Hebron - One Year Later

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
by David Wilder

Hebron - One Year LaterJune 20, 1997

One year ago none of us could imagine that a year later Hebron would be something of a war zone. Yesterday Arutz 7 replayed an interview with Arik Sharon, recorded a day after the elections, in which he assured that Hebron would not be abandoned. Unfortunately, he was wrong.

The situation in Hebron is definitely worrisome. The security of Hebron’s residents and guests is of paramount importance. This week the IDF managed to keep the agitators from getting too close to the Jewish neighborhoods, as happened during the riots in April. So most of what happened wasn’t seen, but it was heard. Booms originating with the firebombs exploding between 200 to 300 meters from Beit Hadassah were answered with the booms of rubber bullets being shot at the terrorists. However, almost none of them were arrested. Israeli security forces refused to attempt to apprehend the Arab perpetrators attacking from within the H2-Israeli controlled part of Hebron. The palestinian police were nowhere to be seen - of course none of the attackers assaulting from the H1-Arafat controlled zone were seized. Today’s aggression was unparalleled - firebombs were thrown incessantly. I spoke with one of UN TIPH observers at the scene in early afternoon and asked him if he had any idea how many firebombs had been hurled. When he answered ten I stared at him unbelieving. Seeing my consternation he retorted, "that is, of course, in the last 20 minutes. Since this morning - dozens and dozens."

A few days ago a reporter speaking with me insinuated that Israel was the cause of the current ‘unrest.’ I asked him how the police would react in any US city if a group of fanatics started tossing firebombs at their uniformed colleagues. He had no answer. I’ve been questioned as to why this has started again. It is very difficult to respond with 100% knowledge that the answer it accurate. Most of what we surmise is just that, conjecture. It is obvious that Arafat is aware of Netanyahu’s current political sensitivity. He knows that now is the time to exert pressure. And that is exactly what he is doing, the best, and only way he knows - by using violence. It is not coincidental that Hebron’s problems began together with attacks by Arabs in Gazza on the Jewish community of Morag. It is not surprising that Israeli intelligence expects major disturbances in Shechem and other cities in Yesha. What is (or perhaps isn’t) surprising, it the lack of any real Israeli response. I have discussed this issue before and see no reason to repeat myself. Suffice it to say that Netanyahu’s policies have not yet changed - he hasn’t yet learned.

How should we relate to this "leader" - a man whose election platform has been turned inside-out? After a year, perhaps we should do a little summing up. Netanyahu is surely not the Messiah we prayed for - but we knew that a year ago. He is weak, indecisive and unassertive. We knew that too. What we didn’t expect was a total capitulation - an overall collapse of the ideologies he so succinctly phrased in his book, published before the election.

In the past I have called for the Prime Minister’s ousting - believing that we would be better off without him. Earlier this week an article appeared over internet, written by a highly respected analyst, Emanuel A. Winston, called FORCED EVACUATION OF JEWISH HEBRON . The article began: "It seems amply clear that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has adopted the Peres-Beilin evacuation plan for Hebron and its Jewish citizens." With all due respect, Winston is wrong. With all his troubles and faults, Netanyahu has no intentions to evacuate Hebron’s Jewish residents. There are details that I cannot publish over public internet, but I know that there are Israeli contingency plans in the event of an all-out attack on the Jewish neighborhoods by Arafat’s troops. Those plans DO NOT include evacuation on the lines suggested by Winston, according to the Peres-Beilin plans. Not only would evacuation of Hebron immediately bring down the government - it would destroy the Likud for the foreseeable future. Netanyahu knows this. Netanyahu is far from implementing the policies he promised previous to his election, but we have no doubt that he is far from being another Shimon Peres. Peres would have removed us from Hebron. Bibi won’t.

In spite of what I have written in the past, today we must do everything we can to prevent the fall of the government. Were elections to be held today, according to most polls, Ehud Barak would easily be elected. His ministers would include Haim Ramon and Yossi Beilin. Who knows - they might even try to make Peres the next president of the country, after Weitzman. Given today’s international political climate, this must not happen. Netanyahu has shown a little, (much much too little) strength concerning Har Homa. This is not enough to forgive his errors - but it is something. Rather than continue to weaken him by accusing him of planning to evacuate Hebron, we must find ways to strengthen him.

I am sure that Netanyahu will make policy decisions causing me to attack him again, in the future. But for the time being, we cannot allow the left to come back into power - we have to watch very carefully what we say, so as not to bring an even worse predicament upon ourselves.

A Time to End "Other Considerations"

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
by David Wilder
A Time to End "Other Considerations"
March 7, 1997

In an interview following today's cabinet decision, Prime Minister Benyamin
Netanyahu related to threats by members of the coalition to leave the
government. "It is in their hands if they want the government to be run within a
different framework."

Netanyahu, together with Yitzhak Mordechai and David Levi, forced the cabinet to
accept the first of three planned `further redeployments.' The initial
abandonment includes relinquishing an additional 9% of Eretz Yisrael to Arafat,
including 2% in area C, presently under total Israeli control. However, the
real man behind the cabinet decision is not Bibi Netanyahu. It is Bill Clinton.

According to Arutz 7 news reports this morning, Yitzhak Mordechai and other
ministers took calls from the State Department several times during the cabinet
debate. Martin Indyk, American ambassador to Israel received constant updates.
Throughout the day, preceding the cabinet meeting, phone calls between
Washington and Jerusalem abounded. The new American Secretary of State, Madeline
Albright, reportedly told the Prime Minister that Israel must concede 10% of
Yesha to Arafat. When Netanyahu presented the American administration with an
alternative plan suggested by the National Religious Party, whereby only .5% of
area C territory would be transferred to Arafat, the State Department nixed the
idea. Then, of course, Netanyahu rejected it too.

Netanyahu, defending the Hebron accords in the Knesset, basked in the glory of
the `additional letter' signed by Warren Christopher, declaring that Israel
alone would determine the extent of the `further redeployments,' without any
intervention by Arafat and the palestinian authority. It did not, however,
exclude American interference.

Seven ministers voted against the abandonment - Arik Sharon and Limor Livnat of
the Likud, Zevulun Hammer and Rav Yitzhak Levi of the NRP, Natan Sharansky and
Yuli Edelstein of Yisrael b'Aliya, and Rafael Eitan of Zomet. Deputy Minister
of Education Moshe Peled (Zomet) has announced his intention to resign. Hanan
Porat, Shaul Yahalom and Zvi Hendel, all of the NRP, are considering pulling out
of the coalition, along with Gesher MK Michael Kleiner, who heads up the Eretz
Yisrael Force in the Knesset. He is calling on the other 17 MKs who belong to
the Eretz Yisrael Force to join him and the other 4 MKs in voting against the
government in next week's no-confidence vote.

It appears that the time has come to make a decision. The right-wing of the
Israeli political spectrum broke its back to get Netanyahu elected. Had the
elections taken place as scheduled, and had Rabin not be assassinated, it is
impossible to know what would have happened. After the murder, it seemed that
Peres' reelection was assured. Israeli public opinion and the left-wing
backlash, supported by the media, insured the continued rule of the anti-Eretz
Yisrael forces in Israel.

But the overwhelming work of tens of thousands of people in Israel and around
the world led to `the miracle,' - the defeat of the left and the rise of the
right. Ecstasy was an understatement. However, shortly afterwards, Bibi's
intentions began to slip out. Arik Sharon, the one person most responsible for
the election of Netanyahu was pushed to the side, outside of the cabinet. The
Prime Minister's lack of reaction to the September affair left red lights
blinking in the minds of many. And of course, Hebron. Hebron - abandonment of
all values Netanyahu had ever espoused - the beginning of the end.

There were those who tried to defend the policies as `Netanyahu having no
choice' - he was only implementing the agreements signed by the previous
administration - and the Hebron accords were supposedly `improved.' After all,
Netanyahu declared, towards the end of the election campaign, that he would
carry out Israel's obligations as signed by Rabin and Peres. Forget the fact
that Arafat continues to violate the treaty - that there is no reciprocity -
that Israel is giving and they are taking. Netanyahu promised to change policy
when the decisions became entirely his, when he was no longer chained by the
constraints of earlier agreements.

So, here we are, arriving at the `first further redeployment' - Netanyahu's
opportunity to show the world and the people of Israel who he really is and what
he really thinks. As if we didn't know. The resulting decision, made in the
early hours of this morning, is the final straw. Concession of land under
Israeli control puts Netanyahu in the same boat with his infamous predecessors -
he is willingly bestowing Eretz Yisrael to our arch-enemy, a terrorist who
continues to spout hate. Only a few days ago Arafat proclaimed that `without
east Jerusalem and with (Jewish) settlements in Yesha, there will not be peace.'


Why is he doing it - because of American pressure? The answer may be
affirmative. Would he continue on the same path if the pressure didn't exist? It
is very difficult to know the answer. One thing is for sure: he is doing it - he
is in the process of parting with 70% of Judea and Samaria, which will
inevitably lead to the creation of a palestinian state. We should not live
under ANY illusions: the continued Jewish presence in Hebron IS IN DANGER.
Ma'arat HaMachpela is due to be discussed in one month. Negotiations are sure to
lead to concessions - which may be the first of many more concessions in Hebron
and at the Tomb of the Patriarchs.

JERUSALEM IS IN DANGER! If Netanyahu so easily bends to American coercion, the
end is not in sight. When they `propose' a Vatican-styled solution to the
dilemma, my guess is that Netanyahu will fold. And he will attempt to convince
Am Yisrael that this is for our own good.

So, what do we do? Up until now there has been a sense of `other
considerations.' Toppling the government is fraught with danger - what else is
there - who else is there? Maybe the problems can be solved behind the scenes -
quietly, without rocking the boat.

The time has come to say NO, without any other considerations. Those who voted
against the `further redeployment' are to be commended. But, that is not enough.
The responsibility for a government decision is incumbent upon ALL THOSE IN THE
CABINET, not only those who vote affirmatively. Rafael Eitan, speaking before
the vote said, `we must abide by the majority.' In other words, even if he
doesn't agree, he is willing to partake of the responsibility for the decision.


In a democracy, the minority has no choice but to accept the decisions of the
majority. Dissent can be, and should be expressed to the utmost. In this case,
ANYONE STAYING IN THE CABINET GIVES LEGITIMACY TO THE DECISION TO ABANDON ERETZ
YISRAEL, and lends a hand to the continued proposals in Netanyahu's briefcase.
The Prime Minister has yet to reveal, to his own ministers, his overall game
plan, his goals to be reached by the third and final `further redeployment.'
These `further redeployments,' it should be remembered, are part of the INTERIM
AGREEMENT. What after that - what is his aim for the final status of Eretz
Yisrael?

So, if Netanyahu believes that he is scaring anyone by threatening a `national
unity government' as he suggested during the interview quoted in the first
paragraph of this article, he should think otherwise. Let him go ahead and
invite Peres and Barak into the government - that is tantamount to political
suicide - and he knows it.

There comes a time when a moral, ethical obligation overrides all other
considerations. REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES - THE TIME HAS COME TO TELL
NETANYAHU - NO MORE! WE WILL NOT BEAR RESPONSIBLITY FOR YOUR MADNESS.
WE WILL NOT BE A PART OF CONTINUED ABANDONMENT OF ISRAEL. IF YOU WANT TO DO IT
- DO IT ON YOUR OWN - WITHOUT US!

There is an advertisement on Arutz 7 saying:
If I wanted to give Eretz Yisrael to Arafat - I would have voted for Peres.
If I wanted to give Hebron to Arafat - I would have voted for Peres.
If I wanted to divide Jerusalem - I would have voted for Peres.
Etc. Etc. Etc.

Netanyahu's mandate was, and still is, to keep Eretz Yisrael. If he has
decided, for whatever reasons, to do otherwise, let him do it by himself,
without us. We cannot allow ourselves to be sucked into thinking that we have no
responsibility - that there is nothing we can do. If we continue to politically
affiliate ourselves with him then we are guilty by association. There comes a
time to end all other considerations - and that time is now.

Hebron - R.I.P.?

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever by David Wilder Hebron - R.I.P.? January 17, 1997

    Last  night Prime Minister Netanyahu, speaking  at  a
press  conference,  told  viewers  that  "Israel  is  not
withdrawing   from  Hebron,  rather  is  resituating   in
Hebron."  Bibi has a way with words.
      For  that matter, so does MK Michael Eitan, a long-
time Hebron supporter.  Explaining his acceptance of  the
accords, he compares the abandonment to a doctor, who has
no  choice but to amputate the patient's leg in order  to
save  his  life.   This  sounds vaguely  similar  to  the
`sacrifices  for peace' we were so used to  hearing  from
the previous administration.
      A  little  over a year ago I tried  to  express  my
emotions  when Beit Lechem was abandoned to  Arafat.   At
that  time  I  wrote that Rachel cried.  This  week,  for
almost  two days it didn't stopped raining, for the first
time this winter. Now when Hebron, city of the Patriarchs
and Matriarchs is being abandoned,   G-d is crying.
       Many  reporters  have  asked  me  if  the  present
agreement is better than the original Peres-Arafat Hebron
Accords.  The answer is very simple.  The two versions of
the  Plan  to Abandon Hebron are similar to two  doctors.
The  first doctor approaches the family of a sick patient
and  informs them: "I'm sorry, but the patient is  dead."
The other doctor approaches the family with a post-mortem
report,  saying, "These are the reasons why  the  patient
died.'   However  you look at it, with  the  details,  or
without the details, the patient is dead.
      How  is  Hebron  going  to deal  with  the  present
situation?   Many  people have asked  me  why  we  didn't
conduct a major demonstration today, or do something else
to convey our feelings. For well over a year we worked to
prevent  the abandonment of Hebron.  The fact that  today
80%  of  Hebron  was evacuated is not  an  indication  of
failure.   We  did  just about everything  we  could  and
managed to postpone the final, awful moment for almost  a
year.  Seven ministers opposed Netanyahu's plan.  We lost
because  the  other two ministers who should  have  voted
against the accords chickened out.  The vote was 11 to 7.
It may very well come to pass that all those who voted to
implement  the accords will be remembered in  history  as
are the 10 spies who, when reporting back to Moses in the
desert, rejected the possibility of conquering and living
in  Eretz  Yisrael. Those who voted against the agreement
will  be  recalled as are Yehoshua and Kalev,  especially
former minister Benny Begin, who resigned as a result  of
the   government's  decision.  Unfortunately  our   Prime
Minister does not have the same courage as does Begin.
      One thing should be clear: Over the past four years
the  Jewish  Community  of Hebron  had  to  prevail  over
tremendous difficulties.  With G-d's help, we  were  able
to  overcome almost all the problems we faced during  the
reign of Rabin-Peres.  Just as we overcame four years  of
oppression, so will we overcome the present predicament.
      There are those who have written Hebron off -  they
expect  Hebron's  Jewish community to  leave.  They  have
declared:  Hebron - Rest In Peace.  For some reason  they
really  believe  that  we are in the  midst  of  a  peace
process.   They  also believe that a Jewish  presence  in
Hebron  is  provocative and unnecessary.  But,  they  are
wrong.  Only true peace brings true rest. Hebron will not
rest,  surely not as part of this false peace.   The  lie
called  Oslo will not allow us peace and quiet.  Much  to
the  contrary. The more we concede, the more  trouble  we
will  have. Hebron has been transformed into a `piece'  -
the  exact opposite of its true essence, which  is  total
unity.
      What will happen to Hebron? One day, perhaps in the
near future, or even in the distant future, all of Hebron
will  return  to  Jewish  hands, as  will  Shechem,  Beit
Lechem, and all of Judea, Samaria and Gazza.  How  can  I
be so sure?  It took from 1929 to 1967 for Jews to return
to  Hebron.   It  took  2,000 years to  return  to  Eretz
Yisrael, following the destruction of the Second  Temple.
How,  after  so many years, were we able to return?   The
answer  is  because  the land of Israel  is  an  integral
component  of  the Jewish People and for 2,000  years  we
never forgot that.  From 1929 to 1967 we never forgot our
attachment to the city of the Patriarchs.  We yearned, we
prayed,  we proclaimed `next year in Jerusalem,' even  at
the  cost  of death, we sat on the ground one  day  every
year,  in commemoration of the burning of the Temple  and
the  exile  of  Jews  from Israel.  We  knew  that  Eretz
Yisrael belongs to Am Yisrael.
      The  immediate future will be very difficult  -  of
that I have no doubts or illusions. If  the Jewish People
were  able  to  overcome the results of a Holocaust  that
left  one  third of our people murdered, and in spite  of
that were able  to create a viable state only three years
after  the  furnaces were extinguished, we  can  overcome
anything.   It  will not be easy, but we will  persevere.
Only  when there is a true and lasting peace, not a peace
of  capitulation will we be able to add, after  the  word
Hebron - Rest in Peace.