Wake Up With Fleas

(Continued from p.7)

But what Israel really needs is a charismatic leader who is faithful to genuine Zionist principles and is willing to take risks to stand for what all Israelis used to believe in. None of the present candidates is willing to stand up to the most simple of tests. Is there one candidate who really thinks that Arafat is a hero? Is there one who really believes it is possible to make peace with the PLO? Is there one who truly thinks that this band of hoodlum terrorists will honor any agreement it signs? I don't think that any honest individual really believes any of the above. Yet, in spite of their gut feelings, they refuse to make an honest assessment of the reality of dealing with murderers, and instead pretend that Israel is making peace. Begin may have a better limit to how far he is willing to go with this self-delusion, but even he is willing to accept the principle of negotiating with murderers.

I do not think it utopian to expect to find a Jewish leader who is willing to be honest, and faithful to the state's most basic national interests. There is absolutely no justification for any kind of PLO entity to exist on Jewish soil. The concept of "let's give peace a

What Israel really needs is a charismatic leader who is faithful to genuine Zionist principles and is willing to take risks to stand for what all Israelis used to believe in.

The time has long come for honest Jewish leadership to recognize this fact and act with self-respect. The very least I expect from a Jewish leader that I would be willing to support is to recognize that Arafat has violated both the spirit and the letter of Oslo and thus rendered that agreement null and void. In view of that fact, it is the obligation of any Jewish government to take back that which was given away under false pretenses. Gaza and Jericho and every other parcel of Jewish Land which was granted only for autonomous purposes, yet was, defacto, incorporated into a sovereign PLO entity, must be repossessed by Israel, and the foreign entity removed from Jewish soil.

I have not heard any candidate from any party as much as suggest that we take back that which belongs to us and which was taken from us illegitmately and by force. Why did Sharon threaten to annex what is still left of Judea and Samaria if Arafat dares declare statehood? For the same effort, and with far more justification, he could have declared that Israel will take it all back in reaction to such a step by the chief terrorist.

The State of Israel is in turmoil today only because there is no genuine Jewish leadership. There was a time when everyone in Israel knew that this is our homeland. Today almost no one seems to remember. Our fathers died to preserve the dream of Zion. How dare their children simply give up that ancient dream after it was handed to us on a silver platter? We have no right to give away one grain of sand on the Gaza beach. How dare any Jewish leader consider giving anything to the likes of an Arafat? Peace is not even a part of the equation. Israel's leaders have unilaterally decided to surrender to the intifada. We are currently negotiating the terms of that surrender. I am looking for a leader who refuses to surrender.

This is why we do not have peace. We are being led by fools who are actively participating in our self destruction. But, what is worse, no one is objecting. When students felt that their tuition costs were too high they took to the streets and willingly faced police batons and arrest in order to make their case. They went on hunger strikes. How then is it conceivable for the people of Israel to complacently stand by and watch our leaders give away our homeland for which so many of our sons gave their life blood to regain?

Where are the protests? Why is Shimon's Peace Center not under siege day and night by Jews who demand that he not be given permission to represent the Jewish State as the Prince of Peace, or in any other capacity? Why are no charges brought against this traitor by anyone? Why are we whining about what Arafat may or may not declare next May? Can't we see that, de facto, we have already permitted him to establish his state? Why is there no serious discussion about dismantling the PLO state which already exists? Why is there no contender for leadership who has the courage to just be a Jewish leader?

I really want to vote on May 17th. But it seems to me that, as of now, there is no contender who offers leadership. Not one candidate seems to care that we are on the path to self-destruction. Only when this fact is recognized will there be hope to turn things around. I am looking and I am listening. What I see and hear is Shimon Peres ignoring democracy and conducting a foreign policy of treason with impunity. When the people of Israel watch their leaders kissing murderers. . .when they see former leaders openly betraying their country in the name of "peace" without as much as a protest, then they should understand why we suffer as a nation. When one sleeps with dogs he should not be surprised to wake up with fleas.

Gary M. Cooperberg is associated with the Nir Yeshiva in Kiryat Arba, Israel.

Outpost               - 8 -               February 1999