A Message to Americans

The following letter has been distributed over email lists during the last few days:
JOIN OUR WELCOME RALLY to demonstrate to the Prime Minister a great show of support.
THE NATIONAL UNITY COALITION INVITES YOU TO ATTEND A WELCOME RALLY AND ADDRESS WITH OUR HONORED GUEST AND KEYNOTE SPEAKER
PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU
Mon., January 19th, 1998 - 3:30 to 6:00 PM at the Mayflower Hotel
1127 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC
Admission is Complimentary
My dear friends,
Those of us living in Israel,
those of us who condemned the previous administration,
those of us who did almost anything humanly possible to ensure the election of Benyamin Netanyahu, those of us living in Yehuda, Shomron, and Gazza,
and perhaps especially, by virtue of the experiences we have had no choice but to endure
those of us, residents of Hebron
ask you to keep in mind the following points as you meet with the Prime Minister on Monday:
PART 1:

Exactly one year ago, the Prime Minister of Israel abandoned 80% of Hebron to Arafat. He agreed to the legal arming of hundreds and thousands of terrorists, who surround The Jewish Community of Hebron. The government decision, confirming the agreement reached with Arafat also promised to continue to provide for the 'security, and development of Hebron's Jewish community.

2. Netanyahu's promise of 'full security and development in Hebron' is far from being a reality.
3. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu is a very very smooth speaker - he is capable of convincing anybody of anything - quite literally.

It is true that today we are in something of a bind. Of course nobody wants to see Ehud Barak and the Labor-Left back in power. On the other hand, the Prime Minister MUST NOT think that he has your UNCONDITIONAL support for anything he does.
Netanyahu MUST KNOW that your support is absolutely conditional - that he cannot continue to hand Eretz Yisrael on a silver platter to Arafat and his terrorist cronies.
The Israeli government has AGAIN decided upon conditions which must be met in order to continue with the next 'further redeployment' - 'peima' - abandonment of Eretz Yisrael. It is incumbent upon all of you to remember that following the terrorist attacks in Machane Yehuda and at the Ben Yehuda Street Mall, the government then decided to halt ALL discussions with Arafat until the Palestinian Authority acted decisively against terrorism. The PA is yet to do ANYTHING to prevent further terrorist attacks. Yet the negotiations are taking place.
Netanyahu must know, above and beyond all doubt, that if he capitulates, HE IS FINISHED. HE WILL NEVER AGAIN BE ELECTED PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL.
On the other hand, he must know that if he and his government stand strong, rebutting pressure from the Israeli left, the Americans and Arafat, he will have your (our) FULL SUPPORT.

These are fundamental facets of your meeting with him. DON'T LET NETANYAHU FOOL YOU. He is capable of doing so, without you knowing it. He is very very slick. HE ALSO NEEDS YOU - YOUR SUPPORT - AND YOUR MONEY. He MUST KNOW THAT YOU MEAN WHAT YOU SAY. Israeli commentators are already speaking about 'the red line' - how much will Israel REALLY demand in order to carry out the next withdrawal.
The talk of reciprocity is, perhaps, a necessary evil. However, don't think for one moment that Arafat will ever fulfill his sides of the 'agreement.' Besides which, nothing can ever justify abandoning Eretz Yisrael to terrorists. DON'T LET NETANYAHU PULL THE WOOL OVER YOUR EYES! There is no need to be antagonistic towards him - but it is imperative that he TOTALLY AND FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS YOU WANT AND REQUIRE OF HIM: THAT BEING, TO FULFILL HIS OWN WRITTEN IDEOLOGY - NOT TO ABANDON ERETZ YISRAEL AND NOT TO CAPITULATE TO TERRORISM.
PART 2:

The President of the United States is presently under tremendous pressure because of other issues, namely Paula Jones and Iraq.
Israel still plays a vital strategic role in American foreign policy in the Middle East. Clinton cannot afford to forfeit Israel's strategic value.
Clinton needs your votes to keep the Democrats afloat in the 1998 elections, preceding the next Presidential election in 2000.
Al Gore is going to be looking for your votes too.
Clinton is highly influenced by the leftist Jews surrounding him in the White House.
A massive campaign conducted by yourselves against White House - State Department pressure on Israel is likely to have a major influence in the coming months.

Part 3
REMEMBER: THE NEXT STAGE IN THE 'PIECE PLAN' INVOLVES 'FINAL STATUS' TALKS. CLINTON, AND ALBRIGHT WANT THEIR NAMES IN THE HISTORY BOOKS. NETANYAHU WANTS TO FINISH BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTIONS, THEREBY SHORTCIRCUITING ANY ATTEMPT BY THE LEFT TO 'FINISH THE DEAL.'
IF 'FINAL STATUS' TALKS BEGIN - WHO KNOWS WHERE THEY MIGHT END. THEY MUST NEVER START!
ARAFAT CONTINUES TO THREATEN A RETURN TO VIOLENCE. IN AN MSNBC - INTERNET ARTICLE APPEARING TODAY, IT WAS REPORTED,
“THE MOST important thing we hope from these talks is that
President Clinton personally will succeed in persuading Mr.
Netanyahu to accurately and honestly implement what was signed in
the White House under the supervision of President Clinton himself,”
Arafat told reporters in self-ruled Gaza.
“If this doesn’t happen,” said Arafat’s senior aide Nabil Abu
Rdaineh, “the entire region will pass a very serious curve. No one
will be able to forecast its danger.”
Asked whether he expected an explosion of Palestinian unrest
if Clinton’s intervention stumbled, Abu Rdaineh said: “As President
Arafat always says, all options are open.”Israel Channel One News reported tonight that the PA is preparing for armed conflict with the Israel Defense Forces - armed conflict which may begin again, as it did a year ago in September, very shortly.
There will be those who say, 'look - Arafat closed down a bomb factory in Shechem last week.' 'Tonight Israel news reported that the Hamas terrorists thought to be responsible for the Machane Yehuda-Ben Yehuda terrorist attacks were apprehended by Arafat's secret police four days ago - this would seem to fulfill Israel's demand for a crackdown on terrorism.'
Right!? - WRONG! - Why did they wait until the eve of the Washington meetings to clamp down. The bomb factory had been operating for months and months. How is it that the PA anti-terrorist unit just happened to find the mad suicide bomber team now? And perhaps, more importantly, what will happen to the arrested terrorists a week or two after the Netanyahu-Clinton-Arafat-Albright talks? According to Arafat's revolving door policy - they will be back on the streets in no time flat. Where is the guarantee that they will be 'properly punished?' Where are their teachers - the infamous Muhammad Def and others - terrorists on the caliber of Yichi Ayash - called 'the Engineer.'
Send your letters to Clinton, asking him why the United States is still demanding the extradition of two terrorists from Libya for the Pan Am terrorist attack over the skies of Scotland. Why is this justified, while Israel's demand to fulfill the Oslo Accords and extradite 36 murderers of Jews is not?
DEAR FRIENDS - WHEN YOU MEET WITH NETANYAHU:
PLEASE REMEMBER
IT IS NOT ONLY THE FATE OF JUDEA, SAMARIA AND GAZZA
IT IS NOT ONLY THE FATE OF HEBRON
IT IS NOT ONLY THE FATE OF JERUSALEM
IT IS NOT ONLY THE FATE OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL
IT IS THE FATE OF ALL JEWS, OF ALL GENERATIONS -
IT IS YOUR FATE,
IT IS YOUR CHILDREN'S FATE
IT IS YOUR GRANDCHILDREN'S FATE
IT IS THE FATE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE
ON THE LINE.

Next Year Without Oslo

Hebron-Past, Present and Forever
by David WilderNext Year Without Oslo
January 15, 1998

Exactly one year ago the Fink family was honored in Hebron. The Finks, living today in Tel Aviv and Belgium, donated Beit Fink, a two family residence and nursery school in Hebron. Located behind Beit Shneerson, Beit Fink stands as a living symbol of faith. How many people are willing to literally put their money where their mouth is in present-day Hebron. Potential contributors have voiced doubts, such as, 'what will happen if the building I donate becomes property of Arafat and the terrorists'? Serious philanthropists must have tremendous inner strength and faith, knowing that what they are doing is not only right, but indispensable if we are to remain, not only in Hebron, but in all of Eretz Yisrael.

The Fink family is instilled with this very faith, the same convictions adhered to by our ancestors 4,000 years ago - Avraham, Yitzhak and Ya'akov. Last year, exactly a year ago today, I attended the dedication celebration held at the Gutnick Center, upon completion of Beit Fink. Leaving home for the party, the festivity seemed to be double - the talks between Israel and Arafat for Hebron were on the brink of failure. America's representative to the negotiations, Dennis Ross, was on his way to the airport. The State Department had already announced that this was the last chance - if the talks broke down America was backing out of the picture. As far as I was concerned, there could be nothing sweeter.

The Beit Fink celebration was a never-to-be forgotten affair. The speeches were emotional and the dancing joyous. At about 12:30 AM, after returning home, a new reality hit. And it hit hard. Kol Yisrael - the Voice of Israel radio reported that, finally, agreement had been reached and the accords signed. Eighty percent of Hebron was to be abandoned to Arafat. Two days later, on Friday morning, January 17, 1997, it actually happened.

Over the past few days reporters have been visiting and calling, all asking the same question: How has life in Hebron changed over the last year? They are all looking for a kind of 'before and after' picture of events.

My response, by now, is fairly standard. Of course, security has deteriorated. The hills surrounding us are rampant with armed terrorists. Beit Hadassah and army outposts have been shot at. Over 1,000 firebombs have been hurled - more in one year than during 10 years of Intifada. Rocks were found inside baby's cribs - pipebombs exploded in the Avraham Avinu playground.

In spite of the agreements in the Hebron Accords holy sites are still closed to Jews. The Cave of Otniel ben Knaz is off-limits, as is the ISRAELI-CONTROLLED casbah and the tomb of Avner ben Ner. It is virtually impossible to visit the ancient Elonei Mamre site. Jibril Rajoub has over 1,000 'secret police' terrorizing Hebron. Hebron's Arabs can stroll freely throughout all of Hebron, including the Jewish section. Israeli's are forbidden to enter the 'Arab-Arafat side,' under threat of arrest.

Arafat has not, and will not, ever, comply with his obligations under the Hebron Accords. Arabs in Hebron, elected PNC representatives, still say, as they did a year ago, that 'as long as the settlers are in Hebron, there will not be peace.'

This is our first year of peace.

Today, when we tried to walk to the Cave of Otniel ben Knaz, the first Judge in Israel, located on the Arafat-side of Hebron, of course, we were stopped. When we quoted the official Hebron Accords, as signed by Israel and Arafat, to the Israeli soldiers, the Arab soldiers, and the gathering Arab horde, we heard shouted back at us, 'What accords - There are no accords - There is no peace.'

True peace, at last.

In my opinion, the reporters aren't asking the right question. The question is not - how has life changed in Hebron? The question is - how has life changed in Israel - throughout the entire country? The question is - has Israel learned its lesson?

Last night at the rally in Tel-Aviv, attended by over 30,000 people, MK and former minister Benny Begin was one of the speakers. One of his major points was:

"There are those who say, what can we do? - there is nothing we can do - we have no choice but to continue, even if what we are doing is wrong. But they are wrong - there is a choice -and it is in our hands. We can make the difference."

Begin is correct - one hundred percent. A person has to be totally deaf and blind to not see the writing on the wall. Hebron was supposed to be, not only a test, but an example of peaceful coexistence. It was supposed to show Israel and the world that Oslo can really work. What the Hebron Accords have proven is exactly the opposite. It hasn't worked, and it never will. You cannot cooperate with a people whose only desire is your own cessation. If Hebron was supposed to be a litmus test, then after a year, one can only come to the conclusion that the results are in - TOTAL FAILURE!

The terrorist attacks have not ended. Israelis are still being killed by terrorists, spurred on by Arafat and his top cronies, including his police chief Razi Jabali. A few days ago a major bomb factory was uncovered in Shechem, under Arafat's nose. It was closed by the PA only after Israeli intelligence provided them with all the information concerning the factory and demanded that they act. Being that Arafat will meet with Clinton next week, they had no choice. But for the last week Israel radio has been reporting that the Israeli security services are issuing high-alerts because of suspected terrorist activities throughout Israel.

So, what more will it take until the lesson isn't only learned, but also enforced? Why should any other Israeli community have to live with and deal the same kinds of afflictions incurred by Hebron's Jewish residents and guests?

Not that there should be any mistake. Hebron's Jewish community isn't going anywhere. Not only are we staying - we are growing. Four children have been born to Hebron families over the past three weeks. We are building a new apartment building - and it won't be the last building either. Yeshivat Shavei Hevron is on the verge of completing three additional floors in Beit Romano which will allow a growth in student population from TWO HUNDRED to FIVE HUNDRED. Shortly a new hotel will be constructed in Hebron. And other projects are in the works.

I can only but bless all of us that in a year from now I'll be able to write about how finally all Israel woke up, putting an official end to the curse called Oslo. We will then began to live again as proud Jews in our G-d - given Homeland - holding our heads high, doing what we know is right - in Hebron, Jerusalem, in all of Eretz Yisrael. Amen.