"A Palestinian state within eight weeks," was the news that
Israeli citizens woke up to Sunday morning the week before last. This exclusive
report quoted a document (a copy of which was shown in the papers, too) which
was developed by Peres, with Sharon’s knowledge, with senior Palestinian
terrorists. The reporter went on to reveal his horrifying discoveries: "The
document establishes that first a Palestinian state will be founded, to be
followed by negotiations with Israel about permanent status."
Last Thursday, Peres told the ministers of his party that he
had shown Sharon the plan and Sharon told him, "This is a proposal that’s as
close to my views as you’re going to get."
The prime minister’s office was trapped. They quickly
announced that this plan is a fantasy and dangerous, and just bringing it up
causes great damage to Israel. What did happen? Minister Peres was only
permitted to negotiate for a ceasefire. And if you believe that ... Don’t you
remember that just a few days ago, Sharon reiterated his position that he "is
ready for painful concessions?"
WHY DIDN’T THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY?
The wounded of Emanuel are still under sedation in various
hospitals. The shock and horror we all felt has quieted down. Sharon’s siren
song can be heard once again. In the wake of the tragedy, he announced that
Arafat is "not relevant." That the Palestinian Authority is considered "an
entity that supports terror" was announced already after the massacre of 27 Jews
in one day and hundreds wounded. This was the excuse those on the Right used to
remain in Sharon’s government, but they themselves know that these are merely
empty words. Even the Defense Minister laughed about the pronouncement of the
Authority being an entity that supports terror.
Today we see that words accomplished nothing. Arafat is still
here; there is no plan to liquidate him. On the contrary, he is being made more
relevant than ever. The formation of a Palestinian state is closer than ever to
being realized. Omri Sharon continues conveying messages to Arafat. Last week,
Sharon announced that he is ready for very painful concessions for Israel. We
all know what he’s referring to: a Palestinian state in most of Ye’Sh’A, but we
act as though we don’t hear him. All the red lights are on. Even those who
convinced themselves that Sharon would eliminate the P.A. realize now that it is
stronger than ever. There are no signs of a breakup. They’re all going to
placate Arafat and the Arab security forces.
The most painful thing of all is the clear knowledge of the
price we’ll have to pay, ch’v. Bereavement. Orphans. Maimed. Broken
families.
During the war in Lebanon, the Rebbe MH"M said that the
president of the United States left Washington in order to allow Israel to
finish off the job in Lebanon, but the Israelis didn’t do it because they were
afraid of what the goyim would say. We have a far better script today:
the entire world, including the Europeans, is disgusted with Arafat and have
given Israel the green light to do what it has to do. But not only hasn’t Israel
taken advantage of the momentum, but Arafat has come out stronger and more
"relevant" than Sharon and his friends (even more than Benny Alon).
HAR HA’BAYIS IS IN OUR HANDS
The Arabs continue to desecrate the holiest site of the
Jewish people, illegally destroying all signs of any past Jewish presence. A
group of archaeologists, among them people from the Left who are disturbed by
the destruction, established a committee which keeps tabs on what’s going on on
the Temple Mt. The prime minister doesn’t even agree to meet with them. Sharon,
who began his journey to the position of prime minister by entering the Temple
Mt. area, continues to allow the destruction of the Mt. and the continued
domination of the Palestinians in the area. All his promises fade away in the
face of reality.
Sharon once declared that Jerusalem would remain united.
After the massacre at Sbarro’s, Sharon "captured" Orient House, another sad joke
and ridiculous response to the murders perpetrated in the heart of the capitol.
As a continuation of his predecessor’s awful policies, Sharon continues to pour
his wrath on trees and stones. He blew up Arafat’s helicopters, empty buildings,
the broadcasting station of the Voice of Palestine - the main thing being, not
to attack the head of the snake.
If I am not mistaken, Benny Alon was one of those who led the
way in the war for the Temple Mt. and Yerushalayim. The question is, where is he
today? What is he doing in light of the terrible things taking place on the
Temple Mt. under the protection of the Israeli government of which he is a part?
How shameful!
THEY CLAIM THEY REMAIN IN THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF SECURITY
After the terrible bloodbath at the gates of Emanuel, the
Minister of Finance Avigdor Lieberman declared that the government had only one
choice left: to liquidate Arafat. Otherwise, he would leave the government.
Yeah right. He’s not thinking of leaving, and neither are the
members of his party. In the meantime it turns out that the "Oslo Underground" -
as Ze’evi would call this group - controls the government once again and
continues its policies. And Benny Alon would like us to believe that the
government is "heading in the right direction."
"He looked into the Torah and created the world." What Benny
Alon is doing, was already done and written in the Rebbe’s sichos. 27
years ago, the Rebbe spoke sharply about the Mafdal party remaining in their
seats despite all the danger. The Rebbe said, "And as far as their claim that
they must remain in the government because of the security situation - they have
no say when it comes to security. They don’t care about it at all. They conceded
on weapons so that their ministry would get its budget. When they say they will
fight not to give up Yehuda and Shomron, as far as they’re concerned, there’s
full agreement already to give Yehuda and Shomron, and the only thing they care
about is remaining in their seats, and nobody speaks up..."
The Rebbe goes on to say: "When they are outside the
government, they have the strength to demand something, unlike when they are
within the government. They don’t lack anything, for all they need is their
seat." (Shabbos Re’eih 5735).
History repeats itself, but this time with another party. The
principle remains the same.
WHERE ARE YOU - AYEKAH?
The truth is we don’t have such complaints against Benny Alon
and Avigdor Lieberman. In one of the sichos, the Rebbe MH"M explains that
he doesn’t have complaints against those who take bribes, because what can you
expect from them? ... and not from the chareidi Knesset members who are
busy obtaining more money. When you’re busy with money, there’s no time for
"little" things like the murder of Jews, r’l... even the Torah says that
"bribes blind the eyes of the wise and perverts the words of tzaddikim."
So it’s understandable why Alon and Lieberman are not ready
to give up their seats. The question is why is it that all those who do not
receive bribes are not yelling and screaming? What are we
waiting for? A Palestinian state in the heart of Israel? That the mortars and
roadside bombs become child’s play compared to what will happen, ch’v? We
all know where the terrorists are heading and what they want. Why aren’t we
screaming?
After my column about the Knesset members who are busy
dividing the money, I received a phone call from a loyal reader who asked me:
You are attacking the chareidi Knesset members, but what about us in
Chabad? We heard what the Rebbe said, and we saw how pained the Rebbe was when
he spoke about the danger the Jews in Eretz Yisroel are in. Why are we sitting
quietly with barely a protest?
At this point, I’d like to praise Rabbi Meir Gutnick, who is
the only one who sent open letters to the leaders of the Ichud HaLeumi, asking
them to leave the government. He expressed the pain of tens of thousands of
Chabad chassidim around the world, who supported that very party when it
ran in the elections
Every chassid has to make a cheshbon ha’nefesh:
What have I done to stop Sharon and Peres’ evil plan for the establishment of a
Palestinian state? What else can be done so that the members of the Right don’t
collaborate in bloodshed? Isn’t my silence contributing to the terrible
situation?
TWO SIDES AND THE AREA IN BETWEEN
Those on the Right ought to listen to what Knesset member
Effi Oshaya, chairman of the Labor party in the Knesset, had to say. He said he
doesn’t understand Sharon’s zigzag approach. Sometimes he carries out what Labor
wants, and sometimes what Likud wants. He said that Sharon was elected by a
majority in order to carry out a different policy than what the Labor party
suggested, and he doesn’t understand what’s going on with Sharon.
It’s just us on the Right, who still think that Sharon is on
the right path. Sharon’s policy of sitting on the fence is far worse than
outright Leftist policies, for the reason the Rebbe gives, that when someone
sits on the fence you think he’s okay, and so it’s much harder to talk to him
because you don’t know where he truly stands.
The Rebbe quoted Eliyahu’s question to Bnei Yisroel at
Har HaKarmel: "How long are you going to sit on the fence?" He gave them two
choices: Hashem or, ch’v, the Baal. It’s preferable to be on the side of
Baal than to sit on the fence! Those who go to the other side at least have a
chance of doing t’shuva, but those who sit on the fence have no chance of
doing t’shuva.
How relevant this is to our times.