                                                               
                      A Voice from Hebron
                     by Gary M. Cooperberg
                       December 23, 1995
                     A New Christmas Story
                                
     In the little town of Bethlehem this year the Christmas holiday, with its message of peace
on Earth, will be celebrated with a new twist.  A new, grubby bearded "Santa Claus" with his
band of dearies who will now reign in yet another Jewish city, will bring peace and joy to us all.
     How interesting it is to note that as a direct result of the murder of Rabin, Shimon Peres
has become a veritable one man show who has conducted a dazzling campaign of blitz surrender. 
On the one hand the government of Israel has been arresting rabbis and indicting organizers of
non violent protests, effectively terrorizing and silencing all opposition, and, on the other hand it
has been speeding up the process of retreat from Jewish land while concurrently planting an
enemy army within our borders.
     Jenin, Shechem, and now Bethlehem have been turned over to the enemy and not a peep
of protest or complaint is heard.  Rabbi Shlomo Riskin met with the Prime Minister and was
delighted to report that Peres promised him that he could keep Efrat.  Isn't that nice?  I guess the  
chief rabbi of Efrat won't complain about the loss of the City of David (Bethlehem).  After all, he
has Efrat.
     The assassination of Rabin has effectively destroyed democracy in Israel.  There is no
longer any visible opposition to the government.  The leftists and some foolish rightists gloat and
chide that "violence doesn't work".   But the fact is if this particular violence was, contrary to
popular opinion, arranged by the left, then it worked beautifully.
     This morning a veteran citizen of Kiryat Arba, Shmuel Cytrin, father of five children,
ranging in age from 8 years to 4, upon learning that the police were looking for him, went to the
local police station to see what they wanted.  He was promptly arrested and taken to prison under
a military order of administrative detention for a period of three months.  As you may know, such
an order can be given by high ranking military officers without any right of appeal.  Shmuel has no
idea why he has been imprisoned nor has he any way to defend himself against his predicament. 
He served in the army here and never was convicted of any crime.  If nothing else Shmuel has
become an example to silence others who might think to oppose government policy.  
     The assassination of Rabin seems to have given license to our government to terrorize the
opposition and continue its policy to emasculate the Jewish state before our most implacable
enemies.   
     In spite of Shimon Peres' insistence that he is making peace and that all who oppose his
policies are "against peace", the fact is that he has placed himself in a position whereby he has
fallen victim to his own folly of surrendering the Land of Israel to the PLO.  One doesn't make
"peace" with terror.   You either destroy terror or terror will destroy you.  
     No, Virginia, the fat man with the stubby beard is not Santa Clause.  His costume is red
with the blood of countless Jews and Arabs whom he has murdered.  His jolly belly-laugh is one
of contempt for the fools who are enabling him to build the state that he only dreamed of , and
which he fully expects to use to destroy the Jewish one.  
     Peace on Earth and goodwill toward mankind is a worthy goal, but dressing up Yasir
Arafat like Santa Claus and giving him control over Bethlehem, a mere 200 meters from the
outskirts of Jerusalem is no way to achieve it.  Shimon is beaming proudly over his
"achievements" and Yasser is, justifiably, chuckling, "Ho Ho Ho."