| The YESHA Report
News and Opinion from
the YESHA Council of Jewish Communities
in Judea, Samaria and Gaza
September-October 1993 / Elul-Tishrei 5753-4 / No. 15
****
INSIDE THIS DOUBLE ISSUE
Yechiel Leiter analyzes the Israel-PLO pact
Timetable for Israel-PLO accord
Special report on demonstrations
The mood in Israel
Profile of Ma'ale Adumim artist Moshe Castel
Quotes from Arafat, Peres and others
New feature: "Peace Watch"
****
The Rabin-Peres Sellout
Yechiel M. Leiter
[Yechiel Leiter is Executive Director of the YESHA Council Foreign
Desk.]
The dust is now settling over the surprise Israel-PLO
agreement, hailed as a "great leap" in Middle East diplomacy. But
is it a leap forward or backwards? Is this plan in the interest of
Israel and the Jewish People, or to their detriment?
DEALING WITH TYRANTS. Yasser Arafat, the grandmaster of
international terrorism and Israel's archnemesis, was resurrected
from the depths. When he was down and out, almost a has-been, the
Israeli government revived him and gave him respectability he had
never had before. The government figured that Arafat is better
than Hamas, the Islamic fundamentalists who might have replaced the
PLO.
This is utterly foolish. It's the same sort of thinking that
led the United States to prop up Saddam Hussein as a bulwark
against Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini. Supporting Saddam ultimately
led to the Gulf War. Dictators are dictators -- it's folly to
compare levels of tyranny.
DANGERS FROM GAZA. Withdrawing the Israeli army from Gaza
would place Israel's southern cities at risk of Katyushas and other
short-range missiles, which could easily be smuggled through Gaza's
seaport. The army would be unable to carry out preventive anti-
terrorism measures; it would be limited to catching perpetrators
in the act.
It is impossible to stop all terrorist infiltration, but that
is no reason to willingly expose yourself to attacks. Israel will
be returned to the situation it was in before 1967, when PLO
_fedayeen_ terrorists attacked and then fled back to Gaza. We are
knowingly tying our hands regarding terrorism from Gaza.
Furthermore, some 100,000 Gazan Arabs will still work in
Israel, posing the same risk of terror attacks we have today. This
plan doesn't even fulfill Rabin's asserted desire to "take Gaza out
of Tel Aviv."
Finally, establishing self-rule for Gaza Arabs solves nothing
in the long run. The majority of Arabs in Gaza are refugees from
Haifa, Ramle and other parts of "little Israel." They want to
return to those cities; self-rule in Gaza may satisfy the Jewish
"Get out of Gaza" hysteria, but it will never satisfy the Arabs
living there.
JERICHO AND JERUSALEM. Jericho is the eastern corridor to
Jerusalem, guarding the route to Jerusalem from the Jordan River.
Forfeiting Jericho compromises the entire Jordan Valley, which
Rabin promised to protect in his election campaign as a vital
Israeli security zone. Instead of retaining the Jordan Valley,
Rabin would establish a terrorist headquarters in Jericho, fifteen
minutes from Jerusalem.
Nobody even knows how large "Jericho" is. The signed
agreement speaks of the "Jericho area," which according to the PLO
may include the entire Jordan Valley.
CREATING AN ARAB STATE. People who focus on Gaza and Jericho
are missing the main point of the agreement. Israel has granted
far-reaching unilateral concessions on _all_ of YESHA. Just a few
months after withdrawing from Gaza and Jericho, the Israeli army
will pull back from populated areas. We will hand over rights to
92% of the land (50% government owned, 42% private Arab land) to an
Arab council with legislative authorities -- that is, a state.
The Arab council will control the land and resources around
the 144 Jewish communities in YESHA. Not only does this compromise
the rights and security of the Jewish communities, but it also
gives the council direct control over 35% of the State of Israel's
water supply.
REASONABLE SECURITY? Israel's leaders didn't even consult the
army in formulating the security aspects of the deal, leaving
military leaders furious. There's no way Israel can continue to
maintain today's level of security -- which as it is isn't perfect,
to say the least.
Deputy Defense Minister Mordechai Gur said recently in Jericho
that Jewish residents of YESHA would continue to enjoy "a
reasonable level of security." How many deaths is that a month?
In 1992, an average of nearly two Israelis a day were injured by
terrorist attacks. How many would be a "reasonable" number? Three
a day? Five? Ten?
Unreleased reports have indicated that the Jews of YESHA will
be disarmed, their IDF-issued weapons removed. They will instead
be forced to accept the protection of the PLO "police." Reliable
sources say that the army plans to replace the plexiglass
shatterproof windows on schoolbuses with bulletproof glass.
Clearly, they expect the worst. They know they can't control the
PLO, and the PLO can't control everyone else.
MORAL FAILURE. Recognizing Arafat is a severe moral error.
Imagine that in 1945 Hitler had repented, forsworn his anti-
Semitism and mass murder, expressed a desire to live in peace and
harmony with the Jews of Europe. Would he have been forgiven?
Certainly, some Jewish leaders would have stood in line to
shake his hand and thank him, as they did for Arafat at the White
House signing.
To be sure, we question the veracity of Arafat's promises. He
has broken every promise he has made to Arab leaders; will he keep
his commitments to Jewish leaders? But even if we accept that
Arafat was moved by the spirit of true repentance as Rosh Hashana
approached, does that forgive his past? What about prosecuting him
for crimes against humanity? Penitence doesn't preclude justice.
DISGRACE TO BEGIN. Labor party leaders have been quick to
claim that this plan is just a fulfillment of the autonomy plan
proposed by Menachem Begin. This is little consolation to those of
us who warned against the dangers of Begin's autonomy, seeing in it
the seeds of a Palestinian Arab state.
Still, Begin's plan was a municipal autonomy, granting the
Arabs self-government in their towns. It was an autonomy of
people, not of land. There was to be no legislature, no
territorial rights, no control over resources. The Rabin-PLO plan
is already statehood, and it leaves Israel precious little means to
maintain security.
DEMOCRACY OR DICTATORSHIP? Rabin didn't run on a platform of
negotiations with Arafat. He has no mandate to carry out the deal
which resulted from those talks. Though he has a legal majority in
the Knesset, he has no moral mandate from the people.
The founding fathers of the United States realized that a slim
majority can't commit the nation on issues of significance. They
required two-thirds of the Senate to agree to any treaties with
foreign nations, lest the people be divided.
Israeli leaders should similarly recognize that concluding a
dangerous peace agreement with a terrorist is not worth endangering
Jewish lives and splitting the people. The government should bring
this decision before the nation rather than ramming it down
people's throats.
Instead, Rabin has displayed only utter contempt for his
parliamentary opposition. The government has acted like a
dictatorial regime: first it conducted secret talks, then it
approved the resulting document within a day of its revelation,
then it refused to publicize the contents of the agreement until
two weeks later, after the signing. The Knesset actually held a
debate over a document its members hadn't seen.
Government officials have felt no need to engage the
opposition in a dialogue over the nation's future. Instead, Rabin
has called protestors "crybabies" who are "not real Israelis."
"They don't move me," he said. Rather than try to allay his
opponents' fears, Rabin has chosen to ignore them.
The only moral, wise and democratic approach is to allow
enough time and freedom for an open public debate on such a fateful
issue. Only new elections now can ensure that the price of a
temporary, dangerous peace with the Arabs is not a historic split
of the Jewish people.
****
TIMETABLE FOR ISRAEL-PLO ACCORD
References to accord are given by article and paragraph number.
Date Time Event Article
elapsed / para.
===================================================================
Sept 13, 1993 0 Declaration signed XVII
Oct. 13, 1993 1 mo. Declaration enters into force XVII
Dec. 13, 1993 3 mo. Sides sign agreement on rapid Israeli Annex
withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho II/1
Apr. 13, 1994 7 mo. Deadline for completion of Annex
*WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA AND JERICHO* II/2
5-year transitional period begins XIV,V/1
Israel begins to transfer authority VI/1
in all of YESHA to "authorized
Palestinians" selected by the PLO
PLO begins to build police force VI/2
July 12, 1994 10 mo. By eve of elections, Israeli forces XIII/
*WITHDRAW FROM ALL POPULATED AREAS* 1-2
in Judea and Samaria
July 13, 1994 10 mo. Deadline for general elections III/1-2
throughout YESHA and Jerusalem for
Palestinian governing Council. Public
order to be ensured by PLO police force.
Soon thereafter Council inaugurated and assumes VII/2-4,
all legislative and executive powers IX
in its jurisdiction, in all of YESHA.
Israel's Civil Administration is VII/5
dissolved and Israeli military
government withdrawn.
Israeli *WITHDRAWAL FROM REMAINING XIII/3
TERRITORY* begins.
April 14, 1996 2 yr.+ Deadline for permanent status V/2
7 mo. negotiations to begin (Israeli
government or international pressure
may accelerate this).
Talks to cover "Jerusalem, refugees,
settlements, security arrangements,
borders, relations and cooperation with
other neighbors, and other issues of
common interest"
April 13, 1999 5 yr.+ Permanent status takes effect V/1
7 mo.
****
"LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE:" Israelis Protest Accord with PLO
:::Over 200,000 in Massive Jerusalem Rally:::
Israel's largest political protest ever was held outside the
prime minister's office in Jerusalem on Monday, September 6. Over
200,000 people gathered to protest the Israel-PLO Declaration of
Principles, which effectively lays the foundations for a
Palestinian Arab state.
The demonstrators arrived in over 2,000 buses, plus many who
drove private vehicles and countless Jerusalemites. The crowd
filled the six-lane Ruppin Boulevard for a stretch of half a mile
(1 km) and overflowed into adjoining streets. Traffic at the
entrance to the city from Tel Aviv was so backed up that many left
their cars by the highway and walked.
A week earlier on August 31, the day after the Declaration of
Principles was revealed, 10,000 people had appeared on eight hours
notice to protest at "Demonstration Hill" across from the prime
minister's office in Jerusalem.
Both events were organized by the Joint Committee, a
coordinating body with representation from Israeli groups
supporting Israel's territorial integrity. First and foremost
among them is the YESHA Council, whose director general, Uri Ariel,
serves as the Joint Committee's chairman.
Other participants in the Joint Committee include supporters
of Likud, Tsomet, Moledet, the National Religious Party, Chabad-
Lubavitch, Emunim, Yisrael Achat, Amana, Ma'amatz, the Golan
Settlements Committee, Matot HaGolan, and the Committee to Stop the
Autonomy Plan.
Speakers at the massive September 6 event included political
leaders from the Knesset opposition parties and rabbis from the
national religious movement and Chabad.
POLICE BRUTALITY ERUPTS
After the speeches ended, protestors encircled the government
complex. Over 2,000 sat down in front of the entrance to the prime
minister's office, symbolically laying siege to the seat of power.
The strategy was passive resistance; many even bedded down in
sleeping bags.
At 1:30 am, despite an understanding that the demonstration
would continue until morning, the police declared the demonstration
illegal. Within minutes, two water cannons were brought in to
disperse the crowd.
Many were unaware of what was happening; the police
announcement had been made only at one end of the road. Young
children and infants were asleep; teenagers sang folk songs and
talked.
Police clubbed demonstrators with batons, dragged, kicked and
beat people. After 45 minutes, the area was clear. Dozens were
removed by ambulance and 32 were arrested, including YESHA Council
Director General Uri Ariel and former Samaria Regional Council Head
Benny Katzover.
Among the injured were 64-year-old Yehudit Etzion, whose hair
was pulled out; 67-year-old Aviva Segal, who was hospitalized for
several days; a 12-year-old struck on the head; and a 20-year-old
man beat in the groin.
At a Knesset committee hearing it later surfaced that Police
Commissioner Rafi Peled had ordered the use of excessive force to
disperse the crowd, as the jails were too full to accommodate mass
arrests. The violence, he reasoned, would cause demonstrators to
disperse quickly; otherwise, removing over 2,000 demonstrators
could take hours. State Comptroller Miriam Ben-Porat castigated
Peled and also demanded that officers wear nametags in the future
so those guilty of brutality could be identified.
For the next three days, thousands of protestors camped out at
the demonstration site, whistling, shouting and sometimes
attempting to block the roads to disrupt government operations.
Earlier week-long demonstrations in Jerusalem in June and Tel Aviv
in August were useful dry runs at organizing this event.
Two weeks later, during the Knesset debate over the Israel-PLO
accord, another four-day demonstration was held, this time in the
Wohl Rose Garden opposite the Knesset. The main event drew 100,000
people on Tuesday, September 21 to a rally in the Rose Garden. At
that event, Likud head Benjamin Netanyahu and his long-time rival
David Levy shared the same platform for the first time since their
falling-out during the Likud primaries last winter.
:::Women Block Main Junction:::
On September 9, some 250 women stood at an intersection in
northern Jerusalem to protest government policy towards the PLO.
Holding posters, they chanted, "Rabin resign, Jewish blood isn't
cheap". Some came with babies and children. One police car which
saw the protest stopped and apparently called for others.
Women went into the crosswalk and stopped traffic for a few
minutes. Policemen appeared from all directions and rough-handled
the unarmed women. One young girl was thrown to the ground,
injuring her in the head; she had to be hospitalized. Children
began to cry.
At least two of the women were arrested, one with her baby in
her arms. None offered resistance. Not one female officer was
among the police. Whenever Arab women demonstrate, female officers
are called in.
Many passing cars beeped their horns, waved in solidarity, and
called out words of support.
:::"Ships of Return" Kick Off Tel Aviv Protest:::
Excitement was great aboard the four ships headed for Jaffa
Port. About a hundred men, women and children in traditional Arab
dress looked anxiously towards the shore, chanting Arab nationalist
slogans such as "With blood and fire we will redeem Palestine" and
"Slaughter the Jews." They eagerly anticipated their return from
Gaza to their homes in Jaffa, Haifa, Ramle and Jerusalem.
"Welcome to Greater Palestine" read a banner on one ship;
another predicted, "Gaza first, then Jericho, then Jerusalem!"
Relatives waited at the shore to greet them, welcoming them "back
to our stolen homeland." The passengers disembarked before
cheering crowds and rolling news cameras, and rejoined their
families at an emotional "Right of Return Festival." The return of
the Arab refugees had begun.
Did this really happen or is it just an Israeli nightmare?
Both, in a way. All the above took place on Sunday, August 8.
However, the passengers, relatives and other characters were not
Arabs but costumed Jews, residents of Beit El and Kedumim, towns in
YESHA. The performance had been rehearsed under professional
direction; careful attention was paid to detail to make the
dramatization realistic. The goal was to dramatize to the Israeli
public the threat of negotiating with the PLO.
The event kicked off a five-day round-the-clock demonstration
in Tel Aviv, organized by the Joint Committee, under the banner
"Rabin Has No Mandate to Negotiate with the PLO."
The five-day demonstration was headquartered in a park on the
Tel Aviv beach, where hundreds of protestors camped out each night.
Organizers estimate that some 250,000 people passed through the
demonstration area during the course of the week.
The schedule included demonstrations around Tel Aviv and
lectures by prominent rabbis and scholars.
TENT CITY AND "WOODSTOCK"
The demonstration opened Sunday morning with the construction
of a tent city in the park, stretching over an area of 1 square
kilometer. Towns, villages and communities from across Israel set
up tents. The "town" included grocery stores, bookstores, and art
galleries. Political parties and lobby groups also had a strong
presence.
Each evening featured free musical performances aimed at
different age groups and social groups. This was especially
significant in Tel Aviv, the capital of Israel's bohemia. In the
words of YESHA Council Spokesman Yechiel Leiter, "The cultural
aspect of the political demonstration has riled the left wing, who
like to think they have a patent on cultural activities. The
consecutive evening concerts have been dubbed a Woodstock for
supporters of the Land of Israel."
A concert by Hasidic pop star Avraham Fried drew overflow
crowds of up to 100,000 fans Wednesday night. Tuesday evening,
Israeli folk singer Yehoram Gaon drew over 15,000 people singing
along enthusiastically to songs about Israel and the Jewish People.
Participants in the week's activities included American
supporters who helped sponsor the event: Assemblyman Dov Hikind
(Brooklyn), Mr. and Mrs. Jay Kestenbaum (Lawrence, NY), Mr. and
Mrs. Mordy Strauss (Far Rockaway, NY), Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Segal
(Philadelphia, PA) and Dr. Bruce Terrace (Washington, D.C.).
****
With the Stroke of a Pen
The day the Israel-PLO agreement was signed in Washington, the
atmosphere in Israel was less than jubilant.
PLO flags waved from minarets on mosques in villages and towns
throughout Judea and Samaria.
In Hebron, thousands of Arabs circled Kiryat Arba, chanting
"With blood and fire we shall redeem Palestine." The Israeli army
did not intervene, but did stand by the Jewish demonstrators who
came from Kiryat Arba with Israeli flags.
The Jerusalem-Shechem road was blocked for hours as thousands
of Arabs from the area marched on the main road bearing PLO flags.
Jewish families trying to reach their homes in places such as Eli,
Shilo, Elon Moreh and Tapuach were turned back by the army. Arab
policemen with PLO armbands directed traffic.
Rock throwing was heavily reported throughout YESHA. A
passenger bus was fired upon on its way to Tekoa; no one was
injured.
In Jerusalem, Arabs staged victory processions through the
city, bearing PLO flags and pictures of Arafat. According to Voice
of Israel news, a deal was struck between Hamas and the PLO to
collaborate on a march through Jerusalem.
A PLO flag-raising ceremony took place at the Orient House,
the Jerusalem headquarters of the PLO.
Meanwhile, at a gathering at his hotel in Washington, Arafat
answered questions from hundreds of his supporters. According to
Voice of Israel radio, he explained that the PLO was merely
implementing its 1974 decision to take over ruling areas that
Israel withdraws from. Voice of Israel neglected to mention that
this 1974 decision was the PLO's infamous Phased Plan, which calls
for a Palestinian State as the first step towards Israel's eventual
destruction.
****
Castel Museum to House Artist's Life Work
Artist Moshe Castel dreamed of putting his finest works on
display, nestled forever on a hillside facing Jerusalem. The
vision continued through the efforts of his wife Bilha after his
death in 1991. Along with friends, family, and the Ma'aleh Adumim
Foundation, she is working to found the Moshe Castel Museum of Art.
Castel exhibited his early works in 1925 in Jerusalem and in
1927 in Paris -- where he joined the circle of Picasso, Matisse,
Soutine and Chagall. He returned to Israel in 1936.
His pre-war pieces portrayed kabbalists and mythic rabbis,
followed in the 1940's and 1950's by renditions of the biblical
sacrifice theme. Abstract expressions and scenes of Safed were
folloed by a stunning array of warmly colored unique basalt murals
of ancient Jewish texts.
In the words of former Israeli President Chaim Herzog, "The
past, present and future converge in the works and personality of
Moshe Castel, whose life is deeply rooted in the history of the
land. Nowhere is this more evident than in the unique style of
Castel's art, suffused in mystique and redolent of our Biblical
past."
Castel's masterpieces grace the walls of Israeli national
institutions such as the Knesset and the President's House, not to
mention leading museums in New York, London, Boston, Sao Paulo and
Rome.
The artist had long been drawn to the biblical stories. "I
was born in the last house of the Bukharian Quarter in Jerusalem,
near the rocks and the marvelous view of the Judean Hills, which
influenced me and all my works," he recalled. "All the Bible
stories took place around my house, between the rocks and
mountains, and there I saw visions of our forefathers and the
prophets."
The cornerstone has been laid for the museum in Ma'aleh Adumim
to house a permanent exhibition of Castel's works and a
professional research library. The exhibits will be rotated in
consultation with his wife.
Reflecting the artist's love of Ma'aleh Adumim, the museum
will be an anchor of tourist interest for the city.
****
OFF THE CUFF
ON IDENTITY:
Yasser Arafat --
Anyone who relinquishes a single inch of Jerusalem is neither
an Arab nor a Muslim.
- Quoted by "Voice of Palestine" Radio, Algiers (Sept. 2,
1993).
Shimon Peres --
Anyone who says Gaza is ours isn't a Jew.
- Park East Synagogue, Manhattan (Sept. 26, 1993).
ON DESTROYING ISRAEL:
I warn the Jews that this is a conspiracy against them: the
Palestinian state which is established in the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip is a mere stage, the Palestinians will take it as a
basis for liberating Tel Aviv, Acre, Haifa and Jaffa.
- Muammar Qadhafi, Libyan TV (Sept. 1, 1993).
[The agreement] will be a basis for an independent Palestinian
state in accordance with the Palestine National Council resolution
issued in 1974.... The PNC resolution issued in 1974 calls for the
establishment of a national authority on any part of Palestinian
soil from which Israel withdraws or which is liberated.
- Yasser Arafat, Radio Monte Carlo (Sept. 1, 1993). The
resolution referred to is the "Phased Plan," which calls for
a Palestinian Arab state as the first stage towards Israel's
military destruction.
The agreement is in the framework of our National Covenant. We
have to accept the deal and wait for a change in the circumstances
that could lead to the elimination of Israel.
- PLO representative Abu el Aynayn's argument in support of
the Israel-PLO agreement. El Aynayn is in daily contact with
Arafat. Reported in U.S. News and World Report (Sept. 1993).
ON SECURITY:
Under the new interim period arrangements, the Palestine Liberation
Army forces will be transformed into security police, with an aim
of bringing in thousands of PLO guerillas outside the camps in
stages.
- A PLO official (Aug. 31, 1993).
If you turn over control to them, then that's it. There is not
much you can do.
- Israeli Police Minister Moshe Shahal on the Palestinian Arab
self-rule police force (Sept. 1, 1993).
It will be extremely difficult to conduct preventive action against
terrorism and it will be extremely difficult to eradicate terrorism
without preventive action. I don't know how we can provide
security for Israelis traveling on the roads if the IDF won't be
there.
- IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Amnon Shahak to Knesset committee
(Aug. 31, 1993).
ON JERUSALEM:
There is no one among us, no one of us who can accept to give up a
grain of the sand of holy Jerusalem or of the homeland.
- Yasser Arafat, message to mark 68th month of intifada,
"Voice of Palestine" radio from Algiers (July 9, 1993).
ON THE FUTURE:
The Palestinian state is within our grasp. Soon the Palestinian
flag will fly on the walls, the minarets and the cathedrals of
Jerusalem.
- Yasser Arafat, New York Times (Sept. 3, 1993).
[I am] confident that an independent Palestinian state will be
created within 18 months.
- Yasser Arafat (Apr. 25, 1993).
ON NEGOTIATIONS:
We have many options...we will burn the ground under the feet of
the invaders.... They want us to surrender in the talks, but we
will be ambushing them.
- Yasser Arafat (Apr. 25, 1993).
Q: Mr. Peres, did you meet a senior PLO figure in Stockholm about
a week ago?
A: No, in Stockholm I met Swedes.
- Interview with Shimon Peres, Israel television (Aug. 25,
1993).
Peres is on an emotional bender. He thinks the millenium has
arrived and that the Palestinians and Israel are going to live
together like Belgium and Holland.
- Henry Kissinger (Sept. 13, 1993).
So they're not peaceniks. That's okay with me. My expectations
are low.
- Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin describing the
Arabs (Aug. 1993).
With Arafat, it's always make an agreement and then break it, like
"doublecrossing every bridge when you come to it." Just ask
[Jordan's King] Hussein.
- Hebrew University Prof. Rafael Israeli, Jerusalem Post
(Sept. 1, 1993).
****
P E A C E W a t c h
On September 9, 1993, Yasser Arafat called for an end to the
violence between Jews and Arabs in Israel and YESHA. The YESHA
Report is replacing its Intrafada Watch with a space to track
developments since the Israel-PLO mutual recognition.
Through October 9, 1993:
Israeli victims of Arab violence: 7
Arab victims of Arab violence: 8
Arabs killed accidentally in actions against Jews: 4
****
The YESHA Report
The YESHA Report is a publication of the YESHA Council of
Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
"YESHA" is an acronym of _Yehuda_, _Shomron_ and _Aza_, the
Hebrew for Judea, Samaria and Gaza. YESHA translates as
"salvation" and is thus a metonym.
Articles appearing in The YESHA Report may be reprinted with
proper acknowledgment.
EDITORIAL ADDR.: The YESHA Report
YESHA Council of Jewish Communities
16B Ramat HaGolan St., Jerusalem, Israel.
Tel: (972-2) 810-624. Fax: (972-2) 814-072.
U.S. ADDRESS: PRO ISRAEL / YESHA Heartland Campaign
17 E. 45th Street, Suite 603, New York, NY 10017.
Tel: (212) 867-0577. Fax: (212) 867-0615.
EUROPEAN ADDR.: Friends of YESHA
143 Brondesbury Park, London NW2 5JL, England.
EDITORIAL BOARD:
Yisrael Medad Jason Elbaum Rachel Ginsberg Yechiel Leiter
Avigail Frij Bob Lang Barbara Oberman-Katz
****
END
|
| The YESHA Report
News and Opinion from
the YESHA Council of Jewish Communities
in Judea, Samaria and Gaza
November 1993 / Cheshvan 5753 / No. 16
****
IN THIS ISSUE
Dr. Amiel Ungar on the Israeli government's Disney mentality
Survey shows lack of trust in Rabin
YESHA communities get medical equipment
University professors back YESHA
Plus . . . quotations and terror update
****
Peres in Wonderland
The departure tax from the Israeli government's fantasy
world will be a lot stiffer than the entrance fee.
Dr. Amiel Ungar
[Dr. Ungar lectures on political science at Bar Ilan University.]
In the late, unlamented communist regimes, the local satraps
would always emulate on a small scale the campaigns initiated by
the supreme leader. If Moscow announced its intention to raise
food yields, a local flunkey in Siberia could be counted on to
report that his district produced cabbages whose size and weight
would achieve instant recognition in the Guinness Book of World
Records.
The euphoric tone established by the present Israeli
government to sell the "peace process" invites a similar process of
flattery by imitation. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres takes the
lead when he elaborates grandiose designs for a Middle East Common
Market and development plans to transform the refugee camps in Gaza
into latter-day Hong Kongs and Singapores.
Other ministries will not lag behind indefinitely. They,
unlike many Israelis, do not fear approaching water shortages.
True, Israel under the present government's policy will forfeit
control of water resources in Judea and Samaria, as well as on the
Golan. Yes, a massive increase in the Arab population of Judea and
Samaria is foreseeable, as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon will dump
their refugee camp population on our doorstep. For our forward-
looking government, the vice is a virtue. Massive and expensive
desalinization will solve the problem. If it doesn't, we can count
on an armada of tankers to convey water from Turkey. Look on the
bright side: if one of those tankers runs aground in bad weather,
the worst we can expect is a water spill.
HIGHWAYS TO HEAVEN
Some of the most inventive new thinking has come out of the
Housing Ministry, the same ministry which has frozen construction
in Judea and Samaria and which is thwarting occupancy in already-
completed housing. Housing Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who is
also in charge of road construction, is excited about the imminent
importance of Israel's lateral roads. Once, these roads which
traverse Israel's width were security roads to carry troops to and
from the eastern front. Now, they will be peace roads linking
Israel with her Arab neighbors to the east.
Ben-Eliezer envisages motels sprouting all across these roads.
Motels are great for people traveling long distances by car, but it
is hard to see the need for motels along Israel's lateral roads,
given the distances. The journey from Amman to Jerusalem is still
only an hour, whether in peace or in war, hardly a distance which
justifies a string of motels. Perhaps Ben-Eliezer would have the
motels built in the nine-mile corridor between the pre-1967
boundaries and the Israeli coastal town of Netanya?
If geography does not pose a problem to daring minds, inter-
ministerial rivalries can be more nettlesome. Transport Minister
Yisrael Kessar intends to have railroads chugging along the same
routes, and the constant train traffic will disturb the clients in
Ben-Eliezer's motels.
The Housing Ministry is also employing intellectual creativity
to cope with the imminent constriction of Israel's borders. By the
year 2020 the ministry plans to have Israelis live in three great
megalopolises. Houses will soar to thirty stories and, wonder of
wonders, many of them will be complete with shopping and other
facilities right in the building. All the advantages of Tokyo and
Mexico City will be available to Israelis, presumably including
questionable air quality. However, the same inventive people who
have dreamed up the importation of water will undoubtedly devise a
scheme for importing bottled air. This will bring us back to the
golden age of _luftmenschen_, the Jews who literally lived off the
air, but at least they will now be high-tech _luftmenschen_.
There are undoubtedly some laggard Israelis, not yet adjusted
to the new realities and the newspeak, who will object to the high-
rise plan. Israel has long believed in the theory of geographic
dispersal. Those high-rises and heavy population densities would
not have looked inviting during the Gulf War.
THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING
One of the main advantages, however, of single-minded positive
thinking is its ability to drive out negative thinking. One cannot
fantasize and have nightmares at the same time. Many of the
arguments that were used by the peace advocates before the deal
with the PLO have now miraculously disappeared.
Israel was advised to go the surrender route and capitulate to
terrorists due to the menacing buildup on her eastern border. Now
the peace advocates tell us that we have nothing to worry about if
the deal goes sour. If the Palestinian Arabs wantonly violate the
accord, then we can expect a "splendid little war" in which Israel
will spank the naughty Palestinians. The menacing eastern
coalition and the prospective allies of a Palestinian Arab state
have vanished into the fifth dimension.
Israel had to cut a deal with the PLO, we were told, or else
we would get the Muslim fundamentalists. This threat, too, has
disappeared by the fiat of Deputy Foreign Minister Yossi Beilin.
Beilin, echoing his master's voice, blithely announces that Hamas
has no option but to join the PLO or else it will lose its entire
basis of support. Pity we can't rent Beilin out to the governments
of Egypt and Algeria, or even the United States, to exorcise their
Islamic specters so easily.
Even the threat of missiles, another reason to make peace, no
longer daunts Israel's progressive forces. Palestine will be a
sovereign demilitarized state. It will have a seaport and an
airport, but no contraband will come through; we have the Arabs'
word of honor on that score. If some Katyusha rockets or Stinger
missiles get through, then Israel can absorb the casualties as well
as London or Belfast does. Missiles no longer pose a mortal threat
to Israel's existence. The shooting down of an occasional airliner
will hardly offset the boom in international tourism promoted by
the overall regional stability.
The old Disneyland used to be divided into four kingdoms:
Frontierland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.
Israel's government ignores the importance of defensible frontiers,
it has sought to eradicate the adventurous and resilient spirit
which animated Zionism, and it thinks in terms of now rather than
tomorrow. This leaves us with Fantasyland, but unlike at Disney,
the departure tax from the government's fantasy world is going to
be a lot stiffer than the entrance fee.
****
Tel Aviv Survey Shows Low Public Trust in Rabin
The findings of a research survey on Israeli public opinion
regarding the Rabin government and the Israel-PLO accord were
released at a YESHA Council press conference on November 21. The
survey was conducted by Professor Avi Degani of the Geocartography
Institute for Spatial Analysis, Ltd., Tel Aviv, and commissioned by
the YESHA Council.
The survey was conducted on November 7-8 with 507
participants, forming a representative sample of the population.
Responses to the survey included:
What are your primary feelings towards the settlers in Judea and
Samaria; are you sympathetic or unsympathetic towards them?
Very sympathetic 33%
Sympathetic 34%
Unsympathetic 11%
Very unsympathetic 6%
No special feelings / indifferent 16%
Do you trust the declarations of Prime Minister Rabin regarding
Jerusalem?
Fear he will open Jerusalem's status
to negotiation 54%
Believe he will definitely not allow
changes 40%
No opinion 6%
Do you believe Prime Minister Rabin will stand by his declaration
that he opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state between
Israel and Jordan?
Believe he will give in to formation of
a Palestinian state 69%
Believe he will not permit it 16%
No opinion 15%
Do you support or oppose the efforts of the settlers in Judea and
Samaria?
Support strongly 29%
Support 29%
So-so 17%
Oppose 17%
Oppose strongly 8%
If terrorism and murder continue despite the accord with the PLO,
should the State of Israel cancel the accord?
Should cancel 51.9%
Should not cancel 40.9%
No opinion 7.2%
If Yasser Arafat declares a Palestinian state despite the
opposition of the Israeli government, should the State of Israel
cancel the accord?
Should cancel 65.8%
Should not cancel 23.8%
No opinion 10.4%
****
Medical Equipment Placed in YESHA Communities
Life-saving defibrillators, crucial in heart attack cases,
have recently been acquired for use in four areas: the towns of
Elkana and Karnei Shomron in Samaria, and the regional medical
centers of the Jordan Valley and Gush Katif areas.
Funding for the units was raised through the efforts of the
YESHA Council, which, through the PRO ISRAEL/YESHA Heartland
Campaign in the United States, supports humanitarian projects
throughout YESHA, the Golan Heights and new Jerusalem
neighborhoods. Jewish residents in these areas are denied help by
all major Jewish philanthropies, even for the most basic and vital
medical equipment like ambulances and rescue equipment.
In addition, last month gynecological equipment, consisting of
doppler devices to check fetal pulse rates and examination tables,
has been donated to three communities with high birth rates, Dolev,
Neve Tzuf and Yitzhar. Medical clinics in these communities also
serve other nearby communities.
There are still many communities in YESHA which are distant
from medical centers and whose residents have to travel through
dangerous Arab neighborhoods to reach clinics for routine medical
tests, periodic specialized examinations and emergency treatment.
For these reasons, an emergency patient may not survive the trip to
the nearest medical facility. According to local medical experts,
these communities would be well served not only by more
defibrillators and more gynecological equipment, but by quick
response laboratories as well as other basic medical equipment. In
addition, dental facilities are sparsely located throughout the
YESHA regions and some are inadequately equipped.
-----
Anyone interested in helping to contribute to medical and dental
projects can contact PRO ISRAEL / YESHA Heartland Campaign, 17 East
45th Street, Suite 603, New York, NY 10017, Tel. (212) 867-0577,
or contact the YESHA Council.
****
400 University Professors Speak Out for YESHA
The effort to oppose the Israeli government's policy regarding
the accord with the PLO and the Jewish communities in YESHA has a
new partner. The over 400 members of the Association of Professors
for Political and Economic Strength in Israel are actively taking
issue with the government's policy, believing strongly that it
breaks all the rules regarding Israel's welfare. They appear often
at speaking engagements and forums to make their opinions known
throughout Israel.
The involvement of the university professors is especially
significant as it serves to counter left-wing propaganda which
claims that Israel's intellegentsia uniformly supports the left and
portrays the supporters of YESHA as mainly messianic rabbis and
blue-collar laborers.
The Association of Professors for Political and Economic
Strength in Israel comprises professors from all the major Israeli
universities and graduate institutions, with representatives from
all fields and disciplines. The association was founded in 1988,
at the beginning of the intifada.
Not affiliated with any political party, the association's
platform includes the following principles for maintaining Israel's
security and economic growth:
1. Every Jew has an inherent right to settle in any part of
the land of Israel;
2. Every citizen should be guaranteed personal security;
3. A Jewish majority should be maintained in Israel to insure
the Jewish character of the country;
4. Jewish values should be an integral part of the educational
program of all schools;
5. Substantial steps should be taken to transform Israel's
economy into a liberal free-market economy.
Association founders first recognized the need to organize
professors who support conservative policy issues when professors
associated with the Peace Now movement issued a petition supporting
left-wing views.
Professors belonging to the association frequently travel
abroad to professional conferences and colloquiums worldwide.
While abroad, the professors are available to meet with colleagues
and to appear at speaking engagements and parlor meetings. Anyone
interested in arranging such events in their community may contact
the Association of Professors for Political and Economic Strength
in Israel at P.O. Box 9137, Jerusalem 91091 Israel or fax (972) 2-
527-213.
****
OFF THE CUFF
I know [declaring a Palestinian state] is a problem for Israelis.
So we'll declare our "national authority," which is really a state
[next year]....
- Yasser Arafat, U.S. News and World Report (Nov. 8, 1993).
We will not lay down our weapons until complete liberation....
Sooner or later we will throw the Zionists into the sea.
- Lt.-Col. Munir Maqdah, commmander of PLO forces in Lebanon,
Reuters (Oct. 8, 1993).
Palestine is only a stone's throw away for a small Palestinian boy
or girl.
- Yasser Arafat, Jordanian TV (Sept. 13, 1993).
Israel must not demand that the PLO alter its covenant, just as the
PLO does not demand that the Jewish nation cancel the Bible.
- PLO official Ziyad Abu Ziyad, in speech to American Jewish
Federation (Oct. 23, 1993).
I don't know anyone who thinks this [Israel-PLO agreement] is going
to work. There's no basis for this thing to succeed, and all we
can do is just follow orders and hope for the best.
- Anonymous Israeli lt.-col. serving in Gaza, The Jerusalem
Post (Nov. 3, 1993).
I expect the settlers... not to go buying cheap eggs.
- Yitzhak Rabin, after Beit El resident Chaim Mizrachi was
murdered buying eggs from an Arab farmer (Oct. 31, 1993).
[Yasser Arafat] stressed the continuation of struggle until the
Palestinian flag was hoisted over Jerusalem's walls.
- "Voice of Palestine" Radio, Algiers (Oct. 24, 1993).
We [the Palestinians] still have some effort to make and struggle
to wage in confronting and expelling occupation from all the areas
which had been occupied since 1967 and from other areas.
- "Voice of Palestine" Radio, Algiers (Oct. 23, 1993). "Other
areas" presumably refers to those part of Israel _before_
1967.
We do not call it violence. We call it legitimate struggle and
jihad.
- Ahmed Jibril, secretary general of the Popular Front for the
Liberation of Palestine General Command, Al-Quds Radio (Oct.
21, 1993).
****
T E R R O R W a t c h
On September 9, 1993, Yasser Arafat called for an end to violence
between Arabs and Jews. This space tracks developments since the
Israel-PLO mutual recognition.
Through November 14, 1993:
Israeli victims of Arab violence: 12
Arab victims of Arab violence: 10
Arabs killed incidentally in actions against Jews: 6
****
The YESHA Report
The YESHA Report is a publication of the YESHA Council of
Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza.
"YESHA" is an acronym of _Yehuda_, _Shomron_ and _Aza_, the
Hebrew for Judea, Samaria and Gaza. YESHA translates as
"salvation" and is thus a metonym.
Articles appearing in The YESHA Report may be reprinted with
proper acknowledgment.
EDITORIAL ADDR.: The YESHA Report
YESHA Council of Jewish Communities
16B Ramat HaGolan St., Jerusalem, Israel.
Tel: (972-2) 810-624. Fax: (972-2) 814-072.
U.S. ADDRESS: PRO ISRAEL / YESHA Heartland Campaign
17 E. 45th Street, Suite 603, New York, NY 10017.
Tel: (212) 867-0577. Fax: (212) 867-0615.
EUROPEAN ADDR.: Friends of YESHA
143 Brondesbury Park, London NW2 5JL, England.
EDITORIAL BOARD:
Yisrael Medad Jason Elbaum Rachel Ginsberg Yechiel Leiter
Avigail Frij Bob Lang Barbara Oberman-Katz
****
END
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