OPINION

Ushering In The New Year
With Awe, Determination

These Jews Face Life Of Terror

BINYAMIN NETANYAHU
Yechiel Leiter told us he believes the
Special to The Jewish News
Oslo Accords will lead to war, not peace
and, given the Israeli experience since
s we approach Rosh
the agreement, who could dispute him?
ere we were, in the middle
Hashanah 5759, I want to
More Israelis have been killed through
of the Gaza strip settled by
wish
you a good year, a
terrorism in the two-and-a-half-year
the Jews in the period of the
year
of
peace an prosperity
period following Oslo than at any other
Hasmoneans in 145 BCE.
for the Jewish people everywhere.
time in Israeli history.
Now, the Jews are
It is characteristic of our people
Ehud Olmert won-
back, thanks to the
that
we do not consider the onset of
dered why Har Homa
gargantuan efforts of
the
New
Year an opportunity to
b b
had not been devel-
courageous souls will-
revel.
oped while the Arabs
ing to reclaim our
Instead, we review the past year
have constructed
ancient homeland and
with trepidation, and look forward
thousands of illegal
settle the yishuvs
to the next with awe and determina-
homes all over Israel?
(communities) of
Yossi Baumol, director tion to improve. This applies to gov-
Gaza, Judea and
ernments as well as individuals.
of Ateret Cohanim,
Jerome S. Kaufman shares a
Samaria. There are
Today, I believe we can view the
lighter moment with Israeli Prime informed us that the
now 144 of these
achievements
of this government
Jewish Quarter of the
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
brave communities
with
some
satisfaction.
We have
Old City was down to
with 160,000 people
managed
to
stabilize
the
economy by
8 percent, thanks to continued terror. A
living there.
dramatically
bringing
inflation
yeshiva student was killed there just two
Forty of us had the marvelous experi-
down, privatizing publicly owned
weeks ago.
ence of visiting these areas under the
enterprises at an unprecedented pace,
Tzahi
Hanegbi
wants
the
36
murder-
able guidance of Yehudit Tayar, associate
attracting more foreign investment
ers of Israelis, walking freely in the
director of the Israeli Yesha Council For-
than ever and deregulating the cur-
streets of the Palestinian Authority, to be
eign Desk. We visited at least 15 com-
rency. In the world's economic tur-
extradited to Israel before any more
munities and had the honor of being
moil, we have remained an isle of
Israeli concessions are made. He would
addressed by the mayors of most of
stability.
like the Arabs to declare a "Palestinian"
them. We also were privileged to have
We have also addressed ourselves
state now so that the hypocrisy of Oslo
one-on-one time with Prime Minister
to one of the most troubling prob-
is
over
and
the
true
battle
lines
are
Binyamin Netanyahu; David Bar Ilan,
lems in Judaism — the proposed
drawn. He would like Israelis to stop
his director of communications; Hanan
conversion law and its ramifications.
deluding themselves as to Arab intent.
Porat, a key Member of Knesset,
For the first time since the establish-
David Bar Ilan verbalized what we have
National Religious Party; Ehud Olmert,
ment of the state, we have attempted
known in our hearts all along — anti-
mayor of Jerusalem; Tzahi Hanegbi,
to find a solution that will avoid the
Israelism throughout the world is just a
minister of justice; and Yechiel Leiter,
need to resort to litigation and legis-
sublimated form of anti-Semitism.
now advisor to the minister of commu-
lation. The recommendations of the
Finally, the interview with
nications, Limor Livnat.
commission headed by Ya'acov Ne'e-
Netanyahu.
These men had a lot to say. Some of
man should form a basis for progress
He was very gracious to us. He said
it may depress and infuriate you. Mayor
in the direction of unity and cooper-
he cared about every citizen of Yesha.
Ararale Tzur told us how the Arabs of
ation.
He called those of Yesha a part of the
Gaza are not bothering to treat their
In the past year, the government
Israeli people — not a fringe group.
sewage. It flows directly into the
Then he spoke of the "political reality."
Mediterranean and backwashes into the
Binyamin Netanyahu is prime minis-
You have to give to get. You cannot ask
aquifers, contaminating the wells of the
ter of the State of Israel.
for the impossible. Sixty percent of his
yishuvim of Gaza, southern Hebron and
electorate wants to continue the "peace
the entire Beersheba area. "The Arabs
process." His is a balancing act — sav-
believe that the Jews are unwilling to
ing the land of Israel while dealing with
fight for their land and their rights and,
an electorate that's under the illusion
therefore, have no respect and mock us,"
that the Arabs genuinely want to live in
the mayor said.
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
peace with the Jews. That is the dilem-
David Wilder, spokesman for the
Special to The Jewish News
ma. It is not the Arabs. It is the refusal
Hebron community, told us of the con-
of
Jews
to
face
the
reality
of
their
ene-
stant terror under which the Jews there
IV armest greetings to all
mies' intentions.
live. Recently, we saw that an Arab
who are celebrating
So, we had a fantastic trip but we left
crawled into a window of a Jewish
Rosh Hashanah.
with this awful feeling in our hearts.
home, killed a rabbi and almost killed
Each year during this
When will the Israelis and the Jews of
his wife. The Hebron Accords specifical-
season of promise and renewal, the
the Diaspora wake up and understand
ly give the Israelis the right of hot pur-
stirring sound of the shofar resonates
what the Americans and the rest of the
suit into Arab neighborhoods. The
in the air — a sacred summons calling
world learned years ago — freedom
"right" has not been used once by the
Jews across America and around the
requires eternal vigilance against one's
Israeli army, despite hundreds of inci-
world to celebrate the anniversary of
enemies. Nations must protect their
dents of terror.
God's creation of the world and the
land and be prepared to put the lives of
birth of a new year.
their citizens on the line at every
Jerome S. Kaufman, is president of
Just as Moses received the Torah on
moment of the day if they are to contin-
the Zionist Organization of America —
ue to exist. There is no free lunch.
Metro Detroit District.

JEROME S. KAUFMAN
Special to The Jewish News

A

ist

has devoted considerable time and
energy to the peace process. We
are committed to the Oslo and
Hebron agreements and we have
made clear our readiness to make the
concessions required by these agree-
ments.
But we have also insisted that the
Palestinians comply with the com-
mitments they have been making for
five years now, particularly in the
fight against terrorism, both by word
and deed. It is time they rejected the
Palestinian Covenant that calls for
Israel's destruction, and it is time
they cracked down on the infrastruc-
ture of the terrorist organizations
that now operate openly and freely
in the Palestinian Authority areas.
Despite the difficulties that are an
inevitable part of such a complicated
process, I have no doubt that we
shall achieve peace with security for
Israel and our neighbors.
I also hope that, with the help of
the democracies, we will also be able
to remove the dangers to world peace
posed by the predatory regimes in
the region.
We have good reason to be proud
of the state's achievements as we
enter its second half-century and
approach the 21st century. But we
must not forget that the realization
of the Zionist dream — the ingather-
ing of the Jewish people in the Land
of Israel — is not yet complete. Our
goal for the next decade must be to
have a majority of the Jewish people
living in Israel.
The challenges we face are still
formidable. To meet them, we must
be united in purpose, strong in
resolve and unbending in faith.
I wish you all a year of peace,
security, health and happiness.

❑

A Time Of Spiritual Reawakening

Mount Sinai, Jews welcome this time
of spiritual reawakening as a means to
reaffirm their relationship with God
and to prepare them for the joys and
challenges of the coming year.
As the beginning of the High Holy
Days, Rosh Hashanah is a time of
intense prayer and serious reflection;
but it is also a time of rejoicing in the
promises of the future and of renewed
commitment to God and loved ones.
Hillary joins me in extending best
wishes to all for a joyous celebration
and for a year sweet with happiness
and peace.

❑

❑

9/18
1998[

Detroit Jewish News

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