                      A Voice from Hebron
                      by Gary M. Cooperberg
          What would happen if you had a Peace Process
                  and Only One Side Showed up?
                                
                         March 16, 1998

         As is often the case, Hebron is making headlines again.  That the Jewish families living in
the  holy city of Abraham have been subjected to attacks by Arabs throwing rocks, molotov
cocktails and pipe bombs hasn't seemed important enough for our military commanders to counter
attack is bad enough.  But now that bullets are literally being fired directly into the community
from the PLO occupied hills overlooking the Avraham Avinu complex has the Jewish residents in
a quandary.  Our army is certainly capable of defending us.  The problem is that political
considerations have influenced our leadership to permit just about any kind of attack, as long as
there are no casualties.  Indeed, the military commanders point to the fact that there have been no
casualties as proof that the army is doing what it should.  The fact that bombs and bullets
miraculously missed their marks is ignored as our leadership seems prepared to wait until
someone gets injured or worse, G-d forbid. 

        The Jews living in Hebron are not rabble rousers.  They are not "demonstrators".  They are
dedicated Jews who care about their homeland and their fellow Jews living here.  It is no picnic
for them to endure the many hardships imposed upon them by political elements which would
prefer to abandon our holy city.  They have chosen to sacrifice their comforts, not for personal
gain, rather for the good of all Jews.  It always seems easier to walk away from a problem rather
than face it.  Had Jews decided not to make their homes in Hebron because it was difficult, all of
Hebron, and much more, would be under PLO control today. The price may be high, but these
special people have always shown themselves prepared to pay it.  This is what true Zionism has
always been about.

        While they are prepared to endure and live under difficult circumstances, they are most
certainly not suicidal fools.  It is absurd for anyone to expect a Jewish mother to sleep peacefully
knowing that bullets may be fired into her children's bedroom at any moment.  It is precisely
because bullets were fired, and no reasonable response was forthcoming from the IDF, that Jews
living in Hebron decided to become catalysts for such a response.  They did not attack anyone,
nor did they take the law into their own hands.  What they did was place themselves into danger
to force the army to recognize the seriousness of the situation.

        By walking to the site from which the bullets were fired, these Jews caused the army to go
there too (which they should have done on their own).  The PLO would not shoot at Jews like
sitting ducks if they knew they could not get away with it.  But if there is no response, why
shouldn't they have a turkey shoot whenever they want?

        Yes, there were some who stoned parked Arab cars.  I can understand their anger and
frustration, but that was just a stupid thing to do.  Why was it stupid?  Because it accomplished
less than nothing.
Not only were Arabs not deterred by this nonsense, but they were given credit for suffering under
"violent" attack by Jews.  Not one Arab was touched, yet the media referred to this petty
vandalism as a "pogrom".

         So now we have the ridiculous upside down picture of "violent, law-breaking Jewish
vigilantes" smashing windows of parked Arab cars. Such "violence" makes bombs and bullets
seem insignificant in comparison.  Jewish cars are pelted with rocks and boulders and worse,
when traveling the roads, which is a far cry from petty vandalism.  Yet this is readily accepted as
the norm.  Few, if any, Arab rioters are arrested, much less punished for their acts of attempted
murder.  Yet, as a result of a few Jewish vandals breaking windows, the Jewish community in
Hebron is indiscriminately inundated with summonses to appear for questioning by the police.

        Why is it that our own press cannot see the incredible restraint and tolerance practiced by
even the most "extreme" Jewish activists? The lives of their children are threatened and the worst
act of retaliation they can muster is to break a few car windows?  This is a pogrom?  This is
intolerance? This is provocation?   Have we all gone mad?  We, who are obliged to live among
murderers, are vilified for protesting?  It is the old story of the victim changing roles with the
villain.

        In response to the inappropriate and unfair criticism of the Jewish residents of Hebron by the
Israeli Minister of Defense and the IDF Chief of Staff, we saw the logical response by the
murderous PLO Chief of Police in Hebron, Jabril Rajoub.  He publicly swore that the next time
Jews dare set foot in PLO territory they will not leave alive. 

        Should such an expression of peaceful brotherhood surprise us? Hardly.   The fact, which we
are so quick to forget, is that all of the Land of Israel, even that upon which Arafat's goons sit,
still belongs to the Jewish State.  We did not give away anything.  All that was done was to permit
Arabs to govern themselves under overall Israeli sovereignty.  The Oslo agreement  was never
intended to cede Jewish land  to Arabs. . . to relinquish our sovereignty over Jewish soil.  Yet,
after the fact, and with the tacit acceptance of the present Israeli government, this is precisely
what has happened. 

        We have violated the spirit and the letter of Oslo by permitting our enemies to interpret it
erroneously and accepting that interpretation.  Were we to follow the actual agreement and come
to the natural legal conclusion, not only would we stop this mad process at once, we would be
obligated to reverse it.  Remember the concept upon which this whole mess began?  Gaza and
Jericho first?  The idea was to test the PLO's ability to live in peace on Jewish soil under Israeli
sovereignty and conduct it's own affairs.  They failed this test miserably and we failed to notice.

        Today, when our security officials admit that not only has terror not ceased or slowed down,
rather increased tremendously, our leaders are still talking with the PLO about further
concessions!  The fact remains that, from the very outset until today, the government of Israel is
making peace while our enemies are making war!   Wanting peace is a noble desire.  But believing
in a peace process, even as you watch your enemies use it in preparation to destroy you, is
nothing less than insanity.