                      A Voice from Hebron
                     by Gary M. Cooperberg
         Why are our leaders afraid to be proud Jews?  
                          May 12, 1998
                                                                                
        When former right wing leader, Ariel Sharon, has turned into peace maker par excellence,
rejecting the most basic tenets of even Likud policy and aligning himself with the peace camp, one
cannot help but wonder how Israel will survive under such leadership.

        Mr. Sharon has not unilaterally ruled out the possibility of the creation of another Arab state
on Jewish soil.  He has suggested his willingness to accept Arab refugees from 1948 into the state. 
And he has stated his belief that Jews and Arabs can find a way to live peacefully together in what
is now Israel.

        On top of this, he has stated that Islam has not changed its view that no non-Islamic entity
can be accepted as a sovereign state on what they see as Islamic land.  Thus the former right-wing
general is prepared to settle for a non-belligerency agreement in place of real peace and to make
concessions in order to achieve it.

        Mr. Sharon is a classic example which proves that, no matter how right-wing and
nationalistic one's intentions may be, there is only one dependable ideology which can survive all
challenges to our beliefs, and that is genuine Judaism.  The G-d of Israel has a peace plan.  It is
not new nor innovative.  It doesn't call for reciprocity, nor will it accept non-belligerency.  It is a
plan which will result in genuine peace.   It is a plan which can be brought to immediate fruition
by any Israeli government, and it does not require anyone leaving the country, for it will be
unveiled and set into motion from Jerusalem.                            

        Zionism was never intended to be a political movement.  It is and always was a G-dly
process which, despite declarations to the contrary by members of our own government, is
thriving today and will continue unto completion, even in spite of us.  

        I find such statements by Sharon, the virtual symbol of alleged right-wing extremism, and
echoed by other alleged right-wing institutions who now seem to be prepared to negotiate our
homeland with our enemies, proof positive that only under leadership which truly believes in G-d
and accepts the commandments of our Torah can save us from ourselves.

        Peace is a goal for which we must be prepared to sacrifice.  But there are limitations as to
just what kind of sacrifices we are permitted to make.  We have no right to sacrifice Judaism upon
the alter of an alleged peace process.  We have no right to as much as consider a concept such as
"land for peace" as this violates our Torah obligation to build up and settle the land.  It is
important to realize that even were Arafat an honest and good man; even if he accepted the
concept of reciprocity and honored every agreement to the letter; even if he really wanted to live
together with Israel in peace, we still have no right to give him sovereignty over one grain of sand
on the Gaza beach.  That is a violation of G-d's Law, and peace simply cannot be achieved in such
a manner.                                         

        Faith in G-d requires that we fear Him more than we fear the nations of the world.  Our
current leadership is doing just the opposite.  I am sorry that I cannot jump for joy in appreciation
of the fact that my prime minister is holding out not to give away more than nine percent of
Judea and Samaria to Arafat, at this time.  For the same price he could and should refuse to give
away anything.  How does the likes of a Sharon find it necessary to announce his decision never
to take back Shechem, Jericho or Hebron?  Of course we will take it back.  That is what is
meant to be.  Why are our leaders afraid to be proud Jews?  That is all it will take to turn
everything around and bring real peace to Israel and the world. 