A delegation of the Rabbinical Congress for Peace (RCP) this week embarked on a series of meetings with ministers and members of Knesset to discuss the rapid deterioration of security in Israeli cities. The rabbis stressed that the source of recent attacks perpetrated by Palestinians and Israeli Arabs alike stems from repeated concessions and a weak approach to Arab terrorism and violence.

“When our enemies look back and see that the first and second intifada and suicide attacks led to major gains, the Oslo Agreement and the weakening of Israel, nothing deters them from increasing their terrorist activity with a third intifada,” said Rabbi Avrohom S. Lewin, Executive Director of the RCP. “Anyone who knows the mentality of those Arab circles from which the terrorists came, knows that failure to punish them but are released under pressure is interpreted as a sign of weakness and an encouragement to repeat such attacks,” he said.

The ministers told the rabbis that the government now is in fact acting according to Jewish Law, it’s not negotiating on any withdrawals and even approved hundreds of housing units to go up beyond the Green Line.

Rabbi Joseph Gerlitzky, Chairman of the RCP retorted that “King David tells us in Tehillim ‘Turn away from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it.’ In order to reach peace you first have to turn away from evil and then do good. The only way to deal properly with our enemies is by first abandoning the concessionary psychology that has gripped Israeli leaders for the past 25 years by recognizing and admitting the mistakes of the past.

“Israel must first and foremost acknowledge and admit that the Oslo Agreement and withdrawal from territories was a fatal mistake and to take the word “withdrawal” out of its lexicon, not because there is no partner for peace but because Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 329 states that withdrawals will only embolden our enemies and increase its attack against Jews,” said Rabbi Gerlitzky.

Rabbi Moshe Havlin, Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Gat and Sderot told the MK’s that Israel must declare in no uncertain terms that it will never negotiate on giving up control over any part of Israel and that there is no difference between both sides of the Green Line. “This is the only way to re-establish deterrence and to start dealing with Israel’s security problems,” he said.

Rabbi Sholom Gold, Rabbi of Har Nof in Jerusalem, said that it was forbidden for the Israeli authorities to differentiate between eastern and western Jerusalem. “There is no reason why a Jew can’t walk safely in the Old City any time during the day just like he walks in Geula or in central Tel Aviv. The reason that the Arabs think there is a difference is because this is the message that Israeli authorities sends them.

The rabbis emphasized that according to Jewish Law there is no difference between an Israeli Arab who throws stones at Jewish vehicles and a Hamas terrorist who sends a missile or a murderer from ISIS. Anyone who wants to harm a Jew must be dealt with full force. This is the only way to prevent the situation from deteriorating even more. All these years the security establishment tried every other means and failed miserably so it’s about time that they adopt the Torah stance which is the true guide to achieve peace and stability in the region.

Photo: Rabbonim with Tourism Minister Dr. Uzi Landau

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)