Destroying terrorists is not apartheid

Destroying terrorists is not apartheid

April 1, 2010

Many times people seem to bristle at the fact that Israeli soldiers patrol in Hebron and, horror of horrors, arrest Arabs. The caption on a photo on the Ha'aretz Homepage points to an article, says, "Border Police arrest Palestinian youth in Hebron on Monday. Akiva Eldar asks why Israeli actions against Arabs can't be called apartheid." [http://goo.gl/kUKi]

Why? Very simple. In the past two days 4 Arabs armed with knives have been arrested at Ma'arat HaMachpela, all admitting that they intended to perpetrate a terror attack against soldiers or civilians. Is self-protection- self-defense apartheid? Or is it survival? <[br>http://goo.gl/UbjS] 

A little while ago I received the following news item on my beeper:

In Jerusalem police arrested three terrorists, all residents of Hebron, on their way to commit a stabbing attack. The three were arrested by the Jaffa Gate in a Fiat Uno, and raised suspicions of security personnel in the area. After an initial check it was discovered that they carried counterfeit identification papers and were carrying a knife with which they intended to perpetrate a terror attack against Jews. 

Is this arrest apartheid, or is it self-defense and survival?

A few days ago a young woman participating on a group tour with me in Hebron raised the following question: She asked how it could be possible that 'killing' could be allowed in Judaism; Judaism decries killed, she exclaimed. She was referring to wars that Israel has had to fight against our Arab enemies. 

After a short discussion I asked her in return: If I see someone chasing you with a knife, trying to kill you, and I, as a bystander, have the opportunity to kill him before he kills you, what is preferable- that I kill him or that he kill you?

She answered, of course, that I should kill him.

I rested my case. 

But sometimes self defense is not enough. You can never win a defensive war. It's said that the best defense is a good offense. Israel must take the offensive, not waiting until terrorists from Hebron reach Jaffa gate, or even the entrance to Ma'arat HaMachpela. Israel cannot wait to destroy murderers, such as the killers of Rabbi Meir Chai, until after they have attacked. Israel has to hit first, destroying the terrorists before the terrorists can harm even one hair of a Jew.

Arutz 7 reported tonite: Arutz Sheva has learned that the Shabak received highly dependable information that Subuh had gone back to terror activity after the fugitive “pardon.” The IDF therefore demanded that the PA, which is headed by Fatah, arrest him. The PA refused, apparently because Subuh belonged to a Fatah subgroup and not to rival Hamas. [http://goo.gl/QXMQ]

If Israel security forces knew, why didn't they take the necessary action, rather than expect Arabs to protect us. Putting our security in their hands is suicide. We've done it before, such as in 1929, such as Oslo, such as the Hebron Accords, such as Gush Katif - why don't we ever learn? Why did Rabbi Meir Chai have to pay with his life due to Israeli stupidity? Why didn't Israel act first to stop the terrorists?

Such acts are not apartheid - they are actions of a normal healthy country, protecting itself and its people from enemies, determined to destroy them. That is the responsibility of the state's leadership, leadership that Israel is sorely lacking.