- A Jew is one who remains faithful to the laws of
the Jewish religion, that is, the Holy Torah and its
commandments.
- The Jewish people became a people before they had their
own land, and continued to exist as a people also after they
went Into exile, because our very peoplehood is based
exclusively on the Torah.
- The Holy Land was given to the Jewish people on the
condition that they observe the Torah and its commandments.
When they failed to do this, their sovereignty over the land
was taken from them, and they went into exile. From that
time,
we are prohibited by the Torah with a very grave
prohibition to establish a Jewish independent sovereignty in
the Holy Land or anywhere throughout the world. Rather, we
are obligated to be loyal to the nations under whose
protection we dwell.
- This situation has existed for close to 2000 years when
the Jewish people were dispersed throughout all corners of
the world. During this time, the Jews always remained
faithful to the country in which they lived.
- The Jewish people are grateful to all those merciful
nations which have allowed them to observe Torah and the
commandments undisturbed.
- From ancient times, the relations between the Jewish and
Islamic peoples have always been those of peace and
brotherhood, and friendship always reigned between them. The
proof of this is the fact that for centuries, in all the
Arab lands, hundreds of thousands of Jews lived in honor and
amidst mutual esteem.
- Jews throughout all generations yearned to grace the
sacred soil of the Holy Land and to live there. However,
their sole purpose was to fulfill the commandments dependent
upon the land and to absorb Its holiness. Never, G-d forbid,
did they have any nationalist or sovereign intent whatsoever
which, as mentioned above, is forbidden to us. Indeed, also
here in the Holy Land, our fathers lived in neighborly
harmony with the Palestinian residents of the land, helping
one another, to mutual benefit.
- Until about two hundred years ago, the vast majority of
Jews observed the Torah and the commandments in entirety.
Jewry's leaders were Torah scholars, who directed the people
according to the Torah. They were loyal citizens in the host
nations where they dwelled and to the local laws. They
prayed for the welfare of their respective governments. To
our sorrow, at that time a small number of Jews slowly left their observance
of Torah and commandments. Together with this, they began to
deride the spiritual leadership of their people. This
assimilation was the basis upon which, one hundred years
ago, the ideology of Zionism was born. Its founders were
assimilated Jews who had abandoned the Torah.
- Immediately at the founding of the Zionist movement,
masses of Jews under the
leadership of their Rabbis,
launched a heavy battle against Zionism. Their attack was
directed not only at the non-religious Zionist idea, but
rather, primarily at its opposition to the Torah-ordained
path that Jewry must follow while in exile. As such, the
Zionists incited the nations of the world, demanding
political sovereignty over the Holy Land while remaining
oblivious to the resentment this would arouse In the
Palestinian Arabs, the land's veteran inhabitants. As
stated, the leaders of Orthodox Jewry vehemently opposed the
movement with all force.
- The Zionists refused to heed the voice of the Rabbis and
Torah authority. They persisted in their ways until they
succeeded in influencing the British government to issue the
Balfour Declaration concerning the "establishment of a
national home for the Jews in the land of Israel." To our
great sorrow,
from that point on began the deterioration of
the good relations between the Jews and the Arab inhabitants
of the land. This occurred because the Arab people
understood that the Zionists wished to seize rulership from
them. In addition, the Arab people had suspicions as if the
Jewish people wished to seize control of the Temple Mount
and other similar sites. Matters worsened as a result.
- The Jewish leadership of that time saw it as proper to
clarify before the Arab leaders that the
Torah-true Jews had
no desire whatsoever for sovereignty, and that our desire
was to continue to live in peace with the
Arabs, as we had always done. The leader of the G-d-fearing
Jewish community at that time,
Rabbi Yoseph Chaim Zonnenfeld.
of blessed memory, organized a delegation in July of 24'
which visited King Hussein and his sons Faisal the King of
Iraq and the Amir Abdullah In order to lucidly present to
them the position of the G-d-fearing Jewish community. The
Jewish delegation clarified unequivocally that Torah Jewry
is totally opposed to the Zionist sovereignty over the Holy
Land. It Is worth noting that the delegation was received
with great honor. They were even assured that all Arab lands
were completely open to Jews, however, on the condition that
the Jews do not demand political rights. This condition also
applied to the Holy Land. One of the members of the Jewish
delegation, Professor Yisroel Yaakov De Haan, paid with his
life for his participation.
- Torah Jewry protests at every opportunity against the
Zionist rule over the Holy Land, and the Zionist rebellion
against the neighboring nations. Torah Jewry has condemned
the Zionist oppression of the Palestinians, the land's
veteran inhabitants who have been driven from their homes
and properties. The Zionists' barbaric and violent deeds are
absolutely antithetical to the essence of the Jewish people.
- Torah Jewry has never ever recognized the Zionist state.
Since the Zionists succeeding in establishing their state,
Torah Jewry has continuously announced to the world that the
Zionists do not represent the Jewish people, and that the
name "Israel" that they use is a forgery. For as has been
stated above, it is forbidden to us from the Torah to rebel
against the nations, and all sovereignty by us is
prohibited. Rather, we await the days when all the world
will recognize the sovereignty of the Creator, and the words
of the prophet Isaiah will yet be fulfilled: "And they will
beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into
pruning hooks. No nation will lift its sword against any
other, nor will they learn warfare anymore."
- Anti-Zionist Orthodox Jews have refrained to this day
from taking any funds from the Zionist regime, whether for
their educational institutions, synagogues or other
benefits. Obviously, they do not participate in the Zionist
elections, whether for the "Knesset" or for the
municipality. We do not serve in their army, and we even
avoid speaking in the Hebrew language that the Zionists
Invented. (incidentally, this is not the holy and true
Hebrew language in which the Bible is written.) All this is
done because Torah Jewry does not recognize the Zionist
regime, which Is against the Torah and against humanity.
- Lately, the question has once again arisen
concerning the Temple Mount and sovereignty over it. Thus,
we wish to state unequivocally: a) In our time, it is a
severe Torah prohibition for any Jew to set foot on any part
of the Temple Mount area. b) The Jewish people have no claim
whatsoever to sovereignty over this holy site, which is
under Islamic authority, nor over any other holy site. Rabbi
Zonenfeld was once asked, "is it true, that the Rabbi
prefers an non-Jewish government over all of the Holy Land"?
Rabbi Zonenfeld replied, "if King Hussein would rule over
Palestine, the holiness of the Holy Land would not be
diminished to even to an Iota degree". We yearningly await
G-d's great day, when He will return His Divine Presence to
Zion, restoring the holy city to its former holiness and
glory as in days of old, to be a light to the peoples and
the nations.
- The Zionists have no right of any sovereignty over even
one inch of the Holy Land. They do not represent the Jewish
people in any way whatsoever. They have no right to speak in
the name of the Jewish people. Therefore, their words,
declarations and actions are not in any way representative
of the Jewish people. This is because the Zionists' seizing
of power over the Holy Land is antithetical to Jewish law,
and also because the Zionists do not behave like Jews at all
rather, they desecrate the sanctity of the land.
- We once again clarify that it is our desire to live in
peace with our Arab and Palestinian neighbors, as we did
before the Zionist revolution, and as Jews all over the
world till today live, accepting the yoke of rulership of
their host nation, with complete loyalty. Our sole desire is
to serve our G-d and to fulfill His commandments with a
perfect heart and to delight in the radiance of the sanctity
of the Land.
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