Hebron Articles-April-July-1998

Hebron Articles-April-July-1998
David Wilder

Masada
July 9, 1998

According to the 'Hebron Accords," one of Israel's obligations is the further arming of Arafat's army. The weapon chosen to distribute to the terrorists is called the 'mini-Ingrim.' This gun is similar to the Israeli Uzi, except that it is deadlier. It shoots more bullets faster than the Uzi. It shoots single rounds, and is also automatic, like a machine gun.

According to various sources, both media and others, Israel is about to begin handing out these weapons to the terrorists in the very near future, possibly within a month.

A few days ago another armed attack took place on an Israeli vehicle in Hebron. The car was shot at just before ten o'clock at night, from very close range. How the two men in the car escaped unharmed can only be described as an authentic miracle. After having seen where one of the bullets entered the car, and its departure point in the front windshield, my only explanation is that an angel pushed the driver's head down, or somehow revamped the bullet. Because, according to all logic, there is no way it could have missed him. (The same thing happened to Kiryat Arba resident Yossi Sharvit about a month ago, on the TransJudea road, just outside Hebron. Bullets whizzed in front of him and in back of him. Somehow they missed hitting him.)

Attacks in Hebron are nothing new. Rocks and firebombs are almost daily occurrences. But gunfire on the main road, leading back and forth between Kiryat Arba and Hebron is definitely worrisome for a few reasons, aside from the most obvious one, that of being shot at.

The gunfire took place about 50 meters from an IDF checkpoint. The road from Hebron to Kiryat Arba is full of curves and hills. At a halfway point between the communities (the ride takes about all of five minutes) at one of the first curves, is the checkpoint. A couple of curves from there, on the hill leading into the city, the shots were fired. About 100 meters from there, at the bottom of the hill, just before reaching Ma'arat HaMachpela, is another IDF checkpoint. The gunman stood between these two army posts and tried to kill Israelis driving on the road. As soon as he finished shooting, he made his escape swiftly, into the Arafat-controlled part of Hebron. He was probably across the 'border' before our soldiers realized what was happening and began organizing search parties.

The two Israeli men who were attacked were immediately questioned by…. the Israeli police. The first question asked was, 'did you shoot your guns?' Even when the reply was negative, their weapons were confiscated and they were taken to the Kiryat Arba police station for further questioning.

Yesterday, the day after the attack, that same road, which is used by all cars travelling between Hebron and Kiryat Arba, was full of soldiers, - at the top of the hill, by each curve, and at the bottom of the hill in Hebron. Spot checks of Arab cars, and pedestrians took place all day. Today, less than 48 hours after the attempted murder, all is back to normal. All of the additional checkpoints on the road have disappeared, as if they had never existed.

The weapon used to perpetrate the attack was automatic - either an M-16 or an Israeli manufactured Galil. It was probably the M-16. It may have been an M-16 Israel provided by Israel earlier on, after implementation of the Hebron Accords. It is also no secret that Arafat's terrorists illegally possess many many more weapons than allowed by the Hebron-Oslo agreements. One of Netanyahu's demands was that Arafat collect all the illegal weapons held by Arabs within the Palestinian Authority. Arafat, of course, refuses to do so. Instead, Israel is preparing to give them more weapons. Very lethal weapons. Which will eventually be pointed at us. And shot at us. It is very difficult to be so dependent on miracles.

Last week I attended one of my son's graduation ceremony from sixth grade. The ceremony is usually held in the Kiryat Arba school he attended. It consists of a play the graduating children perform, some speeches and a festive meal afterwards. However this year the ceremony took place at Masada, in the Judean desert, next to the Dead Sea. We left in the middle of the afternoon, toured the Masada hilltop, dovened Mincha at the remains of the site's 2,000 year old synagogue and had a quick dinner at the bottom of the hill. Then the children performed a play, this year centered around Israel's Jubilee celebration, with the Masada hill as background.

When they were finished we viewed the Masada sound-and-light show, repeating the history of the ill-fated population living atop Masada. The 957 Jews living there preferred to commit suicide rather than fall into Roman hands. The Romans needed four years to overcome the Jewish revolt against their rule in Eretz Yisrael. At that time the Romans were the imperial world superpower, and four years to put down the Jewish revolt was an awesome amount of time. The remnants of the revolt were isolated on the Masada hilltop. The Romans surrounded them and eventually found a way to reach the top. The Jews preferred death to Roman torture, slavery and death. They are seen as a symbol of Jewish bravery and heroism.

Maybe this is what Netanyahu wants - a replay of Masada. I cannot think of any other explanation for him allowing preparations to distribute more weapons to Hebron's terrorists. Those 957 people, 2,000 years ago, had no choice. They voluntarily opened their arms to death. If Bibi wants another Masada, he can walk the plank, all by himself. But we will not go with him. We do not open our arms to voluntary death. We do have a choice. We will not allow Masada to fall again.

The Bastardization of Netanyahu
June 21, 1998

A frequent topic of discussion lately, especially among visitors speaking with us in Hebron, is the following question: Are we better off bringing down the government and suffering a possible return of the left, led by Sarid, Balin etc.; or, should we suffer Netanyahu's continued rule, come what may, because we don't have any choice?

The two sides of the coin are fairly well spelled out. If Netanyahu pulls out of additional areas in Yesha, and ever perhaps the Jordan Valley, (as has been rumored), there is absolutely nothing to do, because he has no choice, the Americans are pressuring and Barak would give them more, - or - this isn't what he was elected to do - he is destroying the Land of Israel - we cannot absolve him of such a sin and let him continue on his merry way.

The truth is that when each one of these conversations began I would take a deep breath, sigh a few times, and then nod in agreement with whatever was said to me - because both opinions had something going for them. People tend to have very short memories: the four years of Rabin-Peres, with all they encompassed is still much too fresh in my memory to desire an instant replay. The numbers of people killed in terrorist attacks without any government response, the initiation of Oslo - etc. etc. - It isn't an era in history any of us would like to live through again. If we bring down the Netanyahu government and head for early elections, well, the last election was pretty close - who knows what will happen. The last time we brought down a government we lost the gamble. So is it worth taking almost two years away from the present regime, like them or not?

On the other hand, if he continue on the course that he has seemingly set out for himself, including massive land withdrawals, without getting anything in return (as Oslo has been since its inception) what real difference is there between the Prime Minister and Barak. This man is doing as much damage, if not more, than a Labor-led coalition. People on the right still have a major psychological problem showing true opposition to a Likud-led government, with all of "our" people participating in the cabinet.

So, what do we do?

Until the end of last week I really didn't know, even though I had my leanings. Now, the questions have been blown away, in one swift swoop.

The reason is very simple. It is called Arutz 7.

It must be very difficult for most of you, not living in Israel, to really appreciate what Arutz 7 is. Let me try to briefly explain. Broadcast media in Israel - both television and radio, is State operated. Television, until a short time ago, consisted on one government-run channel. Recently a second one was added. It is private. It is one of the only privately run media outlets (excepting newspapers) in the country. All radio is government operated. Radio news, called Kol Yisrael - the Voice of Israel - is official State news. It is, as most of you are aware, monopolized by the Israeli left, and is about as biased as can be imagined. I'll give you one small example.

The latest Israeli crisis involves last week's cabinet meeting, when, during a report being given by the outgoing Commander-in-Chief Amnon Lipkin Shachak, Netanyahu broke in and asked him to skip a particular item, for reasons which aren't clear. The Kol Yisrael military correspondent is a woman named Carmela Menashe. (The word is that she got the job because her ex-husband works for Israeli intelligence.) In any case, last week, she gave an account of why the C-I-C was so badly insulted, and how there is not any precedent to a PM's request to stop a report in the middle of it. She also gave Shachak's account of what was being discussed.

Following her account, another reporter, Yoni ben Menachem, began an account of the Prime Minister's side of things, which are somewhat different from Shachak's. At that point, Carmela Menashe broke into his account and started saying, "but there are protocols - there are protocols, which don’t jibe with Netanyahu's account." She talked for quite a while, in an attempt to shut up another Kol Yisrael reporter who was trying to give the other side of the story. Only after some time was the other reporter 'allowed' to open his mouth and give his report.

This is the way it is - until Arutz 7.

Arutz 7 is not licensed by the government, as are the other stations. It isn't licensed because the government won't license it. Israeli law does not allow for private radio stations. So the broadcasting is done from a ship, off the Israeli coast, in international waters. That way they aren't breaking the law. There are studios in Israel (if you consider 'Yesha' Israel) but the broadcasting is from the ship.

Arutz 7 is a 'religious' station. It plays Hassidic songs and not the yucky stuff many of us refer to as 'garbage.' They only play Hebrew songs, and not English varieties. (A few months ago the Israeli rock station Reset Gimel also started playing only Israeli music, because of Arutz 7's popularity. According to statistics between 20-30% of the Israeli radio audience listens to Arutz 7.) Arutz 7 also has radio Torah classes. It also has its own news department. And Arutz 7 news is slightly different from that of Kol Yisrael, to say the least.

Arutz 7 also provides us with a way to express ourselves, those of us who don't buy what the left tries to sell us. In short, Arutz 7 is a media tool which is unlike any other in Israel. It tells the truth.

The Rabin-Peres objected to Arutz 7, and at one point Shulamit Aloni confiscated broadcasting transmitters. But even the left knew better than to try and actually close Arutz 7. They all remembered Abbie Natan's Ship of Peace and Voice of Peace which broadcast for decades from outside Israeli territorial waters, just as Arutz 7 does.

But not so with Netanyahu's people. Last week the Arutz 7 offices and studios were invaded. The station was forced to stop broadcasting for a few hours. Equipment was confiscated (and later returned). Directors were questioned and ordered to appear tomorrow morning at police headquarters for more questioning. Those ordered to appear include Rabbi Zalman Melamed, Rav of Beit El, and his wife, and Ketzele - Ya'akov Katz.

So, what's the big deal? It's very simple. Arutz 7 made Netanyahu Prime Minister. Their broadcasts, during almost four years of the Rabin-Peres catastrophe, gave light as to what was actually going on. Arutz 7 was the only media not to work against Netanyahu's candidacy. There is no doubt that without Arutz 7, Netanyahu never would have gotten close to the Prime Minister's office.

So now, what does all of this mean. Again, very simple. If Netanyahu's Minister of Internal Security, together with Netanyahu's Attorney general, can decide, with Netanyahu's OK that Arutz 7 is illegitimate, then Netanyahu is admitting that he too is illegitimate. It's like cutting off the branch of the tree that you're sitting on. If Netanyahu closes Arutz 7, his premiership is illegitimate. He shouldn't be Prime Minister. In other words, he is quite literally, a bastard.

Happy Endings
June 8, 1998

I have received a number of responses to my last article, "May 10, 1999." Those responses relate to the "overly optimistic" conclusion of the essay. Therefore, I would like to clarify:

The article was written as a result of questions put to me relatively frequently in Hebron, by tourists and journalists alike. I suppose others also pose the question to themselves, if not to me or others in a similar position. That question is, very simply, what is the alternative, i.e., if this 'peace process' is not to your liking, what do you suggest?

This question may or may not be intelligently answered. But one point which must be dealt with is NOT 'what is the alternative' but rather, what are the consequences of our present actions? If the outcome is likely to be fatal to the continued existence of the Jewish state, or is likely to bring the Jewish People to its knees, it makes no difference if there is or is not an alternative. The present process must be stopped at all costs, before it is too late.

The scenario depicted in the article is, unfortunately, only one of many which could actually transpire should the 'peace process' continue, leading to establishment of a Palestinian State in large areas of Judea, Samaria and Gazza. Saddam Hussein, or Haffez Assad of Syria for that matter, could effortlessly amass troops on the Kalkilya - Kfar Saba - Petach Tikva - Tel-Aviv - Jerusalem - State of Israel, border. There would be little in the way to stop them. Katushas or other short range missiles could easily target in on any and every Jewish population in Israel from Shechem and Yericho. The possibility of nuclear conflagration is not beyond the realm of possibility.

How any of these, or other imaginable possibilities, would conclude is your guess as well as mine. The ending I supplied is, I suppose, a result of the need we in Hebron have to always be optimistic. Perhaps it is a little deeper than that. Perhaps it also has something to do with faith - for without faith all is truly lost.

I am not so naive as to believe that the 'not-so-optimistic' ending could also be a reality. I face such endings on a fairly frequent basis. For example, two weeks ago, in the early afternoon, an older man walked into my office with a younger woman. He introduced himself as Shlomo Goldshmidt, and his daughter. He told me that he had been born in Hebron almost 75 years ago. He was four and a half when the massacre began on Shabbat, the 17 of Av, in 1929. His mother ordered him and his sister to hide under the bed, which they did, petrified. His father, Moshe Goldshmidt, the community Shochet, or ritual slaughterer, was himself slaughtered. His mother was badly hurt after being stabbed, but recovered.

Shlomo Goldshmidt described to me how his father, a Chabad Hassid, had been in Jerusalem with the Rebbi, then visiting in Eretz Yisrael. He was very close to the Rebbi and never left his side. However, on Thursday, Shlomo Goldshmidt told the Rebbi that if he didn't return to Hebron, there wouldn't be any meat for Shabbat in the community. So he left Jerusalem and returned to Hebron, to his death at the hands and knives of Arab murderers.

Moshe Goldshmidt, and his daughter, married with a family of her own, went with me to the ancient Jewish cemetery, to recite some prayers at the grave of their father and grandfather - a father Moshe barely remembers. His daughter had never before been in Hebron, and she was very moved. We later visited Beit Hadassah and the memorial room for the 67 Jews killed in the massacre. There, Moshe found a picture of his father among the other martyrs. Far from being a happy ending.

On the other hand, when we were standing in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood, looking at the caravans which house the seven families living there, I mentioned that one of the community's distinguished residents is Rav Shlomo Ra'anan, Rav Kook's grandson. Mr. Goldshmidt then remarked that one of his cousins is a Dean at Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav, Rav Kook's yeshiva. When I asked him who, Mr. Goldshmidt answered, "Rabbi Melamed." I exclaimed, "Rabbi Zalman Melamed?!" and he responded affirmatively. So I left Moshe Goldshmidt waiting for a few moments, while I called Rabbi Melamed's daughter to come see her cousin. Because she just happens to live right there, in Tel Rumeida. Her name is Naomi Horowitz, and she is married to Rav Hillel Horowitz, one of the director's of the Hebron community.

Not only is it a small world. Rather here is a classic example of a complete circle: A few hundred meters from the cemetery where the murdered Shlomo Goldshmidt lies, his offspring are living, raising a family, presently with seven children, in the renewed Jewish Community of Hebron. Needless to say, it was a very emotional moment. And something of a happier ending.

May 10, 1999
June 5, 1998

6:00 PM: Kol Yisrael from Jerusalem - this is a special news bulletin: The
Prime Minister is about to make an unprecedented speech from an unknown
site, somewhere in Israel.

The Prime Minister: Fellow Israeli citizens, fellow Jews, peoples of the
world. On Wednesday, May 5, five short days ago, at 12 o'clock noon, Yassir
Arafat publicly declared the creation of the State of Palestine. The
borders of the state, as defined in his inaugural address, included not
only the land transferred by Israel to the Palestinian Authority,
encompassing almost 40% of Judea, Samaria and Gazza. Of course, he
announced that East Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine. But he also
alleged that an additional 45% of Judea, Samaria and Gazza are intrinsic
elements of the Palestinian State, presently occupied by the Zionist forces
and vowed to liberate the entire region, if necessary, by force. He issued
an ultimatum to the Israeli government, demanding withdrawal from these
areas within 24 hours. His veiled threats insinuated that failure to
retreat from these areas would lead to serious international repercussions,
including armed combat.

On the Thursday morning, May 6, at 3:30 AM, the Iraqi army, led by the
President of Iraq himself, Saddam Hussein, crossed the international border
from Iraq into Jordan. According to intelligence information, about 50,000
Iraqi troops moved into Jordan. There was no Jordanian resistance. To the
contrary. The Iraqi president was welcomed by King Hussein of Jordan on the
steps of the monarch's palace in Amman. The King's press spokesperson
issued a statement to the effect that the Iraqi leader was coming to pay
his respects to the Jordanian ruler, who is reportedly in failing health.
When questioned why Saddam was accompanied by 50,000 soldiers, the
spokesperson said simply that this was a traditional Arab custom, showing
great respect for the hosting Chief of State.

The two men met intermittently throughout the day. Other Middle East
leaders were rumored to have secretly arrived, including the Egyptian and
Syrian presidents.

At 5:00 AM, that same morning, upon realization of the Iraqi troop
movements, the Israeli cabinet met in special session, followed by an
issuance of red alert status and a general call-up of all military
reserves, including battle units, naval staff, pilots and women recently
released from military service. The State of Israel came to a standstill.
Emergency calls were placed to the President of the United States, Russia
and France, and the Prime Minister of England. All of these leaders refused
to speak with the Israeli leadership. A political spokesman for the US
President issued a statement saying, "The United States government
announced six months ago the cessation of all US activities in the Middle
East, following Israel's rejection of proposals put forth for a final
status resolution of the Arab-Israeli crisis. We warned then of serious
consequences, should our proposals be rejected. It appears likely that the
moment has arrived. We oppose all unnecessary violence and bloodshed and
call on all sides to immediately initiate the appropriate measures to
alleviate this crisis."

The Israeli leadership issued harsh warnings to the neighboring Arab
states, calling on them to demand an immediate withdrawal of Iraqi troops
from Jordan.

At 1:00 AM Friday morning, May 7th , the Iraqi army crossed the Jordanian
border into Jericho, in the newly declared Palestinian State.

At 3:00 AM Friday morning, the first Katusha rockets hit Tel-Aviv,
Jerusalem and Haifa. Scores of people were killed. Hundreds were injured
and thousands left homeless. Israel demanded an immediate meeting of the
UN General Assembly. A statement released by the Israeli cabinet threatened
military retaliation against Palestine, Jordan and Iraq if additional
attacks occurred.

At 10:00 AM Friday morning Yassir Arafat held a press conference, in the
presence of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Arafat decreed a war of
attrition of the State of Israel, which would stop only upon Israel's
acceptance of the 1967, pre-Six Day war borders. He insisted that all land
conquered in 1967 be relinquished, including the Jerusalem neighborhoods of
Ramot, Gilo and Ramat Eshkol.

Following Arafat's speech, Iraqi president Saddam Hussein spoke. In a
never-to-be-forgotten address, Hussein shocked the listening world by
announcing that Iraq had obtained nuclear weapons from unknown states,
which we assume include Pakistan and past Soviet block countries. Saddam
reminded his listeners of Israel's attack on the Iraqi nuclear reactor
almost 20 years before. He said, in very clear and simple language, that he
would not hesitate to use his nuclear arsenal against Israel, should the
existence of the Palestinian State be jeopardized.

At 3:00 PM on Friday afternoon the Iraqi army began marching East, and by
nightfall was patrolling on the border of Israel and Palestine, less than
10 kilometers from Kfar Saba and Petach Tikva, less than 30 minutes from
Tel-Aviv, and less than 2 hours from Jerusalem.

On Shabbat evening at 11:00 PM the second round of Katusha rockets hit the
Israeli population in cities throughout the country. A third round of
Katushas fell at 4:00 AM.

At 7:30 AM on Saturday morning May 8th, scattered shooting began along the
border. A dozen Israeli soldiers were killed. The Israeli cabinet, meeting
in an almost unprecedented Shabbat conference, called upon the United
States to intervene immediately, to end Iraqi and Palestinian aggression.
The United States government refrained from any reply. At 9:00 Arafat and
Saddam again held a live press conference. Arafat announced that Israel had
24 hours to agree to terms of surrender, relinquishing all remaining parts
of Judea, Samaria and Gazza. He informed the world that should Israel
refuse, at 9:00 the next morning Iraqi and Palestinian troops would invade
Israel proper.

Israeli leaders met through the day and into the evening. At 10:00 PM
Israel released the following statement: "The State of Israel is in danger
of extinction. Fifty thousand enemy troops are stationed on the border of
our country. We have been viciously attacked and hundreds of civilians
murdered. We are being threatened with nuclear attack.

We demand that the Iraqi army immediately leave Palestine and return to
Iraq. Should this demand not be complied with within 10 hours from now, the
Israeli Armed Forces will begin a counter attack aimed at pushing the Iraqi
army back into Jordan, at the very least, and reconquering the lands
captured in 1967 and transferred to the Palestinian Authority as a result
of the Oslo Accords and the three further redeployments.

Should the Israeli government decide that the end of the State of Israel is
imminent, short range nuclear weapons aimed at Amman, Cairo, Damascus and
Baghdad will be fired, causing mass destruction within these cities. Long
range ballistic nuclear warheads will be fired at major European industrial
centers. The Saudi Arabian oil fields will also be destroyed. The United
States will not be immune from the long arm of Israeli retribution, should
the Jewish State face ultimate destruction."

Yesterday morning, Sunday, May 9, at 8:00 AM the Iraq retreat began. By
4:00 in the afternoon no more Iraqi troops were in Palestine.

At 9:00 PM tens of thousands of Israel citizens surrounded the Knesset,
meeting in special session in Jerusalem, and attacked. All cabinet
ministers in the previous and present administrations were incarcerated, as
were former Prime Minister Peres and Netanyahu. According to indictment
prepared against them, they are to be charged with crimes against the
Jewish people, leading to relinquishment of large land areas in Eretz
Yisrael and the endangerment of the Jewish State.

At 8:00 this morning, Monday, May 10, 1999 I was sworn in as the new Prime
Minister of Israel. My first orders to the Chief of Staff were to liberate
the lands given to Arafat. Israeli troops engaged in fierce fighting
throughout Judea, Samaria and Gazza. There were many casualties. However,
as the events of the past few days have proven, we had no choice.

At 2:15 this afternoon Jordanian King Hussein dropped dead of an apparent
heart attack. Upon learning of this news, Yassir Arafat declared a general
retreat into Jordan, abandoned the West Bank of the Jordan River, and fled
into Amman. His troops followed him and are now battling the Jordanian
Armed Legion for control of the state. Arafat has already declared a
temporary/permanent Palestinian government-in-exile in the New Palestine.

We have learned our lesson - albeit the hard way. We have come home to our
land, and we will never, ever again, leave it, so help us G-d.

The Rules of the Game
May 20, 1998

Last Thursday was the declared Arab-palestinian 'catastrophe day,' mourning the fiftieth anniversary of the declaration of the State of Israel. The Arafat propaganda machine worked overtime, depicting the 'catastrophe' whereby one people's celebration is another people's lament. The promotion worked well; world media published accounts of Israeli independence at the expense of displaced Arabs. (I will not go into a detailed account of the charges leveled at Israel - suffice it to say that anyone interested in knowing what really happened is invited to read "From Time Immemorial" by Joan Peters. Ms. Peters, a journalist-historian arrived in Israel in the late 1970s to write an account of the 'poor palestinians.' However Ms. Peters had a trait rare among journalists: integrity. As she proceeded to research her project, she discovered that her fundamental premise was erroneous. The resulting book, a fascinating study including facts and figures, is fully documented. It is required reading for any serious student of Middle East studies and the Arab-Israeli conflict.)

Arafat did not intend for 'Catastrophe Day' to be an introspective, palestinian version of 'Tisha b'Av.' A siren wailed for two minutes in the morning, marking the calamity. Then the protests began. And Arab protests are not known for their orderliness. Of course, the primary target was Hebron. Media accounts described 'disturbances' which actually consisted of rioting, rock-thowing, firebomb attacks, and shooting. In short, nothing less than minor warfare. From last Thursday, through yesterday morning, a total of six days, the Jewish Community of Hebron was under attack. Dozens and dozens of firebombs were hurled - rocks flew through air, all aimed at Israelis, civilians and soldiers. Two nights ago Arab terrorists, standing on the side of the TransJudea Road, a few miles outside of Hebron, emptied two rifle magazines on an IDF jeep. Ten bullets hit the front windshield. The only reason that no one was killed is because Israeli military vehicles are bulletproofed.

The next morning a firebomb hit an IDF jeep on the road to Tel Rumeida in Hebron. Tel Rumeida is a neighborhood located at the site of Tel Hebron - the home of Abraham, the site of King David's palace, the site of the Tomb of Jessie - King David's father. The neighborhood is accessible via one road - a narrow, bending hill bordering on the H1 - Arafat controlled section of Hebron. Numerous times since last Thursday the road was closed because of Arab rock and firebomb attacks. The neighborhood was literally cut off from the rest of Jewish Hebron. Israeli reaction was almost nonexistent. When soldiers were finally allowed to respond, at which time they shot rubber-coated bullets at the attackers, Israel was labeled as the 'aggressor.'

Prior to the signing and implementation of the Hebron Accords, the Hebron community Jewish leadership warned any and all Israeli political figures: If Israel withdraws from these areas, we will be under constant attack in Hebron. We walked with all of Israel's leaders, including ministers, MKs, and others, throughout Hebron pointing out specific rooftops, hilltops, and other land areas. We warned them in language plainly understandable to any three year old: "If you give this to Arafat, it will endanger our lives. Arabs will attack us from all of these points." Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, all of our predictions have come true. Not because we are prophets - but because the realities were so blatant that they were impossible to miss. Like the Emperors New Clothes.

Yesterday morning, after a firebomb hit the army jeep, the driver stopped, got out, examined the damage, and then continued on his way, continuing without any reaction whatsoever to the attempt on his life. The firebombs and rocks were being thrown from a rooftop only meters from the road. But that particular house is located in the H1 - Arafat side of Hebron, leaving it immune from any Israeli response.

Of course, this lack of reprisal can have only one result - continued attacks on military and civilian targets. A short time afterwards a few Tel Rumeida residents, unable to accept this situation, stood in the middle of the road, on the hill leading to the Jewish neighborhood. After a few minutes car horns were honking, and before you could snap your fingers Israeli police and soldiers appeared, as out of thin air. When rocks and firebombs threat our lives, the street is empty. When a few Jews close the road for a few minutes, well, this is a major crime.

The security forces pushed the Jewish 'criminals' off the street onto the sidewalk. We have been there ever since, having established a protest vigil at the site. Soldiers were stationed on rooftops overlooking the Arab house from where the attacks originated. Israeli patrols actually 'crossed the border' (ssh ssh - it's a secret and against the accords) to try and stop further attacks. And most miraculously, the police and army have 'allowed' the vigil to continue. (Days of the Messiah have arrived.)

Immediately after the protest vigil started, a top police officer arrived and entered into a discussion with some of those present. Of course he objected to the closing of the road and threatened to arrest the offenders. After hearing explanations, focussing around the fact that without some kind of Jewish 'provocation' the attacks would continue, his response was: "What, you people live under illusions that their won't be firebomb and rock attacks? There are rules to the game - it is forbidden for you to cause trouble."

It is worrisome that a man in uniform, whose primary duty is to insure security asks, 'what you have illusions that their won't be firebombs or rocks?' However my impression is that his response is due to indoctrination fed to him before he arrived in Hebron. He hasn't been here too long. But there are others - who have been around for a long time. What about them?

Those who drew up Oslo were warned. Now, due to their unbelievable foresight, some are actually being promoted. General Uzi Dayan, one of the major players in drawing up and implementing Oslo, is being moved up from Central Command to Deputy Commander in Chief. He helped design the maps which gave the Arabs the ability to attack us without allowing the reciprocal ability of the Israeli Defense Forces to appropriately respond.

But his rules aren't our rules. The dice, according to Dayan and some of his friends, are loaded. That's what the police officer said - "don't rock the boat - it's forbidden to 'cause trouble.' " But we don't play by their rules, rules which negate our existence, and our very right to be in Hebron. Mr. Police Officer, Mr. General, Mr. Defense Minister, Mr. Prime Minister: KNOW - there are real rules and there is cheating. We don't cheat. If you do, you will be caught. When you cheat, you are disqualified from the game. It is you, not us, who must start to play by the rules. We too know that there are rules to the game.

Rule number one: Survival.

______________________________________________________

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
by David Wilder
The Jewish Community of Hebron

Shedding Darkness
May 8, 1998

Yesterday evening a meeting between the Attorney General's
staff and the Jewish Community of Hebron leadership took place
in Jerusalem. Among those present were Attorney General
Elyakim Rubinstein, chief prosecutor Edna Arbel, and
prosecutors Talia Sasson and Navah ben Oor. Those attending
on behalf of Hebron included MK Hanan Porat (NRP), Chairman of
the Knesset Committee for Law and Justice, Noam Arnon, Rabbi
Hillel Horowitz, Avraham ben Yosef and Mrs. Orit Struck.

The truth is that is was very difficult to sit through the
duration of the meeting. Elyakim Rubinstein's office is
adorned with pictures of people he has worked with. One of the
most prominent pictures is that of former US Secretary of
State Warren Christopher. Opposite Rubinstein's desk, on the
wall facing him, is a huge photograph of the White House Lawn:
Bill Clinton in the middle, Yitzhak Rabin on one side, and Abu
Mazzen on the other. Clinton is smiling. Rabin is signing.
Rubinstein is showing him where to sign.

Elyakim Rubinstein, aged 51, a religious man, has held many
important and prestigious posts during his public career He
worked for the Shamir administration, but for some reason
continued in office during the Rabin-Peres tenure. He
participated in negotiating Oslo, and most specifically, the
accords with Jordan. Before his appointment as Attorney
General he served as a judge.

The meeting was called as a result of the revelation of the
'special law enforcement regulations' which define
discriminatory law enforcement rules aimed at residents of
Judea, Samaria and Gazza, and most specifically, Hebron.

One of the specific instructions in the 'special regulations'
requires the prosecutor's office to give priority to court
cases against 'settlers.' At the outset of the meeting a
letter written by Supreme Court President Aharon Barak was
presented to the Attorney General. Written in 1995, the letter
is in response to a question posed by court secretary, Judge
Ravivi. Barak writes, "Priority may not be given to any court
case because of the location of accused's home, be it Judea,
Samaria, Gazza, or anywhere else." None of the prosecutors
were familiar with this ruling. They received a copy of the
letter and promised to examine it.

The meeting had a number of specific goals:
1. A demand that the 'special regulations' be voided, or, at
the very least, suspended.

2. A demand that an impartial committee, totally unrelated to
the AG's office review and revise the 'special regulations.'


3. A demand that all cases, indictments, and allegations
caused as a result of these regulations be suspended and
reviewed by an impartial committee.

4. A demand that the 'special regulations' be made public, for
all to read.


5. A demand that law enforcement in Hebron be applied equally
to Arabs as well as Jews.

Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein categorically rejected
all of these demands.

Time after time Rubinstein said, "you have to remember the
background around which these rules were written. This was the
'era of the stormy demonstrations.' " Our reply - we remember
this time period as the 'era of murders - rocks - firebombs,
etc.'

In reply to MK Hanan Porat's request that the 'regulations' be
suspended, Rubinstein answered, "These regulations are an
established framework .. what can you do but realize that in
Israel law enforcement has been placed in the hands of the
Attorney General and the prosecutor's office and not in the
hands of politicians." Porat, Chairman of the Knesset Law and
Justice Committee responded: "It is my job to guarantee that
those involved in law enforcement do so honestly and justly."

Why should these 'regulations' remain secret? Following a
careful reading of the entire document, Hebron leaders were
unable to find any 'security secrets' that should prevent its
publication, for all to read and judge. Chief prosecutor Edna
Arbel agreed. AG Rubinstein: "I have instructed that these
'regulations' be reviewed and changed where we decide
necessary. I think it preferable to publish the 'new edition'
of the 'regulations' after they have been modified."

Concerning the request to suspend all cases initiated as a
result of these 'regulations,' Rubinstein answered that he
cannot give 'blanket orders' concerning any one segment of the
population, (in spite of the fact that these 'regulations' are
enforced AGAINST one specific segment of the population). He
suggested writing individual letters requesting an injunction
to suspend hearings in specific cases. Our reply - we have
been doing this for over a year - all of the responses we
receive are negative.

Perhaps the most important and significant demand deals with
equality under the law. This pertains to two aspects of law
enforcement: Jew vs. Jew and Jew vs. Arab. For example, why
should a Jewish child in Hebron be indicted for throwing a
snowball when, in Jerusalem, or anywhere else in the country,
this would never, ever, be considered a 'crime?.' Or, why are
Jews in Hebron brutally beaten and arrested for demonstrating
against continued Arab violence against them, when Jewish
demonstrators in other parts of the country burn tires, block
roads, close factories, etc, and nothing is done to them?.

On the other side of the coin - why are Jews who react to Arab
violence prosecuted, when the Arabs who initiate the violence
are never arrested? How is it possible that thousands of
rocks, firebombs, and explosive devices are hurled at Jews,
and none of the perpetrators are apprehended? Two specific
examples: A Hebron family had, over the period of one month,
12 firebombs thrown at their house. None of the Arab
perpetrators was caught, in spite of the fact that the
firebombs were thrown from within the Israeli controlled part
of Hebron. The twelfth firebomb struck their porch.
It burned the laundry hanging outside - it had been placed
there only moments before. It barely missed hitting a Hebron woman. Her
husband, Shalom, saw the Arab terrorist, ran after him and
caught him. Accordingly, he didn't handle him with kid gloves.
Both Shalom and the Arab were indicted: the Arab for throwing
the firebomb, and Shalom, for hitting him. When Hebron Jewish
residents arrived at the Arab's trial as witnesses, they were
told that they were no longer needed. The Arab agreed to plea
bargain - his sentence was minimal. When Shalom requested an
injunction to temporarily suspend the hearing against him, it
was refused.

In another case, several months ago an Arab jumped from an
adjoining house into the Avraham Avinu neighborhood courtyard
with a knife. He was apprehended and imprisoned. A few weeks
ago he was released into the custody of the palestinian
authority, which has absolutely no jurisdiction in the case,
as it occurred in Israeli controlled Hebron. Why wasn't he
tried by Israel?

Rubinstein had two answers: 1) "Security" is in the
responsibility of the IDF - the Israeli army, not the police
or the DA's office." 2) The 'accords' have created a situation
whereby it is very difficult to deal properly with Arab law
offenders." In other words, if two people stand next to each
other - one a Jew and the other an Arab, and they both throw
rocks, the Jew is arrested, indicted, tried, and convicted.
The Arab is ignored.

The Hebron representatives attempted to show, as of yet
unsuccessfully, the absurdity of this situation. Why are
Hebron's police only allowed to arrest Jewish lawbreakers and
not Arab offenders? Why should Jews in Hebron be held
accountable for actions that any Israeli citizen in any other
part of the country is not held accountable for?

AG Rubinstein claimed that these 'special regulations' were
unknown to almost everyone, including himself and his chief
prosecutor, Edna Arbel. This, in spite of the fact that at
least one of the authors of the 'regulations' was present in
the room with us. This, in spite of the fact that one of the
prosecutors heads a special 'black list' committee which meets
once a month, to coordinate positions of the army, police,
intelligence forces and prosecutors, in regard to 'offenders,'
as is written in the 'regulations.'

Chief prosecutor Edna Arbel claimed that the AG's office is
nothing more than a conduit - they receive cases from the
police and decide whether their is enough proof to warrant a
trial.

One of the more humorous moments took place when one of the
senior prosecutors, read a 'random list' of offenses,
committed by Hebron residents. She started by saying that an
overwhelming majority of crimes committed by Jews in Judea and
Samaria were perpetrated by Hebron residents. She must have
read 20 or 30 offences. About 95% of them, if not all of them,
involved one of the following crimes: Bothering a police
officer, insulting a police officer or public servant,
attempting to cause a police officer to fail in his attempt to
uphold the law, attacking a police officer.

"Where are the attacks against Arabs," we asked her. Her
response: "Hebron's Jewish residents commit very specific
kinds of crimes."

Just for the record: If you look cross-eyed at a policeman,
you are charged with insulting him. If he tells you to move
during a demonstration and you don't, you are charged with
bothering him. If you ask him why he arrested someone else,
you are charged with attempting to cause a police officer to
fail in his attempt to uphold the law. A Hebron woman was
charged with attacking a police officer because she filmed
Hebron police arresting her husband.

The 'special regulations' shed much light on Israeli democracy and
Israeli justice. Or perhaps I should say, they shed darkness,
because they remind me of stories told about persecution in
Russia and other former Iron Curtain countries. This certainly
is not the kind of justice that anyone would expect in
'democratic' Israel, fifty years after creation of the State.

It is our hope that following this meeting the AG's office
will seriously consider the points made and conclude, as we
have, that in the name of true justice, these 'regulations'
must be expunged, now and forever.


----------------------------------

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
By David Wilder
The Jewish Community of Hebron

CPT - Squalor on the Face of the Earth
May 3, 1998

CPT is the abbreviated name of Christian Peacekeeping Teams. This
primarily Mennonite group ends each of its internet postings with the
following signature:

'CPT Hebron has maintained a violence reduction presence in Hebron since
June of 1995 at the invitation of the Hebron Municipality.'

Hebron Municipality = Arab Mayor Mustepha Natsche

What does CPT really stand for? On February 18, they posted the following:
"CPT calls on Christians committed to stop hostility towards Iraqi people
to wear ribbons with the words FOOD NOT MISSILES inscribed on them.The
ribbons will signify our faith that food for people in Iraq rather than
missiles represents the deepest will of God."

Blatant, official support for Saddam Hussein.

Members of CPT have been arrested and imprisoned in the United States
following violent and illegal demonstrations.

These people preach peace and non-violence. In fact, they implement the
exact opposite.

Fact: Art Gish from Athens, Ohio was detained in Hebron for attempting to
aid a Palestinian terrorist who had just stabbed a 14 year old Jewish girl.
According to eye witnesses, he stepped on the knife used in the attack in
order to hide the evidence from the IDF.

Fact: A number of CPT members have been deported and/or denied entry into
Israel. Others have been arrested for participating in violent
confrontations with the Israeli Defense Forces and other Israeli security
forces.

How impartial is CPT? Last June, CPT member Kathleen Kern was interviewed
by IMRA's Aaron Lerner. An excerpt:

IMRA: Do the current disturbances, with rock, firebomb, and bomb throwing,
fall into this category (of supporting non-violent protests)? Kern: No.
There is not a lot we can do but watch. IMRA: What are you doing to stop
this violence? Kern: We are not set up to deal with the sort of things that
have been happening in the market. It is much easier to work on STRUCTURAL
VIOLENCE like land confiscation and the demolition of houses. IMRA: Have
you thought of trying to influence the local population.? Kern: It would be
patronizing for us to come in and say "we want to develop you.The roots of
violence, what is happening in the market place, reflects the underlying
symptoms."

What do these people spend their days doing? Adorned in red baseball hats,
they walk the streets of Hebron, looking for trouble. They have even begun
giving 'tours' of Hebron to unsuspecting Christian groups, spreading their
venomous duplicity. History takes a back seat to falsehood - Jewish
property is 'occupied Arab land.'

On April 18, 1998, THE DAY BEFORE Dov Dribin was murdered, CPT members
visited Arabs living in the vicinity of Maon. They posted an article
specifically mentioning and vilifying Dov Dribin.

On April 26 they posted:
"Another visitor in the hospital room shared some of the following details.
Ahmed, a Palestinian from Yatta was travelling near the area last Sunday.
He reported that he left the car and walked along the rocky goat paths of
the grazing land. Driben and the other injured settler had already been
lifted by helicopter and taken to a hospital in Beersheba. Dabadseh was
lying motionless on the ground and bleeding from bullet wounds to his
chest, below his right shoulder, and in his right arm. Israeli soldiers,
police and settler security paid no attention to Dabadseh. Ahmed picked up
the injured Dabadseh and put him on one of the many donkeys that were
nearby. As he put it, "I stole him from the soldiers so I could take him
to the hospital"

On May 1, they posted the following:
Hebron: A Short Concise Background

"Since the early 1980s, this quiet land of shepherds has become dotted with
Israeli settlements. These settlements are built and subsidized by the
government of Israel in arrogant disregard for international law, under
which they are illegal. They are built on Palestinian land confiscated by
the Israeli Defense Force (IDF, the army). Recently 100 families in the
area were given eviction notices by the IDF to make room for more
settlements. Israelis living in these settlements that look more like
military camps than residential communities are well armed and given free
reign by the IDF to terrorize the local Palestinians. For years the most
infamous of these settlers has been Dov Dribin. We have heard countless
first hand accounts of Dov's brutality, including two execution style
murders in which he tied the hands of his victims before shooting them.
Dov and the other settlers in this area have romantic visions of themselves
as cowboys, claiming the land for Israel and exterminating the "savages"
who inhabit it.

On April 19, Dov and several others blocked a group of unarmed Palestinians
who were trying to get to their fields. According to eye witness accounts,
Dov and one of the Palestinian farmers began to struggle. Dov yelled to
one of his settler friends, "Shoot him! Shoot him!". The settler shot,
missed the Palestinian and killed Dov."

Of course, the libelous allegations in these reports are pure,
unadulterated lies.

1. Dov Dribin never killed anyone - he was never
investigated, indicted, or tried for murder.

2. Dov Dribin was shot at least five times in the chest and once in the
head. He was not shot by one of his friends. He was murdered by an Arab who
grabbed a weapon from one of Dov's friends. Dov was unarmed and was known
not to carry a weapon.

3. Eye witnesses at the scene of the murder have given detailed accounts of
what actually happened. No Arab was left lying, bleeding, in the field. All
the Arabs involved fled, including those who claim to have been shot.

4. The community of Maon was legally established by the Israeli government
over a decade ago. The small farm being developed by Dov Dribin and his
friends is located on land officially belonging to the State of Israel. Dov
and his friends were never asked, or ordered to evacuate the farm.

5. In the vicinity of the murder, there are not any "Arab fields."

6. International law disallows the use of murder and terrorism, the likes
of which have been perpetrated against Israelis by Arabs in all parts of
the country, including Judea and Samaria. CPT seems to have forgotten this.

7. International law does not prohibit Jews from living on their own land
in Eretz Yisrael.

Under a guise of 'violence reduction presence' this group of anti-Semitic
Israel-haters continues to incite Arabs in Hebron, and in the Hebron area,
against Israelis living here. This incitement may very well have been
instrumental in Dov Dribin's murder. Those responsible should be arrested
and imprisoned. As for the others, it is time for Israeli security and
legal forces to take all measures necessary to evict this squalor from
Hebron and from Israel before they do any more damage.

In the mean time, anyone desiring to express opinions directly to CPT is
invited to write to them at: cpt@igc.apc.org (Christian Peacemaker Teams,
Chicago, IL).

_______________________________________________

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
by David Wilder
The Jewish Community of Hebron

Tranquility Mixed with Blood
April 19, 1998

Dovi Dribin wasn't a friend of mine. I don't remember ever even speaking with him. But he was a familiar sight in Kiryat Arba for many years. He was hard to miss - a big fellow, tall and muscular. And he was quite conspicuous - more often than not he was sitting atop a huge horse, prancing through the streets.

Dovi Dribin's father Eddie is described by many as a 'cowboy.' A gruff-looking man, he preceded his son on horseback. To the best of my recollection, he came to Israel in the 1950's after serving in the US army in the Korean War. He was employed for many years in security-related jobs. He moved to Kiryat Arba in the early 1970's, not long after the establishment of the community.

Dovi Dribin married Adi, a strong-willed woman, a couple of years older than himself. Together they had four children - four boys. The oldest is seven and a half. The youngest, less than a year old. The five year old, Nir, suffers from cerebral palsy. His legs don't work. But his head does. One of the speakers at the funeral told how he sat with Nir in the Maon community sandbox earlier today. Nir started telling him Bible stories, focussing around King David. He related the story of David and Goliath, and told how David had wandered in the same fields, near his own house, trying to escape King Saul. When asked who had taught him these stories, Nir answered: "My father, when we would ride together on his big horse, through the fields."

Two years ago Dovi and Adi moved to Maon, a small agricultural community about 20 minutes south of Hebron. Maon's 40 families work fields, milk cows, grow fruit, and raise children. An overwhelming majority of Maon's residents are children. The total population is somewhere over 200. Adi Dribin, aside from child-raising and fully participating in her husband's activities, works in the community's nursery school.

Dovi Dribin wasn't your normal kind of guy, who could live just like everyone else. Not too long after the family moved to Maon they requested to live on the outskirts of the community, in a house separated from the others. Dovi liked the feeling of openness - and didn't like to be crowded in. From his new dwelling, Dovi could look around him and see fields and hills. The view is breathtaking. The air is clean and the fragrances on a spring day, like today, are something out of the Garden of Eden.

Eighteen months ago Dovi, and two of his friends, Yehoshefat Tur, nicknamed Fetti, and Efraim (Effi) Pearl, started a small agricultural farm on a hilltop, a few kilometers from Dovi's house. They spent much of their time here, working the land. The hilltop is located within the municipal boundary of the Maon community.

Several weeks ago the men were attacked by Arabs. Fetti Tur shot his pistol in the air, to chase away the attackers. Hebron police later arrested him, confiscated his gun, and charged him with shooting in a 'populated area.' Only a few days ago was the weapon returned and the charges dropped.

Last week Dovi Dribin filed charges with the Hebron police against Arabs in the vicinity. He reported that they were harassing him and had threatened to kill him. It seems that the police ignored his complaint. This morning, eight to ten Arabs ambushed him. When he arrived at the farm they started pelting him with rocks and hitting him with clubs. Fetti Tur, ran to his friend's aid. Again he tried to shoot in the air, to chase away the attackers. However this time he was overcome and his gun taken from him. The Arabs used this gun to shoot five bullets into Dovi Dribin - through his heart and into his head.

Effi Pearl, hearing the noise, came running. He too was hit with rocks and clubs. The murderers escaped. A suspect was later apprehended.

When I heard that Dovi was to be buried in the Sussia regional cemetery, not far from Maon, I was surprised. Dovi lived most of his life in Kiryat Arba and it seemed fitting that he should be laid to rest in Hebron. But when I arrived at the cemetery, along with the thousands of others who accompanied Dovi on his final journey through his beloved fields and hills, I finally understood. The small graveyard is ensconced in the spacious tranquility Dovi Dribin so cherished. The green fields, the wavy hills, the blue sky - tranquility mixed together with Dovi Dribin's blood.

And soaked with tears.

Thirty Years Ago - On A Silver Platter

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever by David Wilder Thirty Years Ago - On A Silver Platter
April 10, 1998
14 Nisan 5758
Wanted: Families or singles
to resettle ancient city of Hebron
For details contact Rabbi M. Levinger

This unassuming newspaper advertisement captured the attention
of many Israelis in 1968. The euphoria of the Six Day War had
subsided, Judea and Samaria were in Jewish hands, and yet, no
Jews had made their homes this area. Rabbi Moshe Levinger and
a group of like-minded individuals determined that the time
had come to return home to the newly liberated heartland of
Eretz Yisrael.

As their first goal, the group decided to renew the Jewish
presence in the Jewish People's most ancient city, Hebron.
Word of the decision spread quickly and soon a nucleus of
families was formed. Their objective: to spend Pesach in
Hebron's Park Hotel. Hebron's Arab hotel owners had fallen on
hard times. For years they had served the Jordanian
aristocracy who would visit regularly to enjoy Hebron's cool
dry air. The Six Day War forced the vacationers to change
their travel plans. As a result, the Park Hotel's Arab owners
were delighted to accept the cash-filled envelope which Rabbi
Levinger placed on the front desk. In exchange, they agreed to
rent the hotel to an unlimited amount of people for an
unspecified period of time.

The morning of Erev Pesach, April, 1968 saw the Levinger
family along with families from Israel's north, south and
center packed their belongings for Hebron. They quickly
cleaned and kashered the half of the hotel's kitchen allotted
to them and began to settle in. Women and children slept three
to a bed in the hotel rooms, while the men found sleeping
space on the lobby floor. At least Ya'akov Avinu had a rock to
place under his head, remembered one of the men in dismay.

Eighty-eight people celebrated Pesach Seder that night in the
heart of Hebron. "We sensed that we had made an historical
breakthrough", recalls Miriam Levinger, "and we all felt
deeply moved and excited".

Two days later, Rabbi Levinger announced to the media that the
group intended to remain in Hebron. Dignitaries, Knesset
members and Israelis from far and near streamed to the Park
Hotel to encourage the pioneers.

Defense Minister Moshe Dayan was anxious to remove the
pioneers from the hotel. He suggested that they move to the
military compound overlooking Hebron. A heated debate ensued.
There were those who felt that moving to the compound would in
effect, strangle the project. Others saw in Dayan's suggestion
official recognition, albeit de facto, of their goal.

Six weeks later, the pioneers moved to the military compound.
Rabbi Levinger insisted on accommodations for 120 people even
though they numbered less than half at that time. Rabbi
Levinger was accused of being an unrealistic dreamer. Within a
few short weeks however, he was proven correct. The 120 places
in the military compound could not accommodate the hundreds of
people who wanted to be part of the renewed of Jewish life in
Hebron, city of the Patriarchs.

"We received Eretz Yisrael on a silver platter in 1967",
explained Miriam Levinger. "It was an honor and a privilege to
be among the first people to make the dream of return a
reality."

--------------------------------------------------------------
In Hebrew, the number 30 is represented by the
letter Lamed, equalling thirty. "Lamed" is composed of three
letters, which also form the root of the Hebrew word which
means to learn, (Lilmode) and to teach (lilamed).

Over the past 30 years we have had to do much learning. Since
the elation of the miracles of the Six-Day War we have
undergone a tremendous amount, much too much to enumerate
here. When we will be able to look at this time period in the
perspective of history, perhaps the most important and
miraculous event was the modern recurrence of the exodus from
Egypt - that being the arrival of our brothers and sisters
from the late Soviet Union. This was truly an emergence from
darkness and slavery into light and freedom. As we say tonight
at the beginning of the Hagadda - 'in the beginning, shame
and in the end, praise.

Present day Israel is still in a learning phase - a stage in
an identity crisis plaguing us for many years. We have come
home from a two thousand year Galut, but we still haven't been
able to, as a nation, determine, or perhaps admit, who we are.
Those ancient Israelites needed 40 years in the desert to
eradicate the impurities of 210 years in Egypt. The
contamination of a 2,000 year old Diaspora undoubtedly takes
time to purify.

Thirty years ago we began a new level in our national
rediscovey - we returned to the foundations of our existence -
we came home to Hebron and Jerusalem. There are those who
still don't understand the significance of this event - but
eventually they will - that is assured.

When we say, twice a day, Shema Yisrael, the last letter of
the first word, Shema (Ain) and the last letter of the last
word, Echad (Dalet) are enlarged. Together, these letters
spell the word Aed - meaning witness. The numerical value of
Aed is 74. The Hebrew letter Lamed, when spelled out - Lamed,
Mem, Dalet - (Lamed = 30, Mem = 40, Dalet=4) 74, is the
equivalent of Aed = witness = seventy four.

Each and every one of you can find significance in this - I
will give you my short interpretation: Our thirty years in
Hebron and Jerusalem bears witness to the well known phrase -
"Netzach Yisrael lo Yishaker" - "The Eternal Israel cannot be
falsified." In 1967 the Israeli government pleaded with King
Hussein of Jordan not to get involved in the Six-Day War.
Hussein ignored them and started bombing Jerusalem. As a
result, Israel 'had no choice' but to return to East
Jerusalem, Hebron, and the rest of Judea and Samaria - the
heart of the Land of Israel.

Our comprehension of this is equivalent to our saying "Shema
Yisrael" - which is our acceptance of G-d and His Will.

On Sunday, we will celebrate, together with tens of thousands,
our 50th Independence Day and the 30th anniversary of the
renewal of Hebron's Jewish Community. From darkness to light -
so it was, and so it will be. It isn't a chance occurrence the
first major Independence Day celebration, sponsored by the
official Jubilee Committee, is taking place in the first
Jewish city in Israel, in the first city in Judea and Samaria
to be resettled following the Six Day War. Nothing could be
more appropriate. I'm sure that our Patriarchs and Matriarchs,
together with the generations of "Netzach Yisrael" will be
there too, celebrating with us in spirit - celebrating our
true national identify, on our national birthday. In Hebron we
have learned, and we are also trying to teach, by means of
example, the real value of being a free people, in our land.
For this is our true identity. With G-d's continued help, our
success will be the success of all Israel.

Chag Sameach - Happy Passover.
(The first part of this article was written a number of years
ago by someone in Hebron. It mirrors the account by Rabbinit
Miriam Levinger, videoed and available to all viewers on the
Hebron Web Site.)

Out of the Closet

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
by David Wilder
The Jewish Community of Hebron
Out of the Closet
February 13, 1998

President Ezer Weitzman opened the celebrations marking Israel's 50^th birthday a few days ago. At that time the highly touted 'slogan' was released: "Together with Pride - Together with Hope". (Byachad b'ga'ava - byachad b'tikva). This slogan effectively exemplifies the Number One Problem plaguing the Jewish People today - both in Eretz Yisrael and throughout the Diaspora.

In the book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) 8:17, the Torah says: "And you will say in your heart: My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this strength". In a very few words, this really sums it up.

Fifty years of the State of Israel - following 2,000 years of Galut, riding on the tails of the holocaust, war after war, terrorist attack after terrorist attack, isolation and alienation - all that considered, with the present state of the country - 50 years isn't bad. We have achieved a tremendous amount. Our national home has been reestablished and Jews from around the world are, for the most part, presently free to live here, if they so choose. We are a home to numerous cultures and religions, not all of whom are necessarily harmonious. We have developed technology second to none, in diverse and vital fields. Our industry is still maturing, but is, and will continue, to grow. On the face of it, we really do have much to feel proud about.

It is also quite important to realize that we have not yet reached the goal. For this, it is necessary to look ahead - to look forward. This is illustrated by the second half of the phrase, dealing with hope. Such is the reality and dream of the Jewish people since time immemorial. There is a continued striving, pushing ahead, with an awareness that the best is yet to come. Without this trait, it is impossible to improve, to rectify past transgressions, to achieve on a higher plane.

So, why then shouldn't the phrase - Together in Pride-Together in Hope - be appropriate?

Following the decision to declare the State, a serious disagreement broke out concerning the writing of the Declaration of Independence. If G-d was not mentioned, the Rabbi's would not sign. If He was mentioned, how would the declared secularists-atheists react? David Ben Gurion's famous compromise spoke of 'Tzur Yisrael' - the Rock of Israel. Everyone could interpret as they saw fit. G-d was left undercover.

When someone does something good for you, the normal response is to say thank you. Thank you isn't only etiquette. Thank you is acknowledgement of the source of the good. Inability to acknowledge isn't only impolite - it is a lack of an essential human characteristic. It is the height of haughtiness. It is in effect saying, "I don't need you or anyone else - only I am responsible for the good, for the success, for the achievement".

What is the source of such manners? Principally it is paucity of education - a deficiency of knowing and understanding the most basic tenets of our existence. If a person really believes that he is fully responsible for all success, he hasn't an inkling of his own faults or lackings. So it is with a nation. If we don't know how to say thank you to He who is responsible for our success. - who are we and what are we?

Very simply, if 50 years ago it was difficult for some to accept G-d's role in our continued existence, the time has come to change. If we want to use the slogan 'Together with Pride - Together with Hope' we must add the most essential words, presently left out - Together in Faith' - the faith of our Forefathers, the faith of our people, in our Rock and our Redeemer. For only He holds us 'together.' Without G-d - there is no 'together.' That is why, today, the Jewish people are so divided.

The verse mentioned above clearly states the dilemma: : "And you will say in your heart: My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this strength". The time has come to move on to the next verse: But thou shall remember the L-rd your G-d, for it is Him who gave you the power to succeed."

After 50 years of Statehood, the time has come to take G-d out of the closet.

Next Year Without Oslo

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
by David WilderNext Year Without Oslo
January 15, 1998

Exactly one year ago the Fink family was honored in Hebron. The Finks, living today in Tel Aviv and Belgium, donated Beit Fink, a two family residence and nursery school in Hebron. Located behind Beit Shneerson, Beit Fink stands as a living symbol of faith. How many people are willing to literally put their money where their mouth is in present-day Hebron. Potential contributors have voiced doubts, such as, 'what will happen if the building I donate becomes property of Arafat and the terrorists'? Serious philanthropists must have tremendous inner strength and faith, knowing that what they are doing is not only right, but indispensable if we are to remain, not only in Hebron, but in all of Eretz Yisrael.

The Fink family is instilled with this very faith, the same convictions adhered to by our ancestors 4,000 years ago - Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya'akov. Last year, exactly a year ago today, I attended the dedication celebration held at the Gutnick Center, upon completion of Beit Fink. Leaving home for the party, the festivity seemed to be double - the talks between Israel and Arafat for Hebron were on the brink of failure. America's representative to the negotiations, Dennis Ross, was on his way to the airport. The State Department had already announced that this was the last chance - if the talks broke down America was backing out of the picture. As far as I was concerned, there could be nothing sweeter.

The Beit Fink celebration was a never-to-be forgotten affair. The speeches were emotional and the dancing joyous. At about 12:30 AM, after returning home, a new reality hit. And it hit hard. Kol Yisrael - the Voice of Israel radio reported that, finally, agreement had been reached and the accords signed. Eighty percent of Hebron was to be abandoned to Arafat. Two days later, on Friday morning, January 17, 1997, it actually happened.

Over the past few days reporters have been visiting and calling, all asking the same question: How has life in Hebron changed over the last year? They are all looking for a kind of 'before and after' picture of events.

My response, by now, is fairly standard. Of course, security has deteriorated. The hills surrounding us are rampant with armed terrorists. Beit Hadassah and army outposts have been shot at. Over 1,000 firebombs have been hurled - more in one year than during 10 years of Intifada. Rocks were found inside baby's cribs - pipebombs exploded in the Avraham Avinu playground.

In spite of the agreements in the Hebron Accords holy sites are still closed to Jews. The Cave of Otniel ben Knaz is off-limits, as is the ISRAELI-CONTROLLED casbah and the tomb of Avner ben Ner. It is virtually impossible to visit the ancient Elonei Mamre site. Jibril Rajoub has over 1,000 'secret police' terrorizing Hebron. Hebron's Arabs can stroll freely throughout all of Hebron, including the Jewish section. Israeli's are forbidden to enter the 'Arab-Arafat side,' under threat of arrest.

Arafat has not, and will not, ever, comply with his obligations under the Hebron Accords. Arabs in Hebron, elected PNC representatives, still say, as they did a year ago, that 'as long as the settlers are in Hebron, there will not be peace.'

This is our first year of peace.

Today, when we tried to walk to the Cave of Otniel ben Knaz, the first Judge in Israel, located on the Arafat-side of Hebron, of course, we were stopped. When we quoted the official Hebron Accords, as signed by Israel and Arafat, to the Israeli soldiers, the Arab soldiers, and the gathering Arab horde, we heard shouted back at us, 'What accords - There are no accords - There is no peace.'

True peace, at last.

In my opinion, the reporters aren't asking the right question. The question is not - how has life changed in Hebron? The question is - how has life changed in Israel - throughout the entire country? The question is - has Israel learned its lesson?

Last night at the rally in Tel-Aviv, attended by over 30,000 people, MK and former minister Benny Begin was one of the speakers. One of his major points was:

"There are those who say, what can we do? - there is nothing we can do - we have no choice but to continue, even if what we are doing is wrong. But they are wrong - there is a choice -and it is in our hands. We can make the difference."

Begin is correct - one hundred percent. A person has to be totally deaf and blind to not see the writing on the wall. Hebron was supposed to be, not only a test, but an example of peaceful coexistence. It was supposed to show Israel and the world that Oslo can really work. What the Hebron Accords have proven is exactly the opposite. It hasn't worked, and it never will. You cannot cooperate with a people whose only desire is your own cessation. If Hebron was supposed to be a litmus test, then after a year, one can only come to the conclusion that the results are in - TOTAL FAILURE!

The terrorist attacks have not ended. Israelis are still being killed by terrorists, spurred on by Arafat and his top cronies, including his police chief Razi Jabali. A few days ago a major bomb factory was uncovered in Shechem, under Arafat's nose. It was closed by the PA only after Israeli intelligence provided them with all the information concerning the factory and demanded that they act. Being that Arafat will meet with Clinton next week, they had no choice. But for the last week Israel radio has been reporting that the Israeli security services are issuing high-alerts because of suspected terrorist activities throughout Israel.

So, what more will it take until the lesson isn't only learned, but also enforced? Why should any other Israeli community have to live with and deal the same kinds of afflictions incurred by Hebron's Jewish residents and guests?

Not that there should be any mistake. Hebron's Jewish community isn't going anywhere. Not only are we staying - we are growing. Four children have been born to Hebron families over the past three weeks. We are building a new apartment building - and it won't be the last building either. Yeshivat Shavei Hevron is on the verge of completing three additional floors in Beit Romano which will allow a growth in student population from TWO HUNDRED to FIVE HUNDRED. Shortly a new hotel will be constructed in Hebron. And other projects are in the works.

I can only but bless all of us that in a year from now I'll be able to write about how finally all Israel woke up, putting an official end to the curse called Oslo. We will then began to live again as proud Jews in our G-d - given Homeland - holding our heads high, doing what we know is right - in Hebron, Jerusalem, in all of Eretz Yisrael. Amen.

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.