December 2002
December 2, 2002 A Misreading of What is "Reality"
December 5, 2002 The New Maccabees
December 8, 2002 A Chanukah Memorial in Hebron-Kiryat Arba
December 13, 2002 Let Us Never Forget Jonathan Pollard
December 22, 2002 Lunch with Jane Fonda in Jerusalem
December 26, 2002 Is a Palestinian State within Israel a Foregond Conclusion?
December 27, 2002 Doesn't Israel's Electorate Have The Right To Know the Facts?
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Jerusalem, December 2, 2002
A Misreading of What is "Reality"
The recent choice of Arik Sharon over Binyamin Netanyahu to head the Likud
Party in the upcoming election now scheduled for January 28, 2003, is in no
way an endorsement of a Palestinian State. True, Mr. Sharon has recently
stated publicly on several occasions that a Palestinian State was
inevitable, and was in fact already in existence. As part of his
campaign for leadership of the Likud, Netanyahu opposed the creation of
such a State.
Since Sharon triumphed in the contest with Netanyahu, one might conclude
that the voters in Likud agreed with Mr. Sharon, and endorsed an Arab State
west of the Jordan River.
Nothing is further from the truth! First of all, the representative
Central Committee of Likud which has 2000 members, had unanimously
heretofore voted in opposition to a Palestinian State - specifically
rejecting the Sharon approach. In addition, polls in Israel were in accord
and clearly showed a large majority were opposed to another Arab State in
our midst. Moreover, the 56% of Likud that elected Sharon as their leader
did not thereby endorse a Palestinian State. Women In Green know this as a
fact by reason of their activities throughout the Land of Israel. They
have already gathered over 350,000 signatures, clearly demonstrating the
public's opposition to such an Arab State. Since we fax these signed
Petitions to Sharon daily, Mr. Sharon is personally aware of the public's
strong opposition on this crucial question.
Sharon was chosen as the Likud leader mainly on the basis of his splendid
past record in solving Arab insurrections against Israel. Sharon has an
image of being a forceful and decisive leader with vast army experience,
including the strategic and daring surrounding of the Egyptian army during
the Six-Day War. It is only natural that the Jewish public would choose
him over Netanyahu, in the wake of the widespread Arab terrorism and
suicide bombings which exists throughout Israel today. The public did not
feel that Netanyahu had any real answers to Arab violence, and therefore
stayed with Sharon as their leader. Nothing More!
Moreover, there were those who voted for Sharon who did not believe what
Sharon seemed to be saying about supporting a Palestinian State. These
people point to the fact that Sharon had written many articles in the past
violently opposed to another Arab State. In those articles Sharon spelled
out the real threat and danger of such a State to the existence of
Israel. Especially is this true in view of the cruel Arab terrorism over
the last two years, and taking into consideration Sharon's strong national
feelings. It is not conceivable to these voters that Sharon would change
his mind on this vital question of a Palestinian State.
It is more likely, they contend, - taking into consideration the upcoming
Iraqi war, the known positions of President Bush and the US Secretary of
State Colin Powell, as well as the rest of the "Holy Four", - that Sharon
decided not to openly oppose those views endorsing a Palestinian
State. Since the Arabs are constantly depicting Sharon as a war criminal
and oppressor of Palestinian rights, it would appear to be a tactical
maneuver on Sharon's part to appear to go along with the creation of an
Arab Palestinian State. Moreover, Sharon has never spelled out the actual
conditions on which he would allow such a State to exist, other than
saying: "All terrorism much stop first." In reality, the conditions which
Sharon requires would never be acceptable to the Arabs. Sharon's favoring
a Palestinian State, they argue, is therefore tantamount to a non-endorsement.
However, it is disturbing that Jewish Organizations and others in America,
are misreading the full extent of Sharon's position. They are interpreting
and believing that Sharon's victory over Netanyahu demonstrates that the
majority of Jews in Israel are supporting another Arab State. This is
utter nonsense! The overwhelming majority of Jews here in
Israel are fiercely opposed to the creation of another Arab State. You
would think that our Jewish leaders in America would be better informed and
more sophisticated!
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, December 5, 2002
The New Maccabees
Ruth Matar, Women in Green Radio Program
Arutz Sheva, December 4, 2002
Last Wednesday something funny happened during my program,
or rather, something very unfunny. My program last week was entitled:
"What Happened to Ariel Sharon?"
Partway through the program, as I interviewed my first guest, my
Co-chair Nadia Matar, the phone suddenly went dead and there was just
a dial tone. I hung up right away, of course, and it took several minutes
before the Arutz Sheva technician was able to reconnect to my phone
number. This happened just after Nadia Matar said that our government
is not a true democracy, but rather a "totalitarian" democracy. The same
cutoff happened again with Nadia, then several times with Yossi Ben-Aharon,
the former Director-General of the Prime Minister's office. I interviewed
him about an article of his, published in the Jerusalem Post of November
19, entitled "Does Sharon Sanction a Palestinian State?" My phone was
disconnected once again when Mr. Ben-Aharon discussed the fact that
Mr. Sharon misleads us when he says that the Palestinian state is
already an established fact.
At first, I thought there was something wrong with my phone. During a
subsequent interruption, I asked the technician if they were having
trouble at the Arutz Sheva studio. He assured me that every show,
except the Women in Green Hour, had been broadcast without incident.
Of course, I called Bezeq, the Israeli phone company, the next day.
Two technicians came to the Women in Green office and thoroughly
examined every phone instrument, the central phone box and the
outside lines leading to our office. Their verdict: There's absolutely
nothing wrong with your phones. I offered to play the tape of last week's
radio program with the many interruptions. Without any prompting from
me - jokingly or otherwise - they told me that the only possible explanation
they could think of, was that the government had obtained a court order
permitting someone to listen in on all Women in Green conversations.
I asked them, quite upset, who would be able to get such a court order?
Their answer: "The Shabak (the Israeli Secret Service)!"
Now, I perfectly understand that the government may feel that the
Women in Green radio program is not their cup of tea, and that they
want to know what the opposition says. However, listening in on our
Women in Green line is one thing. Turning off our mike when we say
something that is not to their liking crosses a very dangerous red line.
A democracy can only survive in a climate of freedom, if there is
genuine free speech. And who is the head of the Israeli Secret
Service? Prime Minister Ariel Sharon! By the way, at the last Likud
Convention, anyone who wanted to speak on behalf of Netanyahu,
had their mikes turned off!
Tonight we light the sixth candle of Hanukkah. Hanukkah commemorates
the struggle for freedom in a different age, more than two thousand years
ago. It's fashionable nowadays to simplify the story of the Maccabean
revolt. It wasn't just a struggle against the Greek tyrant Antiochus.
It was just as much a struggle between the Jews who believed in the
G-d of Israel and the land which He gave them for an inheritance, and
those Jews, the Hellenists, who wanted to adopt the Greek way of life
and the belief in the Greek deities. Professor Isaiah Gafni of the Hebrew
University, an expert on the Second Temple Period, said in a previous
interview on my radio program: "Consider that Antiochus ruled over a
large part of the ancient world, consisting of many nations and many
religions. Why did he only persecute the Jewish People for their religion?"
In Professor Gafni's view, it was because the Hellenists suggested to
King Antiochus an easy way to subdue their Jewish brethren: Hit them
where it hurts: their religious beliefs! Of course, this turned out not to be
such good advice. The Greek desecration of the Jewish Temple had the
opposite effect. The Maccabees revolted successfully against the Greek
oppression. The Maccabean struggle was not just against the Greek enemy,
it was just as much against the Hellenist Jews in their midst. Their final victory,
after a long and bitter struggle, was truly a victory of the few against the many,
which ended in the re-dedication of the Temple. History does repeat itself!
Today, we spent the fifth day of Hanukkah with the Maccabees of this
generation, the heroic settlers of Hebron and Kiryat Arba. The Women in
Green took four full buses of supporters to Kiryat Arba and Hebron to
show support for our friends, and to strengthen them in their resolve.
Instead, we came away strengthened.
On the fifteenth of November, twelve of our security forces were murdered in
an ambush between Kiryat Arba and Hebron. We joined the people of Kiryat
Arba and Hebron in a moving memorial ceremony for the twelve terror victims.
We have as our guest tonight David Wilder, the spokesperson for Hebron, who
will tell us not only about the current situation, but who will also give us the
highlights of the history of the second most holy city after Jerusalem.
(A recording of this entire program, including the interviews, is available on
http://www.israelnationalnews.com Click on "On Demand Audio" on the blue bar.)
Hanukkah is almost over, but we are again fighting for the land which the G-d of
Israel promised us for eternity. A Greek state in the Holy Land was against the
Word of G-d. Likewise, the creation of an Arab terrorist state in the Holy Land is
against the Word of G-d. It is insane and highly immoral. As Jews and Christians,
we must fight the Muslim onslaught against our common Judeo-Christian heritage.
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, December 8, 2002
A Chanukah Memorial in Hebron-Kiryat Arba
The Land of Israel is an exciting place to be in, especially during the
Holiday of Chanukah. It is also special to be in Hebron during this
Holiday season. Over 3,000 years ago the founders of the monotheistic
Jewish Religion were buried there, and the Maccabees of Chanukah fame drew
their inspiration from these ancestors. No other People in the world has a
Cave of the Machpelah where they can point with deserving pride to their
distinguished ancient ancestors. That is why Women In Green have chosen to
come to Hebron each year during Chanukah to celebrate this memorable
Holiday together with the children of Hebron, who represent Israel's
future. As is the custom on this joyous holiday, we distribute toys and
treats to them.
This year there was an additional important reason to come to Hebron and
its adjoining community, Kiryat Arba. Just a few weeks ago, Arab
terrorists ambushed soldiers and those who came from Kiryat Arba to rescue
the wounded.
These soldiers were protecting Jews living in Kiryat Arba, who
traditionally walked to the Cave of the Machpelah on the eve of the Sabbath
for religious prayer. As a result of this tragedy, 12 were murdered and
dozens wounded. The Hebron Arabs, reminiscent of the slaughter of Jews in
the 1929 pogrom, once again were murdering Jews.
In solidarity with the brave Jewish pioneers of Kiryat Arba and Hebron,
Women in Green arranged to have a March over the same path that the
residents of Kiryat Arba took to go to the Cave of the Machpelah in nearby
Hebron. On the 5th day of Chanukah, which was Wednesday, December 4,
2002, four full busloads, and many private cars of friends and
supporters of Women In Green, came from around the Country to Kiryat Arba
to participate in the Solidarity March. Waiting for us were the Jewish
heads of the Municipality of Kiryat Arba and Hebron, as well as many of the
residents of both communities.
The morning began with a short ceremony commemorating the twelve heroes who
had lost their lives a few weeks ago at the hands of merciless Arabs. The
widow of Yitzhak Buanish (May his blood be avenged) lit Memorial
Candles. Yitzhak had been one of the leaders of the security force in
Kiryat Arba and had been murdered while coming to the rescue of wounded
soldiers. Rabbi Shimon Ben Amram read an appropriate Chapter of Psalms.
After this Ceremony the March began from Kiryat Arba to the Cave of the
Machpelah in Hebron. It was tremendously uplifting to see literally
hundreds of men, women and children carrying flags of Israel, as well as
Women In Green Banners which proclaimed: "The Land of Israel belongs to
the People of Israel." Everybody joined in singing "Am Yisrael
Chai" (The People of Israel shall live forever!) as they marched along.
When we reached Kiryat Arba's southern gate on our way to the Cave of the
Machpelah we found the gate locked by the police. We learned that two
extreme left-wing Knesset members, Mossi Raz of Peace Now, and Tzali
Reshet, were in the area to spout their usual pro-Arab poison and the
police were purportedly protecting them from us nationalists. They kept
the gate closed for about ten minutes to make sure that these Arab
supporters were safely away from harm's way.
A very short time after that we arrived at the alley where the battle with
the Arab terrorists took place, and admired the four young Jewish families
who had already moved to this outpost to live there. They were living in a
container with the barest of necessities to establish the principle that
where terrorism struck, there we would establish new dwelling places to
reaffirm that this Land belongs to the Jewish People.
At this outpost, the Kiryat Arba Municipality had set up a podium with an
excellent loud speaker system and it was there that we listened to several
inspiring speakers. The first speaker was Rabbi Shimon Ben Amram, himself
a part of the Kiryat Arba security force, who gave a moving account of the
heroic exploits on that fateful Friday night. He described in detail how,
despite heavy enemy fire, the Kiryat Arba security people dauntlessly
attempted to rescue the wounded soldiers who had been ambushed.
Noam Arnon, a leader from the Hebron Jewish Community then spoke and
thanked the Women In Green for organizing such an impressive Chanukah
Event. He assured us all that the Jews of Kiryat Arba and Hebron were
brave warriors in the tradition of the Maccabees and would never
capitulate to the terror tactics of the Arabs.
Yitzhak Pass, the father of the baby Shalhevet Pass, who was deliberately
targeted by an Arab sniper and murdered, spoke next. He explained to us
that the Jewish People's return to their historical and Biblical homeland
would not be complete until we can settle in all parts of our Country. He
pointed out that we, in this generation, were committing the same sin as
the Biblical spies who were sent by Moses to view the Land God was giving
to them. Our leaders today were willing to give away large parts of our
holy Land to our sworn enemies. In order for this madness to stop, he
said, we must be allowed to settle in all parts of our Biblical Promised
Homeland.
Nadia Matar, the co-leader of Women in Green, was the last speaker. She
stressed that Chanukah was not the time for speeches, but rather that
action was required. From Hebron, we call upon our government to stop
talking and take proper action. Twelve valiant soldiers were killed in
Hebron by our Arab enemy, whose sole purpose is to kill as many Jews as
possible. They hope such action will bring an end to the Jewish People,
and an end to spreading the light of Torah.
Until now, the government's reaction to the daily massacre of Jews have
been promises to take action, but in fact doing very little. The time has
come to stop caving into terror, and to stop talking about eventually
giving the Arabs another State within our historical heartland.
When we talk about necessary action, we mean letting our wonderful army
fight as if they were in a war and not as if they were fighting a bunch of
thieves and crooks. We are at war, and we have to hurt the Arab enemy
swiftly and completely, so that they beg us to stop.
In such a war we have to bomb entire Arab neighborhoods. Polls taken
continuously show that the so-called Arab civilians are extremely
supportive of suicide bombings and other terrorist action against the
Jews. Both their school systems and their propaganda spew hatred of the
Jews and no one in the Arab populace speaks out against, nor does anything
about the continuous murders of Jews. On the contrary, the "Arab
civilians" support the murderous Arafat, Hamas and all other terrorist
organizations. In a war, we must hurt the enemies so badly that their
spirit is completely broken, and their will to fight no longer exists.
The time has come to allow the building of a Jewish neighborhood in every
place where a Jew has become a victim of Arab terror. This is the real
Zionist response to those who seek to have us leave our homeland. The more
you kill us, the more Jewish neighborhoods we will build. In this light,
we demand that Sharon's mere words be made an actuality. That there be a
flourishing Jewish neighborhood created, with literally hundreds of Jewish
families,
connecting Kiryat Arba with Hebron, the holy city of the Patriarchs.
In order to accomplish these goals, we must do some house cleaning within
our own camp. As you all know, Chanukah has a special message to us in
this regard. Several thousand years ago, Hellenist Jews represented a
threat to Jewish survival. Today, there are such Hellenist Jews amongst
us. They are today the Oslo criminals who have sided with the Arab enemy,
have given that enemy guns and ammunition, cities of refuge, and continue
to help destroy the Jewish State. From Hebron and during the symbolic
Holiday of Chanukah, we call for the indictment of these Oslo criminals,
today's Hellenists in our midst. Unfortunately, the list is very, very
long, but let's at least start with indicting Shimon Peres, Yossi Beilin
and Yossi Sarid. There is abundant evidence that they have in the past
collaborated, and that they continue today to collaborate with the Arab
enemy and are responsible for many, many Jewish deaths and maimings.
Sometimes things look very dark and there seems to be little hope that
things will lighten up. We know for a fact, however, that despite our weak
political leadership, the People of Israel are strong and courageous. The
overwhelming majority of the Jewish People love their historical homeland,
the Jewish People, and their noble ancient Heritage. The most wonderful
and heroic segment of the Jewish. People live in Kiryat Arba, Hebron and
other Jewish communities throughout Judea, Samaria and Gaza. They are
today's Maccabees. By just living here, and by their continuous building
of the Land of Israel, they take more and more of the darkness away, and
bring more and more light. The entire Jewish People, here and abroad, has
to admire them for their courage, and for what they contribute to our
People and to thank them profusely. They help expel the darkness from our
Land, and help ignite the fire of love for our People, our Homeland, and
the Torah of Israel.
Following the speeches, we continued our March to the burial place of our
ancestors. The adults went to pray there, and the children were taken to
the Gutnik Center. There, they enjoyed the wonderful annual Chanukah Party
which Women in Green prepared for them, with musicians, a juggler, a
balloon maker, and many toys and treats that were handed out to the
children of Kiryat Arab and Hebron. (The toys were donated by American
Friends of Women in
Green.)
A guided tour of the new neighborhoods in Hebron was provided for the
adults. The new apartments that were built in the Avraham Avinu and Tel
Romeda areas were shown to us and we were told about the many new families
that were waiting to come to live in Hebron.
It was a day filled with inspiration and very suitable for the Holiday of
Chanukah. We had come to identify with this vital segment of our People,
and to encourage them, but came away ourselves wholly uplifted, and
instilled with their spirit of dedication to our People. That indeed is the
true message of this magnificent Holiday of Chanukah!
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, December 13, 2002
Let Us Never Forget Jonathan Pollard
On this Sabbath, we read one of the most dramatic and moving portions of
the Bible, describing how, after 22 years, Jacob is reunited with his
beloved son Joseph. Before this reunification, Joseph had revealed to his
brothers who he was. In Genesis, Chapter 45, Joseph tells them that he is
their brother "whom you (plural) have sold into slavery into
Egypt", saying in effect that all of you are responsible for selling me
into slavery. Rabbi Avraham Blass, in accord with the Jerusalem Talmud,
explains that while it is true that the actual sale of Joseph to Egypt was
suggested only by Judah, the other brothers did not protest or try to
prevent it and therefore, the responsibility for this sale was on each and
every one of Joseph's brothers.
For the past eighteen years, Jonathan Pollard has been in prison in the
U.S. serving a life sentence. Despite widespread misconceptions, Pollard
was never indicted for harming the United States; nor compromising codes,
agents, or war plans; nor was he ever accused or convicted of
treason. Jonathan Pollard was indicted on only one charge: passing
classified information to an ally Israel. The normal sentence for this
offense is 2-4 years. Perhaps to appease Saudi Arabia and the other Arab
states, Jonathan Pollard received a life sentence - the only person to have
received such a sentence for spying for an ally! Judge Steven Williams of
an Appellate Court, in a dissenting opinion, had described the Pollard case
as a "fundamental miscarriage of justice".
Certain disturbing questions require an answer. The photos that Jonathan
Pollard turned over to the Israelis were of a number of Iraqi chemical
weapons manufacturing plants which the U.S. Government at the time did not
want to admit existed. Why? The fact is that the U.S. had tacitly condoned
the creation of an Iraqi chemical weapons manufacturing capability. The
Wall Street Journal, on February 15, 1991, pointed out that the Americans
may have brought about the very reason for the war for which the world is
now bracing. Pollard could confirm these facts by reason of the disclosures
for which he was convicted.
In a recent New Yorker Magazine article, [Annals of Government In the
Loop: Bush's Secret Mission] a clear picture is provided of the direct
involvement of the U.S. in arming Iraq. That article shows how the U.S.
provided Saddam Hussein with technology, weapons, intelligence and funding,
enabling Iraq to amass the nuclear, biological and chemical weapons of mass
destruction that now threaten the world. As long as the U.S. does not own
up to its responsibility in its role in arming Iraq, Jonathan Pollard will
continue to be buried alive in prison by successive American
administrations, who fear exposure and embarrassment. The real wrongdoers
are those in the U.S. State Department who deliberately (against U.S. prior
commitments) withheld the information that Jonathan Pollard disclosed to
Israel that caused him to be convicted. This information included Iraqi,
Syrian, Libyan and Iranian nuclear biological and chemical warfare
capabilities which we are so concerned about today.
Many people do not know the actual facts about Jonathan Pollard. All kinds
of lies have been spread, in effect demonizing him. These lies have caused
Jewish leaders and organizations not to get themselves involved in actually
demanding the release of Jonathan Pollard. Women in Green urge everyone to
read the article (link below) by Sara Levinsky-Rigler, "The Spy Locked into
the Cold". This article will bring you the complete facts about the
Jonathan Pollard matter and about his failing health.
http://www.aish.com/societyWork/society/The_Spy_Whos_Locked_Into_the_Cold.asp
Just as in the above mentioned weekly Biblical portion, the responsibility
for Jonathan Pollard's release is upon each and every one of us. There is
no greater obligation in Jewish law than to release a prisoner unfairly
being held. United States information given to its ally Israel, made it
possible for Israel to destroy Iraqi nuclear capability at
the time. Now, after Sept. 11, all of us realize the enormous contribution
Israel made by this action. Write, fax, e-mail or phone Prime Minister
Sharon and President Bush to secure the immediate release of Jonathan
Pollard from prison. Jonathan is an Israeli agent in peril. Israel has a
legal and moral obligation to secure his release. To hold him captive a day
longer is an injustice which no longer can be tolerated.
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, December 22, 2002
Lunch with Jane Fonda in Jerusalem
It is unbelievable.
On Monday CNN called me and asked if Women in Green were
planning any action against Jane Fonda. I said we would not give
that American traitor the time of day and would not organize any
demonstration.
Then on my English and Hebrew radioshow I told about CNN
calling me and our answer and I gave the listeners some
background on Jane; why she is called Hanoi Jane; the story of her
betraying the POW's etc...
On Thursday after my arutz 7 show I made up to meet my mother-
in-law and Ruthie Shwartz (from Efrat) for lunch to discuss WIG stuff and we
sometimes go to the Anna Ticho restaurant where it is quiet.
I get there early and see tons of media and press people.
I ask one of them what is going on: he says: in 5 minutes Jane
Fonda is coming to have lunch here with her Bat Shalom
(=Peace Now extreme leftists) hosts.
I could not believe it- here after I told CNN we were not
demonstrating- we are going to be face to face with her in a few
minutes.
Meanwhile I told those guys who Jane is and what she did in the
late 1960's. The Israeli media guys knew nothing about it.
Anyway-Talk about a sign from Hashem that we should do
something.
First I thought we should go away and ignore her, but here she falls
into our lap. How can we not do anything! With all that press
around!
So the three of us waited for her close to the street, we decided we
had to heckle her and tell her what we thought of her visit here
where she came to identify with the Arabs who butcher Jews daily..
Comes a fancy minibus. Out comes and Israeli lady, obviously her
PR lady. She goes to all the journalists and rudely barks
instructions to them saying:
"Listen fellows, Jane Fonda is just arriving from Jordan where she
got a royal treatment. You are allowed to film her but don't you dare
ask her any questions. She should not feel your presence.
Everybody should stay quiet and distanced and respect her
privacy. And I repeat- don't talk to her, don't ask her any questions".
Then this woman sees the 3 of us. We on purpose did not wear our
green Women in Green hats. Knowing that people recognize me
even without my green hat, I cover my face with my scarf and she
asked my mother-in-law Ruth: Who are you and what are you
doing here? Ruth answers innocently and in English: Oh, we are
waiting for some friends to have lunch- why? is there a problem?
And the lady said: Oh no, that's ok and returned to the minibus.
She opens the bus door, out comes Jane Fonda and some 12 of
her leftists with her. The camera men click away and film away
according to the strict instructions: "very quietly respecting her
privacy"
Then they reach us and we turn around shouting:
'Hanoi Jane!- Hanoi Jane!- you are an American traitor! How many
Americans were killed because of you?
You are and American traitor and you came to Israel as a guest of
Peace Now, Israeli traitors-
You constantly identify with the enemies of the Western world-
once it was in Vietnam where you identified with those who murder
Americans and now you came to identify with those Arabs who
murder Jews- GO HOME! Shame on you! Shame!
The Israeli PR lady was livid! I thouht she was going to faint! Here
she had given all those instructions not to bother poor little Jane
and now those 3 ladies shouting at her.
Jane Fonda had a frozen smile. The "Peace Now" women were too
shocked to utter a word. They surrounded Jane in order to protect
her and whisk her inside the restaurant as soon as possible.
IT WAS GREAT!
When Jane Fonda was brought inside, the media turned to us and
interviewed us at length about what we had against Jane Fonda.
Part of the interview with me was seen all over the world.
It is unbelievable. i think we got more press coverage for that
spontaneous unplanned demonstration than we ever had for our
large Women in Green demonstrations where we spend hours (and
tons of money) sending press releases by fax and phone, beepers,
calling the media etc...
After our heckling was seen around the world, we were bombarded
by tens and tens of e-mails of people thanking us for what we did.
Among them people who had dear ones killed in Vietnam and who
still did not forgive Jane Fonda.
It certainly made us feel good.
Lunch we had somewhere else in the end!
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, December 26, 2002
Is a Palestinian State within Israel a Foregone Conclusion?
Ruth Matar, Women in Green Radio Program
Arutz Sheva, December 25, 2002
Certainly not, even though our government and our media want
us to believe that it is, and try hard to suppress any opposition
to the creation of such a state.
Two utterly horrendous undemocratic events occurred yesterday
in Israel.
1. Israeli police and Communications Ministry personnel raided
the Arutz-Sheva National Radio at 1 pm, halting the station's
signal for over an hour. The police photographed equipment
and workers, but confiscated nothing. The ship's captain was
warned not to resume transmission of the broadcasts. The raid
began at 1 pm and ended approximately at 2:15
pm. The Arutz-Sheva management noted that this was the first
time in the history of Israeli off-shore broadcasting—including
Abie Natan's Voice of Peace ship, and fifteen years of Arutz-Sheva
—that the police have ever made such a raid. The radio station
said that not even under the governments of Yitzhak Rabin,
Shimon Peres, or Ehud Barak were police ever sent to raid a
ship broadcasting from outside territorial waters. Arutz-Sheva
broadcasts from outside Israel's territorial waters in order to
circumvent legislation that prohibits privately owned radio
stations from airing nationwide. A law duly passed by the
Knesset granted Arutz-Sheva a broadcasting license, but it was
recently nullified by the Supreme Court, due to a petition from
the left. Arutz-Sheva is the only radio voice opposing the
establishment of a Palestinian state!
National Union party leader MK Avigdor Lieberman said that
the raid is nothing more than political scheming, based on
election-campaign considerations, and as revenge for Arutz-Sheva's
clear policy against a Palestinian state." MK Tzvi Hendel said that
this is a case of "political persecution on the eve of elections,"
and demanded that Communications Minister Rivlin open an
immediate investigation into how this occurred. MK Uri Ariel said
that the raid is an attempt to "shut mouths." MK Benny Elon said
that the authorities of the Supreme Court—which put a freeze on
a duly-passed Knesset law legalizing Arutz-Sheva must be curtailed
"in order to prevent it from making a mockery of Israel's democracy."
2. Moshe Feiglin has been disqualified by the election committee
as a Likud candidate, citing his past conviction for "sedition".
The conviction was due to a series of non-violent protests organized
by Moshe Feiglin against the Oslo process. A number of the
non-violent protests included the temporary blocking of roads.
It is noteworthy that while Feiglin and others associated with the
handful of temporary road-blocking incidents in protest of Oslo
were prosecuted for their action, to this day MK (Am Echad) Amir
Peretz has never been charged for what may reach billions of dollars
of damage he is responsible for due to illegal strike and protest
activity the Histadrut has carried out over the years under his direction.
While Feiglin closed a few crossroads down for a few minutes, Peretz's
group has illegally closed down major highways for hours at a time—
in one action even physically blocking the runways at Ben Gurion
Airport. Besides illegally blocking roads, over the years Peretz's
organization has violated orders to return to work and taken other
illegal activity that has cost the Israeli public and economy dearly.
According to MK Michael Kleiner, banning Feiglin is like banning
Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi for non-violent disobedience
to free the Blacks and the Asian Indians.
However, most disturbing of recent events is the metamorphosis of
Ariel Sharon. What has happened to Sharon? What brought about
this change? To show you that Sharon has indeed changed dramatically,
I am just going to read a paragraph from his autobiography "Warrior",
published in 1989. I am quoting verbatim from this autobiography, page 402.
"When Begin brought the autonomy plan to the government, many
in his Herut (Likud) Party found it insupportable, a betrayal by Begin
of the Jewish claim to Eretz Israel. My own reaction was that the plan
was loaded with danger. It could easily, I said, become a Balfour
Declaration for the Palestinians and might well lead to a second
Palestinian state (in addition to Jordan), something no Israeli
with any regard for the country's safety could agree to."
Now, for an article which appeared in the newspaper "Maariv"
about a blowout which Sharon had with a very popular Likud
Knesset Member, Zahi Hanegbi, at a Likud meeting. Zahi Hanegbi
ranks third on the Likud list, preceded only by Sharon and
Netanyahu. By the way, the first ten Likud members on the list
are all against a Palestinian state, with one exception—Ariel Sharon.
At that meeting Sharon demanded that his ministers in the Likud
would show a united front and all endorse the idea of a Palestinian
state. This is a quote from the Maariv article:
Sharon says: "We should all give the same message; i.e. that
Israel would be willing to give the Palestinians a state, that not t
he Turks, not the British, not the Egyptians, and not the Jordanians
agreed to give them."
When the shocked Likud ministers tried to tell Sharon that favoring
the creation of a Palestinian state was against the Likud platform,
against the Likud law, and against the decision of the Likud Central
Committee, Sharon told them to shut up, clearly saying that he will
not allow people in his government who oppose his favoring a
Palestinian state.
It is extraordinary that we allow Ariel Sharon to become a virtual
dictator. I posed the following question on my program last week:
"Is the democratic process working in Israel? Are the People
allowed to decide their own future?"
Caroline B. Glick, Deputy Managing Editor of the Jerusalem
Post answered this question as follows:
"The same people who foisted upon us the Oslo process, the
same people who brought us Arafat, and the murder of one
thousand Israelis since 1994 still determine what we can and
cannot say, and what we can or cannot discuss. Sharon himself
said in an interview in September of this year, before Rosh
HaShana, that the Oslo agreements are dead. And now
in December, he says that Israel must abide by all the
concessions that the Oslo government made from 1993 to
2000 to Yasser Arafat. To object to the establishment of
Palestine in Judea, Samaria and Gaza is illegitimate,
even though it has been proven beyond any shred of reasonable
doubt that such a state will in fact be dangerous and suicidal to the
State of Israel."
My second guest last week, Dr. Aaron Lerner, also feels that the
democratic process in Israel is not working. In May of this year,
the Likud Central Committee voted overwhelmingly against a Palestinian
state. Sharon walked out in a huff, and said that he will do what he wants.
The rank and file of Likud people are opposed to a Palestinian state.
Nonetheless, there is a massive campaign to convince the public that
a Palestinian state is a foregone conclusion. But the opposite is shown
the polls which ask any kind of detailed questions. For instance, the
Steimetz Center of Tel Aviv University found in an opinion survey
conducted two weeks ago that less than a third of Israeli Jews
polled would agree to the Palestinians having sovereignty over
even Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.
No! A Palestinian state is not a foregone conclusion. But, Sharon
is so hell-bent on creating a Palestinian state, that he even uses
ridiculous arguments like "I want to arrive at an arrangement with
the Palestinians, because that will be the only solution to Israel's
ailing economy."
We have a guest who is well qualified to refute this ludicrous
pronouncement of our Prime Minister. Our guest is Dr. Yuri Shtern,
who is a Member of the Knesset, and Chairman of the National
Union-Israel Beitenu Parliamentary faction.
(A recording of this entire program, including the interviews, is
available on http://www.israelnationalnews.com Click on "On
Demand Audio" on the blue bar.)
Not always did Ariel Sharon consider the Women in Green as being
in opposition to his policies and, therefore, needing at all costs to
have their voices silenced. After 1993, Ariel Sharon and the Women
in Green were both fighting against the Oslo Accords and against the
creation of a Palestinian state. When Sharon was elected Prime Minister,
he thanked Women in Green for their part in achieving success for the
national camp.
I am taking the liberty of reading a letter signed by Ariel Sharon, dated
February 2001, which was published in our Purim journal of that year.
"Dear Ruth and Nadia,
Just as in the past, also this year I have the pleasure and honor to
congratulate you and all the Women in Green, on the occasion of this
festive Purim event which takes place on the eve of the Fast of Esther
in Jerusalem. Following my recent election as Prime Minister, I send
you very special greetings from our Eternal Capital, Jerusalem, and
my deep thanks for your part in achieving success for the national camp.
The election victory is just the beginning of our uphill struggle for our
legitimate rights for Eretz Israel and a United Jerusalem. I acknowledge
your praiseworthy efforts and am sure you will continue to be in the
forefront of this struggle to achieve security for our people and peace
for generations to come, as you proudly carry the flag for the revival
of Zionism. In the days of trial before us, you are an example of the
saying 'A woman of valor, who will find…' Your steadfastness awakens
feelings of pride in my heart and I have hope that together we will
succeed, in spite of all the difficulties facing us in achieving our
dreams and aspirations.
Warmest greetings from our Eternal Capital of Israel, Jerusalem,
and the Jewish People.
Be strong and of good courage,
Ariel Sharon
Prime Minister"
It is with great sadness that the Women in Green think back on the
days when we considered Ariel Sharon our hero. We are no longer
together in the struggle for, as Sharon wrote to us at that time, "the
legitimate rights of Eretz Israel and a United Jerusalem".
Sharon may have abandoned these goals for what he thinks is
pragmatic reasons, or because of facing unbearable pressures
from the United States. Maybe his attitude now goes under the
heading of "facing reality". Rather than falling in line with such
defeatist thinking, I would like to quote to you what Hashem
said to Joshua after Moses' death. (Joshua 1:6)
"Be strong and courageous for it is you who will cause this people
to inherit the land that I have sworn to their fathers to give them."
To all our friends, Jews and Christians, who believe in the Bible:
this should be an encouragement for all of us. We may have
many enemies, but with G-d's help we will fight together to ensure
Israel's survival. We need to be passionate! In these crucial times
we cannot afford to be complacent. The struggle for Israel's
survival should occupy our thoughts, morning, noon and night.
Continually write, fax, email and telephone your senators,
your representatives and President George W. Bush, that
the creation of a Palestinian terror state is a danger, not
only for Israel, but for all of western Judeo-Christian civilization.
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, December 27, 2002
Doesn't Israel's Electorate Have The Right To Know the Facts?
The Israeli police raid on the Arutz 7 broadcasting ship while it was
located in international waters, is not only a violation of international
law, but it is a fundamental violation of the civil rights of all of us in
Israel and abroad.
There seems to be a great deal of difficulty in pinning down the
responsibility for such raid. The Communications Ministry, the Election
Committee, and the Minister of Police are all disclaiming that the raid
was authorized by any of them.
Under the circumstances, and particularly in view of the upcoming elections
in Israel, the public is entitled to ascertain the facts.
Here in Israel, radio and television are unfortunately, in the hands of
personnel and management who do not hold the views of the majority of
Israel's Jewish citizens. The outlook of the radio stations Arutz 7
however is representative of the views of the vast majority of the public.
The Biblical and national orientation of Arutz 7 thus serves a fundamental
need in the daily lives of the Jewish People in Israel.
The Government of Ariel Sharon, its Minister of Police or its Minister of
Communications must act immediately. They must initiate a formal public
inquiry into the matter to ascertain who is responsible for this illegal,
threatening, and grave violation and raid. The ugly incident sets an
abusive precedent which cannot be tolerated in any democratic society.
The Israel electorate is entitled to know where the responsibility lies for
this gross and undemocratic violation of civil rights. Particularly in
view of the upcoming elections, the electorate must be informed as to the
responsibility of the government agency involved, Only then can each
citizen have an opportunity to effectively voice his indignation to such
improper and vile practices.
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