                                                               
                      A Voice from Hebron
        "Pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides"
                     by Gary M. Cooperberg
                       December 25, 1996
                                
     Police Minister, Avigdor Kahalani, made a simple statement which sums up, in a nutshell,
the warped logic of our government.  When describing his position on Hebron he said that he
remains committed to protecting the Jewish residents of Hebron, while, at the same time
recognizing the need to desist from ruling over 160,000 "palestinians".  
     This concept is certainly consistent with the aspirations of, not only this government, but
of the Labor party as well.  But, when you look at it a little closer, you can see that we have an
irreconcilable contradiction here.  I cannot understand why, otherwise intelligent, people are so
quick to assume that our "palestinian neighbors" have any interest in living together with Jews. 
Time and time again we are told by them that the mere fact of Jews living in areas with larger
Arab populations is a provocation which cannot be tolerated.   And, indeed, this attitude is
enforced with murder.  Yet, in spite of this consistent reality, our governments either insist that
we can live together, or that the Jews must be moved.  
     How does one go about "desisting from ruling" over a hostile minority?  Basically there
are two ways.  You can abandon your homeland to that minority; or you can remove that minority
from your homeland.  We have learned, from bitter experience, that , no matter how hard we have
tried to coexist with those who seek our destruction, not only do they fail to share our aspiration
toward friendship, but they still openly plot our destruction!
     We have an example of this concept in Jerusalem today.  We have been warned, by Arab
leaders, that, should a Jewish neighborhood be built on a vacant site, owned by Jews, but located
in an area which happens to be heavily populated by Arabs, uncontrollable violence will erupt and
endanger  the peace process.  In reaction, our prime minister has chosen to delay a decision on
building there!  Once again, Arab violence and threats are rewarded by our government.
     For Netanyahu to agree to any kind of  "redeployment" in Hebron is to invite more and
more violence and threats of violence all over Israel.  The fact that there is a numerical disparity
between the Jewish and Arab population in Hebron in no way alters the fact that it is the Arabs
who use racist philosophy to demand the removal of Jews.  And it is Jewish cowardice and self-debasement which considers such philosophy as reasonable.   No matter how many Arabs may
live in Hebron today, it is still our city, our country and it is entirely our decision as to who will
continue to live here and who won't.  This is the fact which no Jewish leader has yet had the
courage to enunciate.   Even now, from a position of weakness, Arab leaders clearly tell us that
Jews should be removed from Hebron and that they should not be permitted to pray at the tombs
of our Fathers and Mothers at Machpelah. 
     I would never suggest that Arabs be removed from Hebron by force merely because they
are Arabs.  I insist that they be removed by force because, if we don't move them, they will
continue to murder Jews until they are able remove all of us by force.  Whether we like to admit it
or not, the Arabs are our enemies.  They will take up arms against us just as soon as they feel they
can beat us.  There is not one whit of logic in waiting for them to make that decision.  While we
still have the ability to do so, it is our obligation to remove them from our homeland.  To do less
will only guarantee the coming of a time, and it is not far off, when the only choice will be to kill
or be killed.

     "And when the L-rd thy G-d shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and
utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them;
     And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given
you the land to possess it.
     But if you will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall
come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in
your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell."
Deuteronomy VII vs. 2, and Numbers XXXIII  vs 53, 55