                                                               
                                
                      A Voice From Hebron
                     by Gary M. Cooperberg
                        January 21, 1997
             Peace, It's a Beautiful Sight to See!

     Our "modern" society in the Jewish State is so supersaturated with itself  that it can never
consider the possibility that, just maybe, it has made a horrible error.  It cannot allow itself the
luxury to think that we really signed an agreement which will help our enemies to destroy us.  Oh
no, we are making peace.  Now all of our enemies will love us.  
     Madison Avenue watch out.  The Israel Tourism Ministry has initiated a new propaganda
campaign which would have made Goebbels jealous.  The alleged "right wing" Likud government, 
together with Jordan and the PLO, have decided to paint a pretty picture in the American media in
order to encourage tourism from the United States.  The theme is "Peace, it's a beautiful sight to
see." Obviously it would not auger well for Israel's tourist industry to mention the fact that, now
that the PLO is entrenched inside Israel proper the likelihood of acts of terror in all of the Jewish
state is far greater then ever before.  Only a few short weeks ago the State Department issued a
travellers' advisory warning for Americans  visiting Israel to stay away from large crowds and
avoid public transportation.  Assumedly that warning is now rescinded owing to the beautiful
"peace".
     I will say it openly and coldly, "If Arafat is your friend, then you are my enemy!"  Yet,
only a few days ago Arafat, perched atop the former Israeli military compound in Hebron,
announced to the world that Netanyahu is his friend.  He also repeated his unchanging message. 
"There will be a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital." He personally thanked the 87
members of my Knesset who handed him Hebron on a silver platter, including Likud, Shas and
Kahalani.  "Peace, it's a beautiful sight to see."
     Stupid is a kind word for people who really think that we have reached a new era of
friendship with murderers.  Only this afternoon one of our dauntless Israel radio reporters
conducted a very revealing interview with Jabril Rajoub, former convicted terrorist murderer and
currently the chief of police in Hebron.  I doubt that the Jewish reporter even understood his own
question, much less the shamelessly honest answer he was given.  First he asked the police chief
(sic) if he felt capable of controlling terror in the city.  His answer was a confident "of course". 
He then asked if he would arrest Arabs who interfere with the peace process.  Again the answer
was in the affirmative.  Then the reporter asked a most unlikely question.  "What will you do with
Arabs who collaborate with Israel"?  The answer was an indignant, "I will take care of them."  
     Clearly concerned for the welfare of these Arabs who had helped Israel the reporter then 
asked, "what if they only used to collaborate and now have stopped?"  The answer was, "Anyone
can turn a new leaf and start fresh.  But we will take care of those who collaborate with Israel."
     Now, dear reader, I ask you, what is the ostensible function of our esteemed "former"
terrorist police chief?  Was he not installed in this position for the specific purpose of cooperating
with Israel?  Is that not the concept of the new peace plan . . . cooperation?  How then can he
openly threaten to punish his fellow Arabs who think to do the same? " Peace, it's a beautiful
sight to see."
     Do you know why this peace is such a "beautiful sight"?  The answer is simple.  Jews
don't want to see the painful truth.  They don't want to admit that which they really know.  We
have embarked upon a precedent-setting process of surrender to our enemies.  Every new
agreement we sign and implement leaves us weaker than the one before.  Of course Arafat smiles
and says "thank you" to Netanyahu and Shas.  He may be a mass murderer, but no one can say
that he is impolite or ungrateful.  
     Were this government not to try and convince the outside world that we are enjoying a
blissful peace created by them, they would be forced to admit that they made a grave error.  This
they have not the courage to do.  Better to bring down the Jewish State over their ears than to
admit that they were wrong.  But they know that they are wrong, and that is the worst part of this
whole mess.   
     Hebron, for the first time since we came back to her, is now at "peace" with the PLO! 
Aside from this "fact" is the other fact that the town is swarming with combat ready IDF soldiers,
armed to the teeth, complete with armored personnel carriers; sandbagged lookout posts; heavy
metal traffic barriers; and countless foot and jeep patrols. "Peace, it's a beautiful sight to see."
     Now that we have sat with Arafat at the peace table and given him control over Gaza,
Jericho, Jenin, Tulkarem, Ramallah, Shechem, Bethlehem, Halhul and Hebron, we can truly live in
peace with our Arab neighbors.  That is why, in all of these places, new "bypass" roads have been
built. Come to Israel. Drive on the new bypass roads to avoid the sites of the PLO machine guns.
"Peace, it's a beautiful sight to see."
     The border at Gaza, from where Arab produce is to be shipped into Israel proper, is now
equipped with the latest x-ray technology to detect explosives hidden in the packed vegetables. 
The biggest problem our "peace geniuses" are trying to solve now, is how we can allow Arab
workers from the "autonomous areas" to come to work in Israel proper and not be concerned that
they will murder our citizens. "Peace, it's a beautiful sight to see."
     By all means, American tourist, do come to visit Israel.  We are still a proud independent
nation with many beautiful, historic and holy places to see.  But, I must be honest with you, even
if my own government will not.  Peace is not yet to be seen.  It is farther away than ever before, if
only because we refuse to admit that our enemies are using that word to choke us.  
     There is no peace and there will be no peace until an authentic Jewish leadership arises and
conducts itself with true Jewish pride and self respect.  When you hear a Jewish leader declare
that Israel is the State of the Jewish People alone, and prove that declaration by removing our
enemies from our midst, then and only then will we be able to say, " Peace, it's a beautiful sight to
see."