                GIVE ME YOUR HOMELAND... FOR PEACE
                       February 10, 1991
                      by Gary M. Cooperberg

       As an American Jew who has lived in Hebron for nearly ten years, I think that my
views on the "Land for Peace" formula should be given at least the same exposure as those
expressed by foreign reporters who just came for a short visit.  
       Needless to say the so called "intifada" has called attention to a very serious
problem which has needed to be addressed ever since the establishment of the state, but which
has been meticulously avoided by every ruling Israeli government, including the present one. 
The problem is no less basic than clearly defining the purpose for which the State of Israel was
created.
       In 1948, just three years after Hitler's War against the Jews, having witnessed what
an "enlightened" superpower was capable of doing to Jews, the world accepted the premise
that the Jewish People needed a homeland; a place of refuge where any Jew would be
immediately welcome and safe.  This was the purpose for the creation of the Jewish State. 
There was only one way to ensure the continued status of Israel as a Jewish State, and that
was to restrict citizenship in that state to Jews.  There is no reason why non-Jews could not be
permitted to live here with all human rights, other than participation in governmental matters. 
Had this course been taken by the founding fathers, much strife and suffering could have been
avoided.
       Israel is not a superpower.  Israel is a tiny country whose main function is to
provide a safe homeland for all of the Jewish People, whether or not they live here yet.  It is
true that Hebron, where I live, is predominantly occupied by Arabs whom the Israeli
government elected not to evict after the Six Day War of 1967, but Hebron and all of the
Jewish Lands liberated in that war, were always a natural and historical part of the Land of
Israel.  Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are buried here.  King David began his rule from this city. 
There was never any Arab government under any name that had sovereignty in Israel-- not
even the so called "Palestine".
       The losers of the 1967 War to annihilate Israel were, incredibly, permitted and even
encouraged to continue to live here.  Rather than express appreciation, they have mounted a
campaign of misinformation together with an outright rebellion which has created the
impression that they are a legitimate oppressed people whose homeland is occupied by
outsiders.   The campaign was incredibly successful.  So much so that even the right wing
Prime Minister, Menachem Begin, who was usually very adept at fencing with political
concepts, was bamboozled into acknowledging the legitimacy of a so called "Palestinian"
people during the Camp David talks.  It is this recognition which presents Israel with her
greatest threat today.




       There is only one People with a legitimate right to sovereignty in the Jewish State,
and that is the Jewish People.  That is a simple axiomatic fact.  The Jewish People is not bent
on conquering the world, or oppressing others.  All she truly wants is to live in peace in her
own tiny homeland.  She is even willing and anxious to stretch out her hand to offer help and
friendship to all of her neighbors.  The Arab occupiers of Jewish Land who like to call
themselves "Palestinians" have only one real goal; to obliterate a Jewish State of any size. 
This is a fundamental Islamic aim shared by most Arab countries, and the virtual raison d'etre
for the creation of the "Palestinian" myth.
       Today, the term "Palestine" is a direct contradiction of the term "Israel".   If there is
a legitimate Palestine, then Israel is not legitimate, and the converse is true as well.  By
definition the two cannot coexist.  So why then do we accept the term which lends a false
legitimacy to our enemies, those who vow to destroy us?  Why do we not outlaw so much as a
reference to "Palestine" or "Palestinians" in our country?
       Instead we embellish the perversion which terms our enemies as innocent victims of
oppression and virtually guarantees the strengthening of this threat to the existence of the
state.  Why can we not at least show our enemies that there is no hope for them to ever
replace Israel with a Palestine?  It is we who encourage Arab terror.  By implying legitimacy
to a so called "Palestinian" entity; by refusing to execute Arab murderers who act in the name
of that entity; and not to expel insurrectionists who advocate the establishment of an Arab
State to replace the Jewish one gives them hope that to continue such behavior will result in
the achievement of their goal.
       I see no problem in living in peace with Arab neighbors.  If there are Arabs who are
willing to live in the Jewish State, and recognize it as such by dropping their contention that it
really belongs to Arabs there would be no problem.  The Jewish state was created as a haven
for the Jewish people, a last refuge where every Jew can turn in time of danger.  It is our only
guarantee against another holocaust.  Had a Jewish State existed in the 1930's millions of
Jewish lives might have been saved.  
       I do not hate Arabs.  I do not object to living with Arabs.  But I am, under no
circumstances willing to subject myself and my people to needless Arab terrorism.
       Israel is our only real home.  The Arabs have twenty-two homelands, each one of
which is vastly larger than the Jewish one.  Logically, the Arabs have no need for the tiny
amount of land that comprises the Jewish State, including the so called "Territories".  We must
remember that the Arabs initiated the War to annihilate Israel in 1967 when they possessed the
very lands they claim the return of which will bring peace!  Let us open our eyes and recognize
the difference between "racism" and "self-preservation".  If the Arabs of Israel showed
themselves willing to live under Jewish rule there would be no problem, and there is an acid
test.  Were Israel to announce a new law which would make any Arab who declares his
allegiance to "Palestine", either verbally or any other way, subject to immediate deportation as
a traitor who is a danger to the state, we will easily discover just which Arabs are willing to
live with us in peace, and fairly be able to rid ourselves of the others.   We never suggested to
any Arab state that they trade their homeland for peace.  We certainly cannot afford to buy
"peace" at the price of our existence.  Peace cannot be purchased, it must be earned.  If you
want to take away my homeland, then, clearly, you don't want real peace.