February 2004
February 2, 2004 Uniting With Your People in Gush Katif
February 3, 2004 The Greatest Danger to Israel Today is Ariel Sharon
February 5, 2004 Topple Sharon Now by Michael Freund
February 6, 2004 Tu B'Shvat In Gush Katif
February 7, 2004 The Sharon Evacuation Plan Will Never Come to Pass
February 10, 2004 ZOA Report: Gaza: The Case Against Israeli Withdrawal
February 13, 2004 Two upcoming demonstrations
February 22, 2004 Replace Sharon!
February 25, 2004 The Rogers Plan Is Still With Us
February 26, 2004 Sharon, The Dictator
February 26, 2004 Whose Land Grab?
February 27, 2004 Socialist Peres Just Doesn't Like Being a Jew!
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February 2, 2004
Uniting With Your People in Gush Katif
This coming Sunday, Tu B'Shvat (February 8), we shall be leaving at 8:45
AM from the Inbal (Laromme) Hotel, to spend Tu B'Shvat in Gush Katif with
its residents.
We shall be planting trees in Netzarim and will have a guided tour of Kfar
Darom. We will also partake in a ceremony in support of Gush Katif, an
integral and inseparable part of Biblical Israel.
The first bus we are taking has quickly filled up and the second bus is also
rapidly proceeding in that direction. In order to insure your place, it is
necessary for you to call our office immediately at 02-624-9887. The round
trip is reasonably priced at 30 NIS. Prepare your own lunch to take along
with you. What a glorious and meaningful way for you to celebrate Tu
B'Shvat!
We are traveling to Gush Katif in bulletproof busses. The trip has been
coordinated with the army, and it will have the ample security they provide
for us. It is an opportunity you do not want to miss!
Ruth and Nadia Matar
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February 3, 2004
THE GREATEST DANGER TO ISRAEL TODAY IS ARIEL SHARON!
LETTER FROM RUTH MATAR (WOMEN IN GREEN) JERUSALEM
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Dear Friends,
Why do I say that today Ariel Sharon is the greatest danger to Israel? Why
do I say that about Israel's erstwhile hero, the hero of so many battles?
Because Prime Minister Sharon keeps stating that a Palestinian state is
"inevitable". And because of him there are some polls that report that the
majority of Israeli Jews support a Palestinian state. I assure you, these
Jews are a minority.
Don't be misled by these polls. A large majority of Sharon's Jewish
countrymen are opposed to this anti-Jewish, anti-Zionist position. Much
depends on who does the polling (the latest poll claiming that the Jews are
resigned to a Palestinian state, was commissioned by PEACE NOW and
executed by the Arab pollster Zogby). All depends on how you phrase the
question and who does the polling!
The Women in Green experience in collecting 350,000 plus signatures for a
Petition to Prime Minister Sharon against the creation of a Palestinian state
within the Holy Land - in a relatively short time - shows a very different
attitude on the part of Israel's Jewish population. People literally stood on
line to sign the Petition when we set up our tables in communities all over
Israel! We sent every one of these 350,000 plus signatures to Mr. Sharon,
but we did not merit an answer from him. So much for Sharon's belief in
the democratic principle of listening to the voice of the People.
The most objective and revealing survey of the attitudes of Israel's Jewish
population regarding a Palestinian state was conducted by the Zionist
Organization of America (ZOA) and the Independent Media Review Analysis
(IMRA) in June 2002. Here is a key question and answer:
"Do you support the proposal that Israel withdraw to the pre-Six Day War
lines - including from all of the Golan, Jordan Rift Valley, and the Old City
of Jerusalem, agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state - and allow
Palestinian refugees the right of return to Israel instead of receiving
monetary compensation - in return for peace with the Palestinians and the
Arab states?"
For 4% Against 93% No response 3%
Why is there so much disinformation around in the United States and
Europe, that the People of Israel are hankering for, or at least resigned to, a
Palestinian state?
This lie has been spread by various Israeli politicians from the left such as
Shimon Peres, Yossi Beilin, Yossi Sarid, Amram Mitzna, et al. with the
enthusiastic assistance of the leftist Israeli media. The most tragic
development, however, is Ariel Sharon's 180 degree turnaround, and his
emphatic support for the establishment of a Palestinian State.
What is the reason for Sharon's about-face? I have no answer whatsoever.
If you read Sharon's prolific writings - also his writings in English - such as
articles in the year 1995 in the Jerusalem Post, and his autobiography
"Warrior", you will see no signs of Ariel Sharon's spiritual and moral
disintegration. Suffice it to say that this ardent Zionist and courageous
fighter for the Jewish Homeland is now virtually unrecognizable.
Some years back, on February 10, 1995, Ariel Sharon, then a Likud MK and
a former Defense Minister, wrote an op-ed article in the Jerusalem Post
entitled: AN EMASCULATED GIANT CALLED ISRAEL. The following are
excerpts from this article:
"Signs of our internal disintegration are increasing. And the Arabs are
aware of them too. ... The PLO is laughing up its sleeve, and the European
Foreign Ministers don't give a hoot. And Israel, with all the power and
justice on its side, looks like an emasculated giant."
An "emasculated giant" aptly describes today's Ariel Sharon! He has
undergone a moral and spiritual disintegration! In previous years, Sharon
unequivocally encouraged settling our Biblical Heartland, Judea, Samaria
and the Gaza Strip.
Now he is intent on evacuating Jews from their homes in Judea, Samaria
and the Gaza Strip. In fact, yesterday he called for the evacuation of 17
Jewish Communities in the Gaza Strip. He creatively calls this
disengagement, where in plain simple terms this means RETREAT.
Years ago, he was intent on defending the lives of the Jewish People at all
cost. Now a policy of "restraint" is his all encompassing solution.
And the final shameful end to his illustrious career is his immoral deal with
Israel's implacable Arab terrorist enemies: Nasrallah, leader of the
Hizbullah, and Arafat, leader of the PLO. Make no mistake about this.
Arafat is working together with Nasrallah, and pulling the strings in the
background.
On Thursday, January 29, 2004, 461 "ticking bomb" Arab terrorists were
freed, 400 of them returning to their cheering compatriots in Judea,
Samaria and Gaza; many of them vowed that they still hated Israel as much
as ever and believed in the virtues of suicide bombing. In addition, Israel
returned the bodies of 59 Lebanese terrorists and supplied information on
the fate of 24 missing others. Nasrallah victoriously boasted that he was
going to kidnap more Jewish soldiers in order to free more Arab terrorists.
What did Israel get in return? The remains of our three murdered soldiers
and the kidnapped Elhanan Tennebaum. An important question, the
answer to which the Israeli People are entitled to: Why was the retired IDF
Colonel, Elhanan Tennenbaum, who had high security clearance, allowed
by the Israeli government to flit around Arab capitals trying to make big
bucks for himself in allegedly shady drug and arms deals?
A petition to the Supreme Court in Israel was made against this release. A
three judge panel rejected this petition on the very day of the exchange.
Justice Levy, who was one of the three judges, in his opinion strongly
criticized this exchange:
"The fear of the petitioners that we now face yet another chapter of
bloodshed is also my fear. This is because this release is not being done
as a gesture towards an enemy who wishes to change his ways, or who
wishes to consider a possibility of coexistence with Israel… I have added
my signature with a trembling hand, and I have one hope: that those [in the
government] who made this decision, who see the entire picture and on
whose shoulders rest the responsibility of insuring the safety and security
of Israel's citizens, were totally convinced that the decision they made was
the correct one, despite the terrible danger caused by the release of the evil
ones for each and every one of us."
The immediate result of this "exchange" was a suicide terror attack in the
middle of Jerusalem with 11 dead and more than 50 injured, some critically.
Government sources were quick to tell us that there is no connection
between the carnage in Jerusalem and the deal negotiated with the Arabs
that was executed at the same time, as our enemies murdered and maimed
us in the streets of Jerusalem.
Is Sharon responsible for this immoral prisoner exchange? Should he
have known better? Absolutely!
The first break in Israel's resolve occurred in 1985. Over 1,100 Palestinian
prisoners were set free in exchange for three captured Israeli soldiers.
Many of these released prisoners returned to active life as terrorists.
Israel's IDF soldiers had endangered their lives - and some gave their lives
- to capture those released terrorists in the first place. This release led to
the first Intifada in 1987 and subsequently to the Oslo Accords.
This first exchange occurred in 1985. At the end of July of 2003 Sharon
made a mistake along the same lines. He released 443 Arab terrorists after
strong pressure from the Bush administration, which demanded a
confidence building measure on the part of Israel. In September of the
same year, in three separate terror attacks, 17 Israeli Jews were killed,
amongst them a six month old baby girl, deliberately shot in her rocker,
and Dr. David Applebaum and his daughter Nava, the day before her
wedding.
What did these attacks have in common? All three attacks were committed
by terrorists who had been released by Sharon from jail. This "confidence
building" measure certainly contributed much to the confidence of the
Arabs. The terrorists became more convinced than ever that terror pays --
that they can literally get away with murder.
A dear American Christian friend of mine, Cal Hubbard, wrote me the
following email. I am quoting from parts of his letter:
"I am outraged at recent developments in Israel. Israel gives up 400
terrorists in return for 3 dead Israelis and one live one! … Too late - it has
been done and the consequences will be disastrous, I'm afraid to say.
While Israel is giving up terrorists - even at almost the same time - a bus is
blown up and 10 are dead and 50 injured. How can this go on and how
long will Sharon take to respond in appropriate ways? I cannot help but
think of Churchill's statement after Chamberlain came back from Germany
in 1939 with his famous 'peace in our time' message. Churchill said, 'you
had your choice between war and shame - you chose shame but you will
get war'. Sad to say, Israel is still choosing shame. They have a war,
whether they realize it or not"
Yesterday, Monday, February 2, Sharon dropped another bombshell. He
wants, as a starter, to abandon 17 Jewish communities in Gaza, most of
which he himself had established. He is intending to present his plan for
unilateral withdrawal from Jewish Communities to President Bush when he
visits Washington, most likely during the last weekend in February.
When asked why he would not allow a vote on his plan, Sharon responded
that "even if the entire faction [his own Likud party] votes against me, I will
stick with what I believe is the right thing to do."
My Letter from Jerusalem last week was entitled "United We Stand -
Divided We Fall". The unity of Bible believing Christians and Jews is now
more crucial than ever. It is important to convince President George W.
Bush not to accept this undemocratic plan of Ariel Sharon. The People of
Israel are not behind Sharon! Yesterday Sharon barely survived a no
confidence vote, 42 to 41. The 120 Member Knesset was not in full
attendance. This is a sign of a serious rift in Sharon's 68 member coalition!
He has lost the Jewish People's support. The People are asking him to
draw the proper conclusions and to resign.
Dear Friends, please forward this letter to all your friends and
acquaintances, President George W. Bush
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February 5, 2004
Topple Sharon Now by Michael Freund
Ariel Sharon has got to go. Barely 12 hours after Palestinian terrorists
launched their nightly round of rocket attacks against Jews in Gaza late on
Sunday, the prime minister decided to launch a brutal attack of his own. "I
have given an order to plan for the evacuation of 17 settlements in the Gaza
Strip," Sharon said on Monday in an interview with Haaretz. "It is my
intention to carry out an evacuation _ sorry, a relocation _ of settlements."
Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, "I am working on the
assumption that in the future there will be no Jews in Gaza." And so,
instead of defending Israel's citizens, Sharon chose to threaten them.
In one fell swoop, Israel's premier has arrogated to himself the right to
forcibly uproot thousands of people from their homes, destroy entire
communities, and declare an entire section of the Land of Israel off-limits
to Jews. This cannot be allowed to pass. Sharon's plan is immoral,
unethical and anti-democratic. It singles out Jews for expulsion because of
their ethnic and religious identity. In other words, because they are Jews,
they must be segregated under duress and compelled to move elsewhere.
Were it to happen anywhere else in the world, were any government to
declare its intention to expel Jews, and only Jews, from their homes, it
would rightly be denounced as racism and anti-Semitism. Just imagine if
the French government were to proclaim that because of mounting anti-
Jewish attacks, Jewish neighborhoods in Paris were to be emptied of their
residents, since protecting French Jews in the heart of the city was proving
to be "too much of a burden."
And what if German authorities were to decide that due to skinhead
violence, Berlin's Jews would simply have to leave. In such instances, one
can well imagine the outrage that would erupt, the protests and petitions
and press conferences that would flood the governments involved,
demanding that they withdraw their plans and apologize.
After all, a government's primary responsibility is to provide for the
security of its citizens, not give in to those who threaten them. But that is
precisely what Sharon seeks to do _ to cave in to terror and realize the
Palestinian dream of driving out Gaza Jewry. In reality, though, Sharon's
plan is far worse, because he aims to carry it out not in the heart of Europe
but in the cradle of the Jewish people itself: the Land of Israel.
The fact of the matter is that Gaza has a long and rich Jewish history which
stretches back for thousands of years. In the Bible, when the Jewish
people first entered the Promised Land, Gaza was apportioned to the Tribe
of Judah (see Joshua 15:47 and Judges 1:18) as part of its eternal
patrimony.
IN THE fourth century, hundreds of years before Islam was founded, the
Jews of Israel used Gaza as their primary port of commerce for
international trade and seafaring. One of the oldest and largest ancient
synagogues ever discovered by archeologists can be found in Gaza. It
dates back to the sixth century, or 1,500 years before Sharon was elected
premier. Great medieval rabbis such as Rabbi Yisrael Najara, author of Kah
Ribbon Olam, the popular Sabbath hymn, and renowned kabbalist Rabbi
Avraham Azoulai, author of the Hesed L'Avraham, lived in Gaza, where they
served as leaders of the Jewish community.
In the 15th and 16th centuries Jews fleeing the Inquisition in Spain and
Portugal found refuge there. Centuries ago, the great scholar Rabbi
Yaakov Emden wrote as follows: "Gaza and its environs are absolutely
considered part of the Land of Israel without a doubt." "There is no
doubt," he ruled in his work Mor U'ketziyah, "that it is a mitzva to live there,
as in any part of the Land of Israel."
By deciding to uproot Gaza's settlements, Prime Minister Sharon has
unfortunately added his name to the long list of those who have sought to
"cleanse" the area of Jews. The first to do so was the Roman emperor
Gavinius, in the year 61 CE, followed by the Crusaders, Napoleon and the
Ottoman Turks, all of whom forced the Jews out.
Arab rioters in 1929 did the same, as did the Egyptian army in 1948.
Each time, however, the Jews returned. They rebuilt Jewish Gaza, the land
of their ancestors, defying their foes time and again. This had nothing to do
with "occupation" or "confiscation" of someone else's land, and everything
to do with reclaiming what is rightfully ours. The proof is compelling and
overwhelming: Gaza belongs to the Jewish people and to no one else.
Hence, Sharon's plan is not only an insult to history _ it is an affront to
future generations of Jews because it would deny them a part of their
everlasting inheritance. Moreover, it is an outrageous assault on the 7,500
Israelis who have sacrificed so much to repossess Gaza for the Jewish
people by making it their home. By failing to stand by Gaza's Jews, and
preferring instead to yield to their enemies, Sharon has done more to
advance the Palestinian cause in recent months than Yasser Arafat.
He has betrayed the Jewish people, their land and their destiny, offered an
invaluable reward to Palestinian terror, and undermined the morale of
untold thousands of Israelis. He is a desperate man resorting to desperate
measures, one who is putting his own personal interest ahead of the
country in a transparent attempt to deflect attention away from his
entanglements with the law.
The time has come to send Sharon packing and topple his government
forthwith. Whatever his past accomplishments, he is no longer fit to serve
as leader of the Jewish state.
The writer served as deputy director of Communications & Policy Planning
in the Prime Minister's Office under former premier Binyamin Netanyahu.
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February 6, 2004
Tu B'Shvat In Gush Katif
In reaction to the Prime Minister's recent statement concerning Gush Katif,
Women In Green have responded by organizing three busloads of Jews to
celebrate Tu B'Shvat by planting trees in Netzarim, in Gush Katif.
Historically, and Biblically, Gush Katif is an integral part of the Land of
Israel, promised by the Almighty to the ancestors of the Jewish People as
an eternal heritage. Ever "practical", Prime Minister Sharon obviously
doesn't believe in Hashem, nor His Bible, nor His Promises.
The Jews returned to Gush Katif with the approval of previous Israel
Governments. They developed barren land and made same fertile and
productive. Sharon has announced that he intends to uproot these Jews
from their homes and communities in this area. The intolerance of the
Moslem faith is being catered to by Sharon, under the pretext that it is
necessary to separate the Arab and Jewish communities from one another,
as they cannot live in peace together.
Sharon does not mention that it is the Arabs who have embarked on an
anti-democratic path. It is they who are responsible for the terror and
violence widely practiced by the Arabs against the Jews in their Biblical
homeland. The Jews have repeatedly offered their hand in peace, but the
Arabs have rejected such overtures, and want the Jews out of the Land of
Israel. In his projected solution, Sharon has declared his intention to
unilaterally remove the Jews in the near future from the Gaza Strip, as a
precedent for the later removal of Jews from Judea and Samaria.
Women In Green are vigorously opposed to this shortsighted solution of
Sharon, which caters to Arab violence and terrorism, and in effect
encourages and rewards it. In the last analysis, the entire Arab populace
must take responsibility for the Arab violence which is taking place in
Israel today. Without its cooperation and approval Arab terrorism could
not exist, not even for one day. Those are the facts; everything else is Arab
and media fiction!
Ruth and Nadia Matar
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February 7, 2004
The Sharon Evacuation Plan Will Never Come to Pass
by Nadia Matar
(An English translation of Nadia Matar's Hebrew Internet radio show of Feb
5, 2004)
The scenario: Jean-Marie Le Pen, the fascist leader in France, takes power
and becomes the French Prime Minister. The following day he announces a
list of steps that his government will take, in order to limit the numerous
expenditures in the state budget. These decisions include the prohibition
of further Jewish residence in Paris. Le Pen explains: "In light of the many
attacks against Parisian Jews, a considerable portion of our budget is
wasted on the security of those Jews, everywhere in Paris. We must invest
the money in other places, that are of greater importance to all Frenchmen,
such as education, welfare, health, and the like. I have therefore decided to
'relocate' the Jews of Paris to small and remote villages, and even to
persuade them to leave France. From today on, Jews will no longer live in
or visit Paris."
An imaginary scenario? Until a few days ago - yes. But Prime Minister Ariel
Sharon's statements for the uprooting of Jews from Gush Katif and for
making the region Judenrein (clean of Jews) make this scenario extremely
realistic. In response to all those who would rise up against Jean-Marie Le
Pen in our scenario and accuse him of anti- Semitism, Le-Pen could argue,
and justifiably so: "If a Jewish Prime Minister can uproot Jews from the
Land of Israel, the birthright of the Jews - how much more can a non-
Jewish Prime Minister uproot Jews from their homes in France, a place to
which Jews have no historical connection."
And, really, who would have believed that, of all people, Ariel Sharon, the
hero of Unit 101, would want to fulfill the anti-Semitic dreams of the PLO,
the Hamas, and the Islamic Jihad: the uprooting of Jews from their homes,
the destruction of Jewish settlements, and the handing over of portions of
the homeland to the enemy? To our amazement and shame, Ariel Sharon
has thereby become the operational arm of these terrorist organizations.
Our response to the Sharon plan is simple: This shall never come to pass!
We have the power to prevent the imposition of the evil decree. First of all,
since Ariel Sharon has become the most dangerous person for the Jewish
people in Israel and the Diaspora, we must act so that Ariel Sharon will be
deposed from his post of Prime Minister. Sharon must be transferred -
sorry, "relocated" - from his office, to retirement on his Shikmim farm. In
this manner we shall demonstrate, once again, that any prime minister who
is ready to betray Eretz Israel and hand it over to the enemy, will be sent
home in disgrace.
Secondly, even if we do not succeed in deposing him, it will still be
possibly to easily prevent the realization of the transfer. How? By upsetting
Sharon's plans. Sharon and the rest of those who champion transfer for
Jews begin from the assumption that the same scenario as in Yamit will
play out in Gush Katif: that most of the residents will accept their fate,
consent to receive compensation, and evacuate willingly. [In Yamit, 99% of
the actual residents agreed to receive compensations and left quietly. The
struggle we all saw on tv was fought by a couple of thousands of activist
outsiders who had come to protest the uprooting by living there for a few
months and staying till the bitter end] .Sharon expects that the same will
happen in the Gazastrip, that most families will leave quietly and only a
hardcore of "ideologues" will remain. Them he will treat harshly. In this
manner, and only in this manner, will Sharon be able to uproot the
settlements.
But what if the scenario on which Sharon builds will not be realized? What
if the decisive majority of the inhabitants of Gush Katif were to declare:
This shall never come to pass! Under no circumstances will we budge.
Eretz Israel belongs to the people of Israel throughout all the generations.
No Jew is entitled to hand over a single bit of the land of Eretz Israel to
foreigners, because Eretz Israel belongs to the generations of the past,
present, and future. Not even a majority in the government or in the
Knesset, not even a referendum, can make the handing over of portions of
Eretz Israel legal or moral.
Accordingly, even if, Heaven forbid, the government or the Knesset were to
betray the homeland, we shall not accept this. It is well-known that there
are immoral government decisions that a citizen must oppose, even if they
enjoy a majority in the government and in the Knesset. Just as, for
example, we would not obey a decision by the government and the Knesset
forcing us to eat pork, so, too, we shall not obey the decision to uproot us
from Eretz Israel. We shall say "No!" to compensation, we shall say "No!"
to enticements, and we shall declare: "Our home is here, we are raising a
third generation of children here and we are staying." If the inhabitants of
Yamit had acted in accordance with this scenario, Yamit would probably
still stand today - growing and flourishing.
For what will Ariel Sharon, or any other government, do in such a
situation? The deportation of thousands of families, men, women and
children, simply could not be realized. Thousands of police officers and
soldiers had to come for the uprooting of the Gilad Farm, inhabited by 2
families and hundreds of supporters. Even if Ariel Sharon were to mobilize
the entire army and all the police, he would not succeed in his mission of
destruction of the thousands of Gush Katif residents and the tens of
thousands of their supporters. We must therefore understand that, with
God's help, we have the power to stop Sharon's contemptible plan -
whether by dethroning him, or whether by taking a firm and
uncompromising stand that will upset all of Sharon's schemes.
We must initiate an informational offensive (which is what the leaders of
the national camp, both in and outside the Knesset, should have done long
ago) that will remind the public that we are in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza by
right, and not on sufferance. The state media sows disinformation as if
there is no historic Jewish connection to Gaza. The time has come to
shatter these lies and to explain to the public that we must stay in Gaza ,
not only for security reasons -anybody with common sense understands
that withdrawing from Gaza would turn the area into a haven for terrorists
who would threaten the entire south of Israel- but mainly because Gaza is
part of Biblical Israel.
Gaza and its surrounding areas were included in the portion of the tribe of
Judah. The first settlement in Gaza was initiated by Johanan the
Hasmonean, who conquered the city, and by Simeon the Hasmonean who
settled Jews there. During the Bar Kokhba rebellion the Jews of Gaza also
participated in the war against the Romans. Consequently, when the
Roman commander Titus set out to repress the uprising, he was forced to
first go to Gaza and put down the revolt there. This was because Gaza was
"the key to Eretz Israel," since it is situated on the crossroads between
Egypt and central Eretz Israel, and is also on the coastline. Following a
Roman victory, a large slave fair was held in Gaza in which Bar Kokhba's
soldiers were sold to merchants from the various lands who came to
rejoice at the downfall of Israel.
During the long years of the Exile, the Jews returned and settled in the holy
cities of Israel, including Gaza. For a long period of time there were only
three centers of Jewish settlement in Eretz Israel: in Jerusalem, in Tiberias,
and in Gaza. It should be recalled that R. Israel Najara (the author of the
Sabbath song Y-ah Ribon Olam) was the rabbi of the city of Gaza in the
sixteenth century; and R. Abraham Azulai, the grandfather of the Hida (R.
Hayyim Joseph David Azulai), wrote his holy book Hesed le-Avraham in
Gaza.
The Jews of Gaza were forced to leave when Napoleon's army passed
through the city in 1799, but they would later return and rebuild. The
Jewish community in Gaza was destroyed during the British bombardment
in 1917, but it was subsequently rebuilt. When the Arabs threatened to
massacre the Jews of Gaza during the pogroms of 1929, the British
compelled the Jews to leave. In 1946, however, the Jews returned and
established Kfar Darom, that existed until 1948, when Egypt conquered the
region.
In short, our connection to the Gaza region is much deeper than our ties to
Tel Aviv or to Ramat Hasharon. A Prime Minister who is willing to
relinquish the Gaza District will eventually surrender Jerusalem, as well.
The struggle for the Gaza District is therefore the struggle for the continued
existence of the State of Israel. We have the ability to stand firm against
those who arise to destroy us - the enemies from within and without - and,
with the help of God, we shall prevail.
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February 10, 2004
I want to share with you this excellent article which the Zionist
Organization of America prepared, entitled: Gaza, The Case Against Israeli
Withdrawal.
My co-leader, Nadia Matar, is presently preparing a description of our
recent exciting trip to the Gaza area. It was truly a wonderful experience
for all who participated in it. Women in Green brought 3 full busses to
the Jewish areas of Gaza last Sunday.
The article by the ZOA:
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ZOA Report: Gaza: The Case Against Israeli Withdrawal
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff:
Gaza is crucial to Israel's security
On June 19, 1967, in the wake of the Six Day War, the U.S. Secretary of
Defense instructed the Joint Chiefs of Staff to present their "views,
without regard to political factors, on the minimum territory" that Israel
would be "justified in retaining in order to permit a more effective
defense against possible conventional Arab attack and terrorist raids."
Ten days later, the Joint Chiefs presented a report which concluded
that Israel needed to retain substantial portions of the Golan Heights, and
Judea-Samaria, and all of Gaza. With regard to Gaza, the Joint Chiefs
wrote:
"By occupying the Gaza Strip, Israel would trade approximately 45 miles
of hostile border for eight. Configured as it is, the strip serves as a
salient for introduction of Arab subversion and terrorism, and its
retention would be to Israel' s military advantage."
Throughout history, foreign armies have used Gaza as a springboard for
invading the Land of Israel, from Pharoah Sethos I in the 13th century BCE,
to Napoleon in 1799. The British army, under Allenby, used it as an
invasion route in 1917.
In 1948, Egypt used Gaza as its route to invade the newborn State of
Israel. Advancing through Gaza, the Egyptians soon reached Yavneh, just
fifteen miles from Tel Aviv. Several Jewish towns in Gaza, including
Nitzanim, Yad Mordechai, and Kfar Darom, were destroyed by the
Egyptians
and not rebuilt until after Israel recaptured the area in 1967.
What prominent Israelis
have said about Gaza:
* Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said in 2002: "Netzarim [a Jewish town in
Gaza] is the same as Negba and Tel Aviv; evacuating Netzarim will only
encourage terrorism and increase the pressure upon us." (Arutz 7, Nov. 25,
2003)
* Then-Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said in 1988: "To just get up and
leave Gaza would be a mistake and a scandal. It would create a chaotic
situation, a situation like Lebanon; I don't suggest we take such a step."
(Israel Army Radio's "Good Evening, Israel" program, March 22, 1988)
* Yitzhak Rabin's Minister of Housing and Construction, Binyamin
Ben-Eliezer, said in 1993: "I wish I could believe that pulling out of Gaza
would solve the problems. But this won't solve anything and is only
running
away from the problem which we have to face." (Jerusalem Post, March 9,
1993)
* In 1971, Yisrael Galili, a minister in the cabinet of Golda Meir's
Labor Party government, said that Gaza was "critical for Israel's security
and could never be given up." The Labor government began building
fourteen
Jewish communities in Gaza. (Jerusalem Report, July 14, 2003)
The Jewish presence in Gaza
dates back to biblical times:
Gaza has been a part of the Land of Israel since biblical times. The
borders of Israel specified in Genesis 15 clearly include Gaza, and it is
described in Joshua 15:47 and Judges 1:18 as part of the inheritance of the
tribe of Judah, and in Kings it is included in the areas ruled by King
Solomon. The area came under foreign occupation during some periods,
but
the Jewish king Yochanan, brother of Judah the Maccabee, recaptured
Gaza in
145 CE and sent Jews to rebuild the community there.
Throughout the centuries, there was a large Jewish presence in Gaza in
fact, it was the largest Jewish community in the country at the time of the
Muslim invasion (7th century CE). Medieval Christian visitors to the region
mentioned the presence of the Jewish community in Gaza including
Giorgio
Gucci of Florence (1384), Bertandon de la Brooquiere (1432), Felix Fabri
(1483), and George Sandys (1611). So did Jewish travelers, such as
Benjamin
of Tudela and Meshullam of Voltera (1481).
The medieval Jewish communities of Gaza included many famous
rabbinical
authorities, among them Rabbi Yisrael Najara, author of the 16th-century
hymn Kah Ribbon Olam, which to this day is sung at Shabbat tables
throughout the Jewish world, and the kabbalist Rabbi Avraham Azoulai,
author of the famous book Hessed L'Avraham. Writing about the question
of
whether or not there living in Gaza fulfills the biblical requirement
[mitzvah] to live in the Land of Israel, the famous sage Rabbi Yaakov
Emden, in his book Mor Uketziya, wrote: "Gaza and its environs are
absolutely considered part of the Land of Israel, without a doubt. There is
no doubt that it is a mitzvah to live there, as in any part of the Land of
Israel."
The Jews of Gaza were forced to leave the area when Napoleon's army
marched through in 1799, but they later returned. The Jewish community in
Gaza was destroyed during the British bombardment in 1917, but later it
was
rebuilt again. When Palestinian Arab threatened to slaughter the Jews of
Gaza during the 1929 pogroms, the British ruling authorities forced the
Jews to leave. But in 1946, the Jews returned, establishing the town of
Kfar Darom in the Gaza Strip, which lasted until 1948, when Egypt occupied
the area.
Rewarding terrorists
is wrong -- and dangerous:
During the past three years, Palestinian Arab terrorists have carried
out tens of thousands of terrorist attacks against Israel, murdering nearly
1,000 Israelis and maiming many more. The terrorists demand, among
other
things, that Israel withdraw from Gaza and expel the Jewish residents.
Terrorists, like all criminals, deserve to be punished for their crimes,
not rewarded. For Israel to withdraw from Gaza and expel the Jewish
residents would be to reward the terrorists. It would also encourage more
terrorism, by demonstrating to the terrorists that additional violence may
bring about additional Israeli concessions.
An Israeli withdrawal means
creating a terrorist state in Gaza:
The Palestinian Authority regime currently administers parts of Gaza
but does has not have sovereignty, because of the presence of the Israeli
Army. The PA does not control the borders, does not control sea access to
Gaza, and does not have a full-fledged army. If Israel withdraws from the
area, the PA will be able to establish a sovereign state.
Such a state would certainly be a terrorist state, to judge by how the
PA has treated terrorists until now. It has not disarmed or outlawed
terrorist groups; it has not shut down their bomb factories; it has not
closed down the terrorists' training camps. It has rewarded terrorists with
jobs in the PA police force. In short, the PA has actively collaborated
with and sheltered terrorists. Moreover, the PA itself has sponsored
thousands of terrorist attacks against Israel.
The PA has also created an entire culture of glorification of terrorism
and anti-Jewish hatred in its official media, schools, summer camps,
sermons by PA-appointed clergy, and speeches by PA representatives. PA
school textbooks teach that Jews are "evil racists."
Creating a Palestinian Arab state
in Gaza would not lead to peace:
Establishing a state in Gaza would not satisfy the Palestinian Arabs'
goals. The aim of a Palestinian Arab state would not be to live in peace
next to Israel, but to serve as a spring board for terrorism and invasions
aimed at annihilating the Jewish State. The PA makes no secret of its goal;
the official maps on PA letterhead, in PA schoolbooks and atlases, and
even
on the patch worn on the uniforms of PA policemen show all of Israel not
just the disputed territories labeled "Palestine."
A Palestinian Arab state
in Gaza would be an
anti-American dictatorship:
The last thing the world needs now is yet another totalitarian,
anti-American terrorist state. Yet that is exactly what a Palestinian Arab
state in Gaza would be, judging by the behavior of the PA during the ten
years since it was created. The PA is a brutal Muslim dictatorship that
tortures dissidents, silences newspaper that deviate from the PA line, and
persecutes Christians. The official PA media actively incite hatred against
America, and the PA maintains warm relations with the most anti-American
regimes in the world, including Iran, Syria, Sudan, and North Korea.
* * *
The Zionist Organization of America, founded in 1897, is the oldest
pro-Israel organization in the United States. The ZOA works to strengthen
U.S.-Israel relations, educates the American public and Congress about the
dangers that Israel faces, and combats anti-Israel bias in the media and on
college campuses. Its past presidents have included Supreme Court
Justice
Louis Brandeis and Rabbi Dr. Abba Hillel Silver.
----------------------
With Blessings and love for Israel,
Ruth Matar
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February 13, 2004
Two upcoming demonstrations:
1) WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18th, 2004 at 7:00pm
Last Sunday, over a thousand people (amongst whom hundreds of Women
in
Green) went to Gush Katif in the Gaza strip for a day of support. We
planted trees in Netzarim, we visited Kfar Darom and bought from the
wonderful fruits and vegetables our dear brothers and sisters in Gush Katif
produce. This was our way to show support to the 21 flourishing Jewish
communities in that area and warn Ariel sharon that we will never agree for
him to uproot them. (During the day, Women in Green co-chair, Ruth
Matar,
fell on the bus and broke her ankle - having to undergo surgery - we wish
her a speedy recovery)
Next week the Gush Katif residents are coming to Jerusalem. The Gush
Katif
children will, starting Sunday February 15th, March from Gush Katif and
arrive in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening. That is when we will join them
to show support and demonstrate with them.
When? Wednesday February 18 at 7:00pm
Where? In front of the Prime Minister's residence
2) SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 22nd, 2004 at 9:30 am
During the Ehud Barak regime, Women in Green demonstrated for 39
Sunday
mornings in a row, in front of the Prime ministers office, during the
weekly cabinet meeting.
The time has come for Ariel Sharon and his government to hear our clear
and
loud message against his defeatist plans. Women in Green, together with
the other extra-parliamentary organizations, will demonstarte on SUNDAY,
FEBRUARY 22nd, at 9:30 am at the Rose Gardens, in front of the PM's
offices .
It is of utmost importance to have many people attending. Now that Arutz 7
radio is not around, we count on you to spread the message as widely as
possible, by email and by
phone. Come and bring at least 5 friends.
Ruth and Nadia Matar
*******************************************************
February 22, 2004
Replace Sharon!
Ariel Sharon's policies have totally failed and he must be replaced
immediately.
The latest Arab bus bombing in Jerusalem is merely the latest of a long line
of intolerable conditions which our citizenry has been required to "live
with" for an extended period of time. It is time we call a halt to this
despairing situation.
Sharon's policy of restraint towards Arab terror and violence is
inexcusable. Steps should have been taken long ago to wipe out the
infrastructure of Hamas and the other terror groups, including the
destruction of the so-called Palestinian Authority, leaving Arafat without a
base from which to operate.
His recently announced policy of abandoning the Jewish settlements in
Gaza is another inexplicable posture which defies reason. If there is today
firing of mortars and other destructive missiles into Israel from the Gaza
area, how much more so will it continue in the future. Furthermore, there
would be no possibility of a proper response by Israel to such Arab
attacks, that does not invoke worldwide criticism. Then, of course, there is
the question of rewarding Arab terror which would rightly be seen as such
by the terrorists. The example of Barak's withdrawal from Lebanon was
seen as a victory for terrorist action, and Sharon's withdrawal from Gaza is
identical to the mistake we made in Lebanon.
The whole concept of two states living side by side in peace with each
other is a fantasy which Sharon has adopted by virtually endorsing "the
Road Map". Sharon has not been in any way critical of this preposterous
plan, which does not deal with reality. Nor does the hatred which the
Palestinian Authority continues to foster. This is evident in the unchanged
PA educational system, and in the daily hostile propaganda against the
very existence of the Jewish State of Israel.
The Jewish People deserve better leadership than what it presently has.
Arab Terror will not cease unless the structures from which it operates are
totally rooted out and destroyed. Further additional action is required, but
at least the fundamental rooting out of Arab terror is the first necessary
step.
The Jewish People presently are without hope and are sorely disillusioned.
They require a leadership that will restore their confidence and pride in
themselves and in their government. Sharon's dictatorial policies must be
halted. Israel's very existence is threatened, and public morale is at an all
time low. The only solution is for Ariel Sharon to step down, either
voluntarily or be removed from office. Are the Jewish People wise enough
to take such action?
Ruth and Nadia Matar
*******************************************************
February 25, 2004
The Rogers Plan Is Still With Us
by Yossi Ben-Aharon
n March 1969 the Nixon administration had barely begun its term when
ambassador Yitzhak Rabin was called in for an important meeting with
secretary of state William Rogers. Accompanying Rabin were his deputy,
the late Shlomo Argov, and myself.
What transpired in that meeting may be considered ancient history.
However, two issues that were raised then have remained vitally relevant to
this day.
Rogers summoned Rabin to outline the main contours of a comprehensive
solution to the Arab-Israel conflict that soon became known as the Rogers
Plan. The goal was to have Israel withdraw to the pre-June 1967 armistice
lines in return for peace. Rogers and assistant secretary of state Joseph
Sisco made their presentations. Rabin was dumbfounded. Argov's face
turned red as Sisco read from a top secret – "nodis" (no distribution)
paper. I took notes, trying hard not to miss one word.
"The territorial issue is the crux of the matter," Sisco intoned. As for the
nature of peace, "the US believes that the type of relations existing
between neighboring states that have long lived in peace is unattainable in
the Middle East at this stage in history."
Argov exploded: "And for this 'unattainable' peace you want us to withdraw
to lines which are indefensible?" he asked.
Rabin pressed on: "You are destroying the chances of achieving an
agreement via direct negotiations. Maybe we can get a better deal through
a direct give-and-take process with the Arabs." Our arguments fell on deaf
ears.
SUBSEQUENTLY the Americans confided their position on borders to the
Soviets, then to the Arabs. Sure enough, the Arabs soon adopted the
position that a total withdrawal to the previous armistice lines was not
negotiable. Later, it turned out to be one of the main causes for the
stalemate in the talks with Syria and with the Palestinians.
Our heated exchanges with the Rogers team next turned to the strategic
dimension. Again, Argov led the discussion: "What Israel do you want to
see in the Middle East?" he asked the secretary.
"An Israel that lives in peace and normal relations with its neighbors"
responded Rogers.
"In that case, you are doing the exact opposite of what you say you want to
achieve," Argov retorted. "Your focus on territory will only promote friction
and war, not peace nor normal relations. The Arabs will interpret your
stance as an invitation to press for more concessions, until they push us
with our backs to the wall.
"And if we are pushed to the wall we will respond until no target in the
Middle East, including the Persian Gulf, will be beyond our reach."
Argov was intimating, of course, that in an all-out confrontation in which its
existence might be threatened Israel would not hesitate to hit the Gulf oil
fields. Still our arguments fell on deaf ears. Thirty-five years later we are
struggling with the same basic and vital issues. Neither the lesson of the
Yom Kippur War, nor the rise of PLO and Islamic terrorism have brought
about an American reappraisal of its policy, or of its perception of Israel's
role in the region and its impact on an Arab-Israel settlement.
Successive American administrations have persistently adhered to a
settlement formula – regardless of the name given it – which focuses on
territory and disregards the long-term consequences of a weakened Israel.
A strategically emasculated Israel invites further Arab attempts on its
existence.
A convergence of American and Israeli interests can contribute immensely
to regional stability. But it will not become a reality until Washington finally
turns its back on the Rogers Plan and on the entire approach that gave
birth to it.
The writer is a former director general of the Prime Minister's Office under
Yitzhak Shamir.
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February 26, 2004
Sharon, The Dictator
Member of Knesset, Aryeh Eldad, pointed out in an article written in the
most circulated Hebrew newspaper, Yediot Achronot, that Prime Minister
Sharon was acting illegally, and in an anti-democratic fashion, when he
gave an order to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare for the
evacuation of Jews from Biblical Gaza.
MK Eldad points out that it is not within the existing power of the Prime
Minister to issue such an order to the Israel Army. Sharon has not even
submitted to his Cabinet and to the Knesset his plan for their prior required
approval, BEFORE issuing such an order. Existing law requires that he
formally first obtains such approval before he can act in any manner with
regard to his so-called plan.
We call upon all present Ministers of the National Camp, along with the
masses of our People, to join a DEMONSTRATION held by all Extra-
Parliamentary Groups, outside Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office in
Jerusalem, while his Cabinet is meeting that morning.
The DEMO will be held on SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2004, at 9:30 A.M. at
the ROSE GARDEN, adjacent to the PM's office.
We urge all who love Israel and its Biblical Heritage, including the present
Ministers of our Government, and all of our ordinary citizens, to join with
those holding this demonstration,
and to spread and convey this message to others.
The head of Israel's Security (Shabak), the Chief of Staff (Army) and the
head of Military Intelligence, and many thousands of ordinary Israelis
citizens, are all opposed to the unilateral withdrawal plan. The plan which
Sharon has proposed is against Israel's interests, and safety. The
evacuation of entire Jewish Communities, and Jews from the homes that
they built in the Gaza area is not only unfair, and senseless, but it exposes
the rest of adjoining communities to great danger.
Come to the Demo to raise your voices in protest!
Ruth and Nadia Matar
In our previous email, in which we sent out the article of Yossi Ben-Aharon
entitled "The Rogers Plan Is Still With Us", we failed to mention that it had
appeared in the Jerusalem Post on February 23,2004. Please forgive us
this omission.
*******************************************************
February 26, 2004
WHOSE LAND GRAB?
LETTER FROM RUTH MATAR (WOMEN IN GREEN) JERUSALEM
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Dear Friends,
A Letter to the Editor published in the Jerusalem Post of February 23, upset
me sufficiently to rouse me from my preoccupation with all the medical
procedures involved in the recovery from injuries sustained at the
beginning of this month.
The following is the complete letter to the Jerusalem Post from a pro-Israel
advocate:
Plaint from a pro-Israel advocate.
Sir, - I read with a knot in my stomach your report that the Knesset Finance
Committee had approved a "transfer of NIS96m to settlements" (February
17). As a committed pro-Israel activist I am frequently out there on the
hustings, explaining to San Francisco Bay Area Jewish and mixed
audiences that Israel continues to deserve our support and that we
must remain focused on the real causes of regional conflict.
Questions directed to Israel's settlements policy are very difficult to
answer. What can one say to someone who inquires, "That was a very nice
presentation of the Zionist position, sir, but isn't all this settlement building
just about a land grab from the Palestinians?" And there is no persuasive
answer whatsoever to those who wonder why, particularly at a time of
economic and social crisis, Israel makes settlement building a national
priority.
I will do my best to be a persuasive pro-Israel advocate, but moves like the
recent Finance Committee vote make it very difficult.
Michael A. Jacobs
Sausalito, California
My letter in answer thereto:
Sir, - "Plaint from a pro-Israel advocate" (Feb. 23, 2004) highlights an
unfortunate attitude problem of some US Jews who try to be "persuasive
pro-Israel advocates", without a comprehensive understanding of what true
Zionism entails. It is impossible to be an effective pro-Israel advocate
without understanding the history and causes of the regional conflict
in the Middle East.
There never was such a thing as Palestinian people or a political entity
called Palestine. Arafat's PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) was
founded in 1964, three years before Israel's 1967 defensive war, when Israel
had to withstand the attack by five well-armed States - Egypt, Iraq, Syria,
Lebanon and Jordan, with their large armies and arsenals. At the end of
the Six Day War, the Biblical Heartland of Judea and Samaria was liberated
by Israel from Jordan. Jordan occupied Judea and Samaria between 1948
and 1967. King Hussein of Jordan, during this illegal occupation, renamed
Judea and Samaria the "West Bank", i.e. the west bank of the River Jordan.
Jordan, of course, is a country, which according to Winston S. Churchill,
Winston Churchill's grandson, was "created" by his grandfather, who was
Britain's Colonial Secretary at the time of Jordan's creation in 1921.
Yes, there is an attempted land grab - not by the Jews - but by the Arabs
who have come to the Holy Land from surrounding Arab countries during
the last hundred years for work opportunities and a less repressive life
style. Since 1967, the Arabs have established almost twice as many
settlements than the Jews in the liberated territory of Judea and
Samaria! This land grab has been heavily funded by Saudi Arabia. Sadly
enough, the world does not find the frantic Arab building activities in the
Holy Land an obstacle to peace.
The Hebrew word "Mitnachalim" has been mistranslated as "Settlers". The
correct translation is "Inheritors". The Jewish People are the Inheritors of
the Land which the Almighty promised to their Forefathers as an
everlasting inheritance.
Ruth Matar
Women in Green
We live in extraordinary, fateful and dangerous times. What can each of us
do to battle the dangerous onslaught of radical Islam on Judeo-Christian
civilization and values?
To quote the American Civil War Battle Hymn: "Praise the Lord and Pass
the Ammunition."
Our best ammunition is to continually and vigorously spread the Truth to
counteract the Big Lie of the powerful Arab propaganda machine!
There is no Palestinian people, just a conglomeration of Arab countries
who want to eradicate Israel, as they failed to do in 1948 and 1967.
There never was a state called Palestine. King David reigned over the
Kingdom of "Judea" whose inhabitants were called Jews. Remind your
government representatives and the media of these simple facts. Also,
keep reminding them of the famous quotation from the Bible: "Those who
curse Israel will be cursed and those who bless Israel will be blessed."
With Love for Israel,
Ruth Matar
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February 27, 2004
Socialist Peres Just Doesn't Like Being a Jew!
Peres is a stereotype. A vain Israeli, without religion or faith, ironically,
living,in the Promised Holy Land which has given birth to the Jewish
Religion. Many years ago, Moshe Sharett, who later became Israel's Prime
Minister, correctly envisioned that Peres lacked character, and represented
a danger and threat to the existence of a Jewish State. Unfortunately, his
predictions were on target, and Peres today remains disloyal to his People,
and by his actions, represents a threat to Israel's existence.
The author and initiator of the Oslo Process, to this day he will never admit
to the grave mistake he made. He has caused many deaths and maimings
of Jews because of the policies he deceptively maneuvered. He is just
incapable of admitting having made a mistake, but instead continues to
rationalize his past serious wrong doings.
Typical of his vanity is his unwillingness to see any evil in Arafat whom he
persists in calling a man of peace. After Arafat has been proven to be
directly linked to terror and responsible for many Jewish and American
deaths, Peres still insists, even today, that Arafat was justified in receiving
the Noble Peace Prize.
His latest statements made in Washington, D.C. which he no doubt
repeated in his meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Powell, and
Condelezza Rice, incredulously was that Israel has no "moral" claim to
Gaza or to Judea and Samaria, and must give up these "territories." History
has no meaning for Peres. He does not believe in G_d or the Bible. That is
why he is capable of claiming that Jews have no moral right to Gaza or
Judea and Samaria, which is a vital part of Jewish history, religion and its
traditions.
No one seems to be bothered by the fact that this man who has no position
in our present government, nevertheless meets with Powell and Rice. Such
behavior on his part may satisfy his inflated ego, but is tantamount to
disloyalty, and leads to divisiveness and confusion at a time when unity of
the People of Israel is required. Peres is busy with his own vanity and
private machinations rather than acting in behalf of the Jewish State of
Israel and its needs, during these critical times. An example of his
callousness was demonstrated when his ego initiated an expensive and
extensive celebration of his 80th birthday at a time when Israel's economy
was sorely in distress.
Peres admittedly is a non-believer, and thinks the Jewish People have no
"destiny." His Oslo proposals have proven disastrous. It is fortunate
however, that the God of Israel is the factor in determining Jewish Destiny.
Thanks to the Almighty, the Jewish People have survived many perilous
periods in its long and ancient history. They are here and are alive today
despite their many enemies. They will continue to survive, despite the
efforts of an aged and barking secularist and socialist, Shimon Peres.
Ruth and Nadia Matar
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