               Is Life so Dear or Peace so Sweet
                 as to Abandon Jewish Destiny?
                          July 1, 1994
                     by Gary M. Cooperberg

     When Israel made a deal, years ago, to release 1050 convicted terrorist prisoners in
exchange for three captured Jewish soldiers, it seemed to most normal people a pretty stupid
deal.  Yet we saw an allegedly right wing government go through with it.
     We lived through Camp David, which saw the mighty Menachem Begin cave in to
pressure and become the first Prime Minister of Israel to recognize the legitimacy of a
fraudulent "palestinian" entity, with rights in our country.
     The people of Israel have, through the years, experienced so many self denigrating
suicidal acts taken by their various governments that they seem to have developed an immunity
to them.  What other people would fall for the line that the terrorist murder of innocent
civilians is merely a down payment for "peace"?
     We have been sitting through national processes which would make Chelm seem like a
city of geniuses.  If I were to read a comic strip describing events which actually took place in
this country I would dismiss it as simply too ridiculous to bother reading.
     Who would be capable of writing a fiction about a strong, self-sufficient country,
which decided to resurrect a moribund terrorist organization dedicated to destroy that
country?  
     The PLO didn't come begging to Rabin to please forgive it for past behavior and now
let's live in peace as friends.  Rabin came begging to the bankrupt PLO to dictate terms of
victory to him in return for an ill defined "peace".  As a precondition to this agreement, Rabin
agreed to help acquire huge amounts of funds for Arafat; to help him build an army, comprised
of convicted terrorist prisoners whom he would release from prison and which he would also
help to arm; provide him with uniforms for his soldiers and a flag he could wave; and, on top
of all this, he agreed to cede to him, as a down payment toward an undefined future
settlement, portions of Israeli land.  All this without any firm commitment from Arafat for
anything.
     On Monday, May 9, 1994, Israeli television broadcast portions of an interview with an
Arab terrorist who had been expelled from Israel and was living in Syria.  This fellow clearly
annunciated what Arafat and all Arab leaders honestly believe.  "There cannot be real peace as
long as a Jewish state exists."  This is basic Islamic doctrine which cannot be "negotiated" or
"compromised" away.
     While Peres may honestly think that he is creating a New Middle East where Arab and
Jew can live together in peace, one is hard pressed to understand how a man in his position
cannot understand the most basic tenet of Islam which cannot permit any alien nation to have
sovereignty over what it considers to be Moslem soil.
     When truth is too bitter to swallow, it is not uncommon to seek escape by creating
palatable fantasies.  How wonderful it would be to live in a world of peace where all people
live together as brothers.  Yes, that is certainly a wonderful dream.  But until the day when the
lamb can graze together with the lion, you have to be a complete idiot to lock the lamb up
with the lion and expect the lion not to devour it.  This is precisely what Peres is attempting to
do.  
     One needn't be a prophet or a genius to know what the result will be.  When you invite
the lion to have dinner with the lamb, the lamb is hopeful to be a dinner partner, but the lion
has an entirely different role in mind for this "partner".  Can any honest observer really believe
that Arafat will be content with autonomy under Israel in Gaza and Jericho?  Can one imagine
him content to live in peace as an independent state, including Judea and Samaria and
Jerusalem, if it meant living alongside a sovereign Jewish State of any dimension?  Only a self
deceiving fool can believe such a thing.
     Peace is an ideal goal, and one which must be sought.  But even a concept as great as
peace must have its limitations.  As Patrick Henry once asked, "Is life so dear or peace so
sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?"  It would seem that Shimon Peres
thinks it is.  The fact is that, for the Jewish State, the purchase price is far more than chains
and slavery... it is its very existence.
     Because I live in Kiryat Arba, Hebron, the birthplace of the Jewish nation I am guilty
of wanting to live in a proud Jewish State.  As such Mr. Peres accuses me of being against
peace.  If peace means trying to turn the process of Jewish redemption backwards and seeking
a third Jewish exile, then he is right.  Under such circumstances I would prefer war to peace.
     One needn't be a religious zealot to recognize the meaning of human dignity and self
respect.  There are certain basic values in life which any normal human being would be
prepared to die for.  If not, than life has no value.
     Throughout Jewish history, nay, world history, there are countless examples of people
who sacrificed their very lives for principles they held higher than life itself.  Young Nathan
Hale stood on the gallows and announced "My only regret is that I have but one life to give
for my country".  Were Shimon Peres in his place he would have preferred to live in peace
under British domination than give up his life.
     Were we defeated at the hands of enemies stronger than we, our loss would be bitter,
but understandably acceptable.  But for us to surrender our most basic principles not only to
an enemy which is far weaker than we, but also a fraudulent entity is just not within the realm
of reason, much less pride and self respect.
     I don't wish to fight with Arabs.  I certainly don't wish to fight with my own brothers. 
But I am not prepared to turn my back on the biggest gift to the Jewish People since the Torah
was given on Mount Sinai, in return for the promises of an Arab Hitler.    Hebron is the symbol of the right of the Jewish People to the Land of Israel.  To walk
away from her is to negate our right to a Jewish homeland.  Death is clearly preferable to such
a voluntary negation.    