Israel's conquest in 1967. It is rather rooted in an international agreement known as the Second Oslo Agreement. 

Even according to those who believe Israel was an "occupier," the "occupation" ended on Sept. 13, 1995 with the signing of the above agreement. It stipulated that Yesha would be divided into three parts: Area A, under PA control; Area C, under Israeli control; and Area B, under Israeli security control and PA administrative control. This state of affairs is to last until the "final arrangement" is agreed upon, while along the way the PA would receive additional areas, which in fact happened. 

Under the Oslo Agreement, 90% of the Arabs in Yesha are residents of the Palestinian Authority autonomy, with no Israeli control at all [except for security control in Area B]. Thus, the residents of the Palestinian Authority have independence, without a state.  

This same agreement also stipulates that Israel rules over Area C – and was signed by none other than Yasser Arafat himself. The settlements, too, have the same status, ratified by the signature of arch-terrorist Arafat and that of former US President Bill Clinton. With this, I can rest easy in my home in Elkanah, just east of the Green Line, and so can another half-million-plus Jews all over Yesha, knowing that we are "legal" by virtue of an international agreement. 

True, the PA area is not contiguous, but is rather divided into various pieces, of different sizes. This is for the sake of Israel's security. The lack of Palestinian contiguity is precisely that which stops Yesha from turning into Hamastan, Gaza-style. It is exactly what prevents the firing of rockets from Jenin into Afula and mortar shells from Kalkilye to Kfar Saba.

As such, it must be repeated again and again until the world begins to understand: There is no occupation! The agreement by which the PA runs Area A is the same one by which Israel runs Area C. If Israel's control over Area C is not recognized, then the PA itself is not legitimate! 

But here is precisely the rub: Why doesn't the world understand this simple truth? Because the State of Israel, in its official PR, barely ever states it! Israel does not tell the world the facts, nor does it focus on our historic rights. 

Ever since Israel liberated Yesha during the Six Day War, it has placed its PR emphasis on "security," totally ignoring our historic rights. The Arabs have prattled on and on about "Palestinian rights" and "holy earth" and even their supposed "3,000 year history – and these lies have actually seeped into the international consciousness. Israel, however, spoke about "security," which translates to "occupation" – and certainly not "rights" and "justice."

Arik Sharon, the great general who abruptly switched his colors from right to left and handed Gush Katif to Fatah/Hamas on a silver platter, said it clearly: "To hold 3.5 million Palestinians under occupation is terrible, for Israel as well." [Current estimates of Gaza's population are much, much lower.] If so, said the world, "you're only there for your security – so we'll find you other ways to protect your security; meanwhile, get out!"

Israel is now trying to play catch-up in this PR campaign, but it is not yet too late: Now is the time to change our PR from a defensive approach to one that takes the offensive. 

In every international debate, especially in The Hague, our historical rights must be presented before any other Israeli arguments. This must be the focus of any political discussion for the next 50 years: Who was here first, the Jews or the Arabs? To whom does the Land belong to altogether, the Jews or the Arabs? 

Only after this discussion is over, and the obvious answer is made plain, will it be possible to start discussing essential questions of what type of political solution, if any, might be found.

The Iranian Roof Over Hizbullah

by Yossi Achimeir, Director-General of the Jabotinsky Institute in Israel, and former Director of Prime Minister [Yitzchak Shamir]'s Office, translated by Hillel Fendel.

The beginning of a boxing match is often characterized by the two competitors dancing around each other as they check each other out, sending trial punches one towards the other, approaching and withdrawing – preparing for the violent clash that will inevitably come. This is what today's skirmishes on the Lebanon border look like (for now).

Hizbullah occasionally launches rockets and unmanned aircraft into our territory, the IDF responds with air strikes and with targeted liquidations, and back and forth along these lines – but a full-scale conflict has not yet erupted.

The situation is heating up. The decision whether to initiate a real war has not yet been made in our security network. There is much talk about it. Threats and warnings are abundant, as if saying, "Hold me back, or else I'll let loose with full force."

And if and when the triggers are finally released, it will not be just a war between Israel and the terrorists. It will be a hard, full-scale war, in which primarily the home-front – Israeli civilians from Gedera to Hadera – will endure severe missile strikes. The cost is liable to be very high in casualties and ruins. Nevertheless, Israel's patience has apparently worn thin, and we can no longer endure the frequent attacks and the estimated 150,000 Hizbullah missiles waiting to be fired – and we will therefore have no choice but to move from threats and sporadic attacks to full-scale warfare. This will be the Third Lebanon War.

What will Iran do if Israel engages in full-scale war? An expert on Iranian affairs responded: "If someone builds four walls, won't they put a roof over them?" After all, Iran has built a comprehensive multi-front system for the purpose of causing Israel to bleed on all its borders. Now that the Hamas has exhausted itself, the spearhead has become Hizbullah.

When Iran attacked Israel on April 14th with hundreds of missiles, the onslaught itself failed, causing very little damage. But for the Iranians themselves, this was a significant achievement, "proving" to themselves that they need not be afraid of Israel.

That is, as the expert explained, Iran is no longer wary of a direct clash with Israel, having seen that they can attack Israel head-on and not suffer too greatly.

In the meantime, in Gaza, "the hands are those of Hamas, but the voice is that of Iran" – and the same is true regarding Hizbullah on Israel's northern border.

The Iranian threat is a real one. Iran not only wants to destroy Israel simply because it exists, but also strives to be the dominant power in the region, and Israel is what's stopping it. The question is: How long will Iran's "proxies" war last, with the participation of Hamas, Hizbullah, the Houthis, the Shiites in Iraq, and more, without Iran having to pay any of the price?

I heard another expert explain that although Iran dictates to Hamas, it is really Putin's Russia dictating to Iran. "The Russian-Iranian axis means that we are already in the midst of a world war," he said. "Russia wants to create a new global order." Russia has escalated its anti-Semitic rhetoric, but in order to retain its position of influence, it is willing to speak with Israel as well – but it will back Iran in any eventuality.

Of course, standing opposite Russia is the United States, who alone can deal with the Iranians, but appears to be suffering from a lack of motivation. Will they act to prevent Iran, which has already reached the 60% uranium enrichment level, from attaining military nuclear capabilities? This is the ultimate question of questions. What I am being told is that if war breaks out in the north, whether it is started by Israel or by Hizbullah, the U.S. will not sit by with its hands folded as its ally Israel is attacked. It will rather "surprise Iran," my source says.

The coming days are critical for Israel, which is liable to find itself embroiled in a "war of no-choice" exacting heavy prices throughout the country. During this world war, we will be in the epicenter. We will have to take our fate into our own hands – but to do so, we must all of us, from every sector, face up to the dangers facing us from every corner and end our internal wars.

These wars, which have something to do with democracy, signal to our enemies – who have no inkling in democracy – that we are weak from within. They therefore see this as a great opportunity to attain their end-all goal of destroying us. As Iran sees us, we are weaker, more vulnerable, more torn from within, and unable to take real action neither against southern Lebanon nor against Iran itself.

It is clear to all of us that the days ahead will not be simple. They are likely to be quite fateful, even to the point of placing the fate of the country at stake. In order to successfully negotiate them, several conditions are required - beyond the appropriate military response that will indeed be given, both near and far.

For starters, the government must concentrate primarily on what is truly important, and not deal with anything having to do with coalition politics or other matters that are simply not important for right now. The various commentators we hear every day and night, mainly all sorts of former generals, must stop their irresponsible depictions of Israel as unable to fight two fronts simultaneously, or even three, as we are doing right now.

Similarly, all the various protestors, with all their criticism and outbursts of wrath, must take a long time-out, until the danger to the country has passed – which will not happen in the next year or two.

In general, the fact is that the current danger to the security of the State of Israel has been an intrinsic part of our lives ever since Simchat Torah (Oct. 7th), and will continue to be so for a long while. And if everyone – the politicians, parts of the media, the Messianists [referring to those who still believe in a Palestinian state and peace with those who wish to destroy us? – HF], and the indefatigable protestors – does not wake up to what is happening, the responsibility for the weakening of Israel and an unprecedented war of existence upon us will be on them. 

Why is Biden Taking Iran's Side, at the Expense of Israel and the West?

by David M. Weinberg, senior managing fellow at Misgav: The Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Iran is pulling out all stops in its war against Israel.

Following the funeral of Iranian President Ra'isi, who was killed in a [still-unexplained] helicopter crash last month, Supreme Iranian Leader Ayatollah Khamenei convened a meeting of his "Resistance Front," with the participation of Hamas, Hizbullah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, and Houthi leaders from Yemen.  

The objective of the meeting was to find ways to continue the Jihad "until final victory in Gaza," with the participation of all the resistance groups in the area, and to "clash with American imperialism." Khamenei calls this the "ring of fire" strategy to liquidate Israel and attain regional hegemony.

A week ago, Iran's Foreign Minister visited Lebanon and Syria to meet with Hizbullah leader Nasrallah and "discuss ways to deal with the Zionist regime." This was followed by an escalation in precise Hizbullah rocket attacks on Israeli military and intelligence sites in northern Israel (leading to ravaging fires in the area).

And not only in the north: Tehran stands behind the bolstering of advanced military terrorist infrastructures in Judea and Samaria (Yesha). Back in 2014 Khamenei openly supported "exporting the Islamist revolution" to the hills of Samaria, and rendering the "West Bank" yet another front in the battle against Israel. "Gaza is the center of our resistance," he said, "but small [terrorist] groups in the West Bank are the key that can topple the Zionist enemy and bring it to its knees."

The Iranians did not just talk, but took action. It is no surprise that just a week ago, the Shabak warned of "Iranian islands" full of cash and weapons in Judea and Samaria.

What this means is that we can expect strong battles in the future. For Israel cannot sit with its hands folded and watch Yesha become yet another base for Iranian military activity against Israel, as exist in Gaza and Lebanon.

Where does Iran get all its cash? Well, the Biden Administration unfroze at least six billion dollars in Iranian assets, and also, for another few billion, helped Tehran avoid international sanctions by easing certain restrictions. As a result, Iranian oil experts skyrocketed to 1.82 million barrels a day, the highest amount since Trump restored the sanctions in 2018.

In addition, Hizbullah and Iran's Revolutionary Guards invest significantly, on behalf of Iran, in producing and distributing drugs (amphetamine-like captagon pills and more) throughout the Middle East and Europe, and also in money laundering programs of cryptocurrency, as was revealed last year by the Israeli authorities.

Worse yet is Iran's push to reach full capacity to produce nuclear bombs. All this takes place while the world distracts itself by focusing on Israel's fake"war crimes" in Gaza. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says that Iran's supply of enriched uranium has more than doubled (!) in the last few years, to 42.1 kilos – and that this amount can be converted for use in a nuclear bomb in a matter of days. At this point, this is enough for three such bombs.

When the IAEA condemned Iran for its "lack of cooperation," the U.S. unwillingly joined in at the last minute, after it first lobbied European nations not to vote for imposing sanctions on Iran.

Is there anything, then, that the Iranians should be fearful of from the West? It would seem that not.

Biden's approach is of course a function of the long-standing Obama-Biden obsession with appeasing the Ayatollahs, "hoping they will become less medieval and more compliant if treated nicely," as former US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton recently wrote. It is also a function of Biden's desire to keep gas prices low and minimize all distractions in light of the upcoming presidential elections in November.

Only thus can be explained the weak-kneed American responses to the attacks on U.S. ships by Iranian proxies, whereby the Americans took special caution to ensure that no Iranians were killed. This also explains Washington's stubbornness in insisting that Israel respond in a most minor manner to the massive Iranian missile barrage of April 14th. That attack should have been met, by any standard of logic and military deterrence strategy, by a significant Israeli attack against Iran on several fronts. But Washington publicly announced that it would not take part in any offensive action against Teheran, thus taking the wind out of any Israeli plans to significantly defend itself.

And of course Gaza and Lebanon are also fronts for Iranian military action against Israel – and there too the Biden Administration is not allowing us to achieve clear victories. The U.S. is:

* withholding weapons and ammunition;

* trying to control or even prevent IDF activity in the terrorist strongholds;

* forcing Israel to take part in unending, paralyzing, low-chance negotiations for the release of our hostages;

* and irrationally insisting that Israel place the supply of humanitarian aid – which everyone knows reaches Hamas – at the top of its priorities.

In sum, the situation cannot be prettied: The Biden Administration is bringing a catastrophe upon Israel and the West. This, by:

* concentrating its efforts on punishing Israel for daring to defend itself from annihilation;

* denying Israel the weapons and diplomatic cover it needs to achieve decisive victories;

* refusing to recognize Iran's hegemonic "ring of fire" strategy;

* failing to confront the Houthis when they were closing international shipping lanes in the Red Sea (and the Suez Canal);

* and failing to truly stop Iran's nuclear bomb program, which is progressing towards an all-out nuclear attack on Israel within a decade.

What is truly sad is that there still are ways to stop Iran from attaining a nuclear bomb and achieving regional hegemony. There are so many things that the U.S. and its allies can and must do:

* Impose significant sanctions on Iran and tightly supervise its exports of oil and dual-use technologies;

* classify the Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization throughout Europe;

* suspend Iranian companies from taking part in international forums;

* place sanctions and economic pressure on Iranian organizations and individuals involved in human rights violations;

* punish key Iranian industries;

* employ covert disruptive measures against Iran's nuclear program;

* and above all: declare a credible and open military threat against the Iranian regime.

And that's just the short list. The Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) has prepared a list of no fewer than 200 specific measures that should be taken against Iran, including from the military, cyber, financial, energy, legal, and diplomatic arenas, in order to deal with the threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

These steps would enhance American deterrence, punish Iran sharply for its terrorism-sponsoring activities, help Israel achieve decisive victories, and more.

Most unfortunately, President Biden prefers to allow Iran free leeway to do as it pleases, while he rebukes Israel, and show understanding for the Ayatollahs even as he speaks down to Netanyahu. The world's superpower is enabling Iran's nuclear program to proceed and advance, while holding back the IDF. Truly, we are living in dangerous times.

It's All Their Fault…

by Chaim Misgav, Ph.D. in Law, translated by Hillel Fendel.

At present, most unfortunately, Israel's combat situation appears to be not good, to put it mildly. In the north, the IDF is having little success dealing with Hizbullah's unmanned flying contraptions. And in the south, it is becoming continually clearer that the Oct. 7^th massacre was not the result only of local failures and mishaps, but mainly of a much larger picture of misreading the situation.

For years, the security establishment fed us fake-forecasts. Chief of Staff after Chief of Staff jumped into our political lives, pretending to be what they never truly were. Their arrogance was boundless. The humongous budgets that the army and defense establishment received were distributed far from the public's eye. [It is precisely this issue that Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich is attempting to address, to the consternation of the current security establishment; see for instance https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/390676 - Hillel Fendel] Misguided conceptions have taken over the IDF General Staff, and no one has taken them to task for this.

We now hear that IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Hertzy Levi is whining that the IDF is missing 15 battalions [of hundreds of soldiers each]. It reminds me that not long ago, we were being told that the IDF could easily deal with two fronts, or even more, at once. We must never forget these boastful claims.

It's not elections that we need now. The would simply widen the sinkhole that has opened up at our feet, and would surely not extricate us from the mud around it of the multiple lies we have been served. Nor will the enlistment of a few thousand hareidim solve our nearly chronic ailments.

I can't quite put my finger on the exact point at which we became serfs of these "super heroes" crowned with military decorations - but once it happened, we never knew how to stop the process, and so, we are eating its moldy fruits now.

I still remember my astonishment when I realized that there were elements in the IDF expressing most actively their disapproval that a particular candidate had been elected Prime Minister. Their threat to refuse to serve spread like wildfire, with PR consultants leading their campaigns and protests. It is my impression that the Air Force was too busy trying to fight the judicial reform against Justice Minister Yariv Levine and Knesset Judiciary Committee Chairman Simcha Rotman, leaving no time to prepare for the new threats posed by Hizbullah drones. It was the "reasonability clause" of the judicial reform program [seeking to outlaw the claim of "not reasonable" as justification for nullifying a duly-passed Knesset law] that concerned them more than Hizbullah's future lethal use of aircraft that the Israel Air Force currently is not effectively dealing with.

I listened to Benny Ganz's speech of resignation from the unity government last week. He sought to explain why it was a smart move at this point in time for him to leave, thus weakening Israel's government and its united front. I couldn't help but remember how he said, when he was the IDF's Chief of Staff, that what was needed was a "small and efficient IDF, well-equipped, quick, flexible and organized." No one is saying that anymore…

Of course, the full responsibility for what is happening now cannot be placed on Ganz alone - but he should be seen as a reliable representative of those who led us with such blindness. The tunnels in Gaza flourished while he served as Chief of Staff, and Hizbullah grew to monstrous proportions during his tenure as Minister of Defense.

Most unfortunately, not he, nor others in the positions he occupied during these past years, have expressed a word of apology or of responsibility for what they allowed to happen under their noses during their terms. ●

Translator's Note: The domestic/political arena in Israel is currently, understandably, in great disarray. Opinions from one end of the spectrum to the other, and sometime on both sides at once, are offered on every platform. This article represents one particular viewpoint; for balance, let us include here a sampling of the talkbacks that it rec'd:

"Spot on!"
"Total nonsense!"
"Why no mention of Netanyahu and his faulty leadership and how he supported Hamas with cash?"
"It's America's fault for not allowing us to win."
"Those who brought us the Oslo Accords must be brought to trial."
"We need new elections right now!"
"Why are we not fighting the war in Gaza like we really mean it?"

The Secret is Out: The Shoah is not the Reason for the State of Israel

by well-known educator Rabbi Yoni Lavi, translated by Hillel Fendel.

Time to say it clearly: Israel does not exist because Jews are poor and helpless, but because history and ethics demand it.  

It's standard procedure in the Foreign Ministry of the State of Israel: Every foreign diplomat or head of state who lands in the country is whisked away for short visit to Yad Vashem. Only after he directly experiences just a taste of what the accursed Nazis did to the Jewish nation will he begin to get down to business and be shown what else Israel has to offer.

Even the Jewish calendar has been recruited for this purpose, in that Holocaust Remembrance Day precedes Israel Independence Day by just one week. 

What is, in fact, the connection between these two dates and these two events?

For most people, the answer is clear: The Holocaust is the justification and reason for the existence of the State of Israel. The terrible calamity in which a third of the Jewish People was cruelly and systematically annihilated made clear before the entire world why our people requires a safe haven and a country it can call its own.

This approach is totally and essentially mistaken, and harms very practically our standing in the world. 

For one thing, though the Shoah did in fact happen – it did not have to. The establishment of the State of Israel, on the other hand, is something that is entirely a historical necessity. Mankind and history waited breathlessly for nearly 2,000 years for Israel to arise, even if they didn't even realize it. It would have happened with or without the Holocaust, even if it would have taken a few more decades or even centuries. 

The Jewish view of history, as seen in the Torah, is that the exile of the Jewish People over the course of nearly 2,000 years was a historic glitch. That is, it was purposefully executed by G-d (as we recite in our prayers: "Because of our sins we were exiled from our land"), but it lasted longer than we expected. The ultimate Divine plan, however, regarding the Chosen Nation [i.e., chosen for its mission] never changed: "This nation I created for Me, it will recount My praise" (Yeshayahu 43,21). We have a mission and a destiny, which can be fulfilled only via a sovereign Jewish kingdom living a Torah life as an exemplary society serving as a prototype of life of truth and morality for the entire world. This is of course the "light unto the nations" (Isaiah 49,6) of which the Prophet spoke. 

On the practical level, the attempt to use the Holocaust as a justification for our national political existence is not smart. To play on the world's conscience and cry that "you owe us a state because of what you did to us" cannot be a successful approach. Simply put: It's no longer the Jews who are viewed as victims, but rather the so-called Palestinians.

They have become professionals in the field, awarded the ultimate global gold medal in "victimhood" time after time. What's more, they don't hesitate to lie and manipulate in every possible way to portray their misery and wretchedness. The fascinating question, "Could it be that they themselves are to blame for their misery?" doesn't exactly interest the world. For us to try to remind the international court of opinion (and all the more so, of "Justice") that we have no place to go and that we face daily threats of extermination is an exercise in pointlessness.

What we must do is revolutionize our own thought process about the underpinnings of the State of Israel, and this will lead to an overhaul in the way we present it to the world. It is time that we realize, and declare to the world, that we are not here because we are poor victims – but rather because integrity dictates it. Our position is historically correct and just. 

We don't need the world to have pity on us and throw us a bone of Middle East real estate. We stand proudly to demand the fundamental right to actualize our historic rights, as first exercised by our forefathers. We did not conquer this land; we simply returned home.

How can one be considered an occupier of his own home?

After nearly 2,000 years of being forced to wander the world, we have finally begun to return to ourselves, to our land, to our home – and the heart of the world has begun to beat anew. 

And in this vein, I would like to offer a word of advice to our Foreign Ministry: How about, instead of dragging the foreign diplomats to Yad Vashem, taking them for an inspirational visit to the Machpelah Cave? How about showing them the places that our forefather Abraham walked, that Isaac lived, that Jacob dreamt – accompanied by the repeated Divine promise they each heard, "to your descendants I have given this Land"?

Any chance we will gather up the fortitude to say this truth aloud? If so, the world might even begin to listen!