July 1998
July 8, 1998 A Meaningful Jerusalem Custom
July 8, 1998 "Of Benjamin He Said: Beloved of the Lord, He Rests
Securely Beside Him" (Deuteronomy 33:12)
July 13, 1998 "The Fast of the Fourth Month...."
July 19, 1998 The Traitor Nahum Manbar and the Oslo Accords
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Jerusalem, July 8, 1998
A Meaningful Jerusalem Custom
Walking around the old Walled City of Jerusalem on
Tisha B'av evening is a Jerusalem Custom practiced for
hundreds of years. Several years ago, Women In Green
helped revitalize this meaningful custom. It was at a
time when the former Government felt no need to
identify with our age-old traditions, beliefs, and
aspirations. We therefore read the traditional book of
Eicha (Lamentations) by candlelight outside the home
of the late Prime Minister Rabin. We reminded him of
the destruction of the First and Second Temples on the
Temple Mount, thousands of years ago on this very
night of Tisha B'av.
Women In Green then proceeded to lead a Walk
around the Walls of the Old City. Our destination was
the Western Wall. That was appropriate because The
"Kotel," albeit the Outside Courtyard Wall of the
Temple Area, is an important remnant of the Jewish
glory that once was the Temple Mount. The holiday of
Tisha B'av recalls these national tragedies. The
destruction of both of our magnificent Holy Temples
on the same day is no mere historical coincidence. It
is a warning to us today of what can occur when the
nation is divided and disloyal to its traditions,
values, and to the Promise of the Lord concerning this
Land.
The Police, at first, refused to give us a Permit
for the Walk. Accordingly, we appealed to the High
Court. We won. About 30,000 joined us in our last
Walk, on Tisha B'av 1995, probably the largest turnout
to observe this old Jerusalem Custom up to then.
This year Tisha B'av once again affords the
opportunity to deliver an important message to Jews
here in Israel, and abroad. It also has a vital and
relevant message to the world at large, and to America
in particular. That message is that we are an ancient
People, with inextricable ties to this our homeland.
It is here where our forefathers are buried, and it is
here that we have our Biblical roots -- that we
suffered catastrophies in the past, and were sent into
exile, and cannot ignore the clear lessons of Tisha
B'av.
To stress this significant message, Women In Green
have decided to read, as is the tradition on Tisha
B'av evening, the traditional "Book of Lamentations,"
but this year near the American Consulate here in
Jerusalem. Tisha B'av is stock-taking time, and a
search for how to avoid a repetitive catastrophe;
we are turning to prayer to strengthen our resolve.
Moreover, by joining in the ancient Jerusalem Custom
of walking around part of the Walled City of Jerusalem,
we are declaring our People's resolve not to allow the
conditions leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and
Israel to re-occur, neither in our time, nor at any
time in the future.
Ruth and Nadia Matar
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Jerusalem, July 8, 1998
"Of Benjamin He Said: Beloved of the Lord, He Rests
Securely Beside Him" (Deuteronomy 33:12)
The following is the translation of Sunday's Hebrew program by Nadia
Matar, the chairperson of Women for Israel's Tomorrow (Women in
Green), on Arutz 7. Nadia speaks every Sunday after the 12:00 noon
newscast.
Shalom to all our listeners!
This is Nadia Matar speaking -
When the reports began coming in from Gush Katif about the
provocation by Abdul al-Aziz Shahin, Supplies Minister in the PLO
Authority, about the order he gave to block the roads and about the
fact that the Jewish settlements were under siege - I was actually
happy. I said to myself: Nu, this is a real present for the Prime
Minister. The PLO Authority cannot restrain itself any more - we all
know that it restrains itself until after the implementation of
another withdrawal, and only then will begin terror - and this
provocation in Gush Katif will be of benefit to Mr. Netanyahu: he
will be able to come to the people and the world and announce: "How
do you expect me to implement the additional withdrawal? The siege of
Gush Katif teaches us what is liable to occur to dozens of
settlements in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza that will remain under the
control of the PLO after the withdrawal!"
With a good information effort we could have turned the severe Gush
Katif incident to our advantage, in order to put a stop to this farce
that is called the "Oslo accords." The Prime Minister could have
convened a dramatic press conference on the spot - at the roadblock
in Gush Katif, and could have explained to all the television crews
from Israel and the world the severity of this matter, that it is
impossible to continue like this, that it is forbidden to give in to
terror....
But, unfortunately, this is not what happened, and the Israeli
government once again, to our shame, has capitulated to terror. Yes,
my listeners, what happened in Gush Katif is defined as pure terror.
There is no difference between the blocking of roads by the
terrorists of the PLO Authority and the hijacking of an airplane in
Entebbe. Both in Gush Katif and in Entebbe Jews were taken as
hostages by the despicable terrorists of the PLO.
And instead of dealing with the rioters harshly, so that they would
finally understand that such provocations are not worthwhile for
them, the Israeli government folded: not only was the convoy of the
terrorist Shahin permitted to pass through Gush Katif, but also an
"agreement" was reached according to which a "joint committee" will
be formed to discuss anew the travel arrangements in Gaza. "The IDF
expressed satisfaction," it was written in this morning's Maariv. "We
prevented a violent confrontation, and this is what is important," a
senior officer said.
Oh, my listeners! What a humiliation for us! What a victory for our
enemies!
If what is guiding us every time is "to prevent a violent
confrontation," then we can pack our bags and leave here - for it is
known that the PLO Authority will continue with provocations and
terror until it attains all its goals: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the right
of return.... And we will cave in each time, "to prevent a violent
confrontation"???
What is happening here, my listeners? Did we exchange a left-wing
government that surrendered to terror so that a right-wing government
will surrender to terror???
Believe me, my listeners, that I am the last one who wants to
criticize the Prime Minister or the government. I'm tired of
demonstrations, and I hoped that after the elections I could retire
from demonstrations. I hoped that only Peace Now would feel the need
to demonstrate, but, unfortunately, this is not the case. We have to
tell the truth, as this was done well by the journalist Haggai Segel
in his article "He Has No Character," that appeared in the Shabbat
issue of Maariv. This is what he writes (quote):
"Benjamin Netanyahu has been revealed to be a leader lacking in
character, and therefore he is disparaged. He has not succeeded in
having his opponents have an ounce of respect for him, specifically
because he has succeeded in impressing them with his ideological
flexibility. The Americans, who were amazed by his stunning victory
over Peres, began to belittle him in the wake of the manner in which
he dealt with the bloody riots after the opening of the Western Wall
tunnel. They expected him to pin Arafat to the ground, but they
discovered then that the great expert on eliminating terror had
surrendered to violence. While IDF soldiers were being slaughtered at
the entrances to Shechem, he called Arafat from Germany and begged
for a meeting. [...] "Netanyahu does not believe in a new Middle
East, but nevertheless makes concessions to the Arabs. His great
fears cause him to agree to tremendous withdrawals, to comply with
American dictates, and to surrender to the Islamic terror. If he
won't quickly undergo a backbone transplant, he will also undoubtedly
agree, when the time comes, to the abandonment of the settlements."
End of the quotation from Haggai Segel.
And, my listeners, I want to believe that the Prime Minister is still
capable of undergoing this "backbone transplant." There is a public
that wants to support him. I was at the concert of the Beit Orot and
Ateret Cohanim yeshivot, and I saw how the Prime Minister was
received with warmth and love by his natural public when he arrived.
I saw that evening the fierce desire, the actual thirst of the people
for true leadership. Many people do not want to believe that the
Prime Minister will implement the additional withdrawal and thus
endanger the entire country, until then they give him additional
credit.
But the surrender to terror in Gush Katif was a mark of discredit to
the Prime Minister and the entire government, and, essentially, does
not bode well for us regarding the future.
And we say: Don't cross the red line, Prime Minister!
Don't forget that "it is possible to defeat terror, on condition that
we adopt two basic principles that will guide our war against terror:
the first - the refusal to surrender to its demands, and the second -
the willingness to fight the nations that support terror." I didn't
write this, you did, Prime Minister, in your book A Place among the
nations, on page 206.(of the Hebrew book).
You also wrote: "In the past Israel exemplified an uncompromising
struggle against terror. In its refusal to submit to the dictates of
the terrorists, a refusal that was expressed in the repeated assaults
by IDF soldiers on terrorists who held hostages, from Maalot to
Entebbe, and its determination to strike against terrorist centers
wherever they were, Israel demonstrated that it is possible to fight
terror."
Mr. Prime Minister, you failed at the Western Wall tunnels and you
failed yesterday at Gush Katif. May it be His will that you will not
disappoint us again and that you will not capitulate, that you will
stand firm, and then we will be able to sing together the song from
the Book of Deuteronomy that is so beloved by you: "Of Benjamin he
said: Beloved of the Lord, he rests securely beside Him."
Have a good week,
and let us continue our struggle for the release of Jonathan Pollard
and for the return of our POW's: Ron Arad, Zechariah Baumel, Yehudah
Katz, and Tzvi Feldman.
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Jerusalem, July 13, 1998
"The Fast of the Fourth Month, the Fast of the Fifth Month, the Fast
of the Seventh Month, and the Fast of the Tenth Month Shall Become
Occasions for Joy and Gladness, Happy Festivals for the House of
Judah; But You Must Love Honesty and Integrity" (Zechariah 8:19)
The following is the text of last Sunday's program by Nadia Matar, the
chairperson of Women for Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), on Arutz
7. Nadia speaks every Sunday after the 12:00 noon newscast.
Shalom to all our listeners!
This is Nadia Matar speaking -
Today is the fast day of the 17th of Tammuz. This fast denotes the
day on which the walls of Jerusalem were breached twice, during the
destruction of the First Temple and during the destruction of the
Second Temple. This day marks the beginning of bein ha-metzarim [the
Three Weeks between the 17th of Tammuz and the Ninth of Av]. Four
times in the year, the Jewish people observe four fast days connected
with various historical events relating to the destruction of the
Temple and the loss of our national independence.
In an article in the Jerusalem Post, the author, by the name of
Itamar Marcus, asks an interesting question: How is it that we still
fast on these fast days? It is written in the sources that these fast
days are supposed to become days of rejoicing and redemption, with
the key to redemption being the return of the Jews from the Diaspora,
and when the land [of Israel] will no longer be desolate, and instead
blossom. Throughout the article, Marcus shows the signs of the return
to Zion, the fact that so many Jews from the four corners of the
world have returned to Eretz Israel, and that all these Jews have
rejuvenated the soil of Eretz Israel and transformed it from desolate
to blooming. In short, we have returned to our national independence
in Eretz Israel, Marcus says, has not the time arrived to stop
fasting on these fast days and to begin to celebrate?
I would like to ask Itamar Marcus: Have we in fact returned to our
national independence? Is the fact that a large part of the Jewish
people has returned to its Land, worked its soil, established
magnificent undertakings ... is this fact enough to proclaim that we
have returned to our independence and that we must stop fasting for
the destruction of the Temple?
Do we conduct ourselves as an independent people when we surrender to
dictates by the United States? Are we to be called independent when
we allow terrorists to lay siege to our settlements in Gush Katif
without responding?
Is it really possible to say that we have attained national
independence when our leaders are willing to abandon more and more
areas of Eretz Israel?
Could the poet Judah Halevi, who wrote in the Diaspora, "O Zion,
inquire after the wellbeing of those who are in your thrall
[asirayikh]," have thought in his worst nightmares that there would
be prisoners [asirim] of Zion and Jerusalem in our country, under the
control of Arafat? Is this national independence?
Is it indeed possible to say that we have achieved Jewish spiritual
independence when 20,000 Jews demonstrate on behalf of trance dancing
- dancing with drugs - which is plain and simple idolatry?
And how is it at all possible to speak of national independence when
the Temple Mount, the very bedrock of our existence, is still
occupied by strangers?
No, my listeners! There are not yet sufficient reasons for rejoicing.
Unfortunately, we are still situated bein ha-metzarim [literally, in
the straits]. And what is needed now, more than ever, is unity.
The problem is that it is difficult to define what is unity. The
people from Meretz will say that unity means that we will all join
"Yesh Gevul," embrace the archmurderer Arafat and together condemn
Judaism and the settlers, and call our soldiers "Nazis," as Naomi
Hazan did last Thursday.
The haredim [ultra-Orthodox], on the other hand, may possibly say
that unity will come to us when we all adopt their way of life.
- What actually is "unity"? It is very difficult today to find
anything that unites almost all of us.
But there is such a thing.
JERUSALEM, the eternal capital of the Jewish people, unites almost
all of the Jewish people in Israel and in the Diaspora. The love for
Jerusalem, the knowledge by both the religious and the secular that
Jerusalem is ours. We all remember the famous picture of the soldier
next to the Western Wall after the liberation of the city: the look
in his eyes, an almost metaphysical look, the most spiritual look.
And today, as in the distant past, Jerusalem is in danger. The Arabs,
the Europeans, the Americans - they all want to take Jerusalem from
the hands of the Jews.
And so, my listeners, the conclusion today, the fast of the 17th of
Tammuz, is that in order to attain true Jewish-national independence,
we must unite around the struggle for Jerusalem. And when I say
"Jerusalem," I mean both the Temple Mount and the hills around the
city.
An excellent way of expressing our fierce desire to protect united
Jerusalem is to renew the ancient practice of marching around the
walls of the Old City on Tisha be-Av night. As I noted previously,
this year the Women in Green movement, together with other movements,
such as Zo Artzenu, Professors for a Strong Israel, and the Our
Jerusalem movement will once again renew this ancient custom, and on
Motzei Shabbat [Saturday night] we will read Eikhah [the Book of
Lamentations] on Agron Street, setting out from there on a mass march
around the walls of Jerusalem. Mass participation in this march will
constitute a clear message to the entire world.
Only if we are capable of defending Jerusalem and the surrounding
hills, and do not let our leaders give in any more to the dictates of
our external and internal enemies, only then will we be able to speak
about true independence and redemption.
The way is still long, but it is in our hands.
May it be His will that we merit seeing the day described by the
prophet Zechariah: "Thus said the Lord of Hosts: The fast of the
fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh
month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy
and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must
love honesty and integrity."
Have a good week, and let us not forget to continue our struggle for
the release of Jonathan Pollard and for the return of our MIA sons:
Ron Arad, Zechariah Baumel, Yehudah Katz, and Tzvi Feldman.
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Jerusalem, July 19, 1998
The Traitor Nahum Manbar and the Oslo Accords
The following is the text of today's program by Nadia Matar, the
chairperson of Women for Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green), on Arutz
7. Nadia speaks every Sunday after the 12:00 noon newscast.
Shalom to all our listeners!
This is Nadia Matar speaking -
This week's affair was the Zichroni-Strashnov affair.
The star of the episode,in my eyes , was the lawyer Amnon Zichroni.
Zichroni, a prominent leftist, already became famous in the late
1950s when he became the first draft dodger in the IDF. He refused to
bear arms, on grounds of "pacifism." He is close to Uri Avneri, the
Arab world, and the PLO Authority, and this week, it transpired that
this person does not hesitate to descend to the lowest depths with
slanderous tales, in a desperate attempt to save his client, the
traitor Nahum Manbar.
In contrast to what the media commentators tell is, Adv. Zichroni's
efforts were fruitful: he succeeded in diverting public attention
from the severity of Manbar's deeds to a spicy soap opera in the
style of Dallas, starring the judge, the law clerk, ... even the
Prime Minister and his advisors, everyone who's anyone ... just not
Manbar and his grave deeds!
All the articles in the Shabbat papers also center around the juicy
rumors spread by Zichroni, and there is no one to ask the question
that should be raised: How did it happen that Manbar received only 16
years imprisonment? How could it be that the prosecution requested
only 20 years imprisonment, and not a life sentence? Lawyers told me
that the death penalty clause still exists in the State of Israel.
The death penalty is imposed in two instances: when delivering
judgment upon the Nazis and their helpers, and against traitors.
Alright, the death penalty no longer exists in our country, but why
didn't Manbar at least receive life imprisonment? The traitor Vanunu
received much harsher punishment and treatment than the traitor
Manbar!
Some commentators say that the judge was lenient with Manbar because
of the classified part of the verdict, which apparently contains
sections dealing with the public norms in effect in '91-'92 regarding
transactions with Iran.
In my opinion, however, this is not a sufficient answer. To the
contrary, it strengthens my claim: that there is something here that
is much more essential and frightening. I maintain that Nahum Manbar
would have received a much harsher sentence if his trial had been
conducted in the pre-Oslo period, and that since the Oslo accords the
system of values in the State of Israel has undergone a diametric
change.
Let's analyze the facts: Nahum Manbar was convicted of treason
against Israel after selling to the Iranians material that was likely
to be used by them for the production of mustard gas. Simply put,
Nahum Manbar collaborated with our enemies, he helped them to arm
themselves, he sold to them information and materials that endanger
the State of Israel. For this he is called a "traitor," or, as the
Prime Minister said: "Nahum Manbar sold his soul to the Devil." And
now the question arises once again: then why only 16 years in prison
for something so severe? The answer may possibly be that, since the
Oslo accords, the things that Manbar did are no longer so serious in
the eyes of our establishment. Perhaps his deeds constitute a new
norm in Israel?
For what are the Oslo accords if not collaboration with an enemy that
still proclaims, day and night, its intention and desire to eliminate
us?
Nahum Manbar sold weapons to the Iranians? The conceivers of Oslo
released murderers and gave weapons to the terrorists of the
Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Manbar thereby endangers the security of the State of Israel? And how
should we define the handing over of territories and arms to the
archmurderer Arafat? Doesn't this endanger the State of Israel? The
Iranians have not yet attacked us personally; the Oslo accords have
already cost us more than 300 victims.
The Oslo accords return us, withdrawal after withdrawal, to the '67
borders, "Auschwitz borders" as they were defined by Abba Eban, and
establish a monstrous armed state. Isn't this an existential danger
to the State of Israel?
Actually, my listeners, what in fact is the difference between the
Manbar-Iran agreements and the Oslo accords, that are the
Peres/Beilin agreements with the PLO?
The fact that Manbar is a devout adherent of the Oslo accords and a
close friend of the leftist elite only reinforces this argument, and
should come as no surprise to us: these are brothers in crime....
Manbar acted only out of lust for money and nothing more ... Shimon
Peres and his band acted out of lust for power, lust for honor, and
the fierce desire to once and for all eliminate the
Jewish-religious-national undertaking in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.
The conceivers of Oslo, like Nahum Manbar, sold their souls to the
Devil, and Manbar actually was the 'fraier"( patsy) in all this,
since only he was put on trial and convicted.
And therefore it was so important that a national government would
refrain from any contact wit these criminal Oslo accords. The current
government accordingly bitterly erred when it decided to continue
with Oslo, albeit against its will and its beliefs.
I therefore sent a fax today to the Prime Minister with the
emotional plea: "Honorable Prime Minister, anyone who continues with
the Oslo accords and hands over territories and Ingram rifles to the
enemy is no different from Nahum Manbar. Don't join this band!!"
Have a good week.
And don't forget : Come and identify with your people
by joining in an old Jerusalem custom of walking around the Old City
Walls on leil Tisha b'av, motsaei Shabbat, august 1st:
at 9:15 p.m. we will read Megillat Eikhah (the Book of
Lamentations) on Agron Street in Jerusalem, proceeding from there at
10:15 to a mass march around the walls of the Old City. Busses will
return the marchers to Agron Street.
Be there and bring your family and friends - this will be a Tisha
B'av you will always remember!
And of course let us not forget to struggle for the release of
Jonathan Pollard and for the return of our MIA's: Ron Arad, Zechariah
Baumel, Yehudah Katz, and Tzvi Feldman.
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