Tears of Rage, Tears of Conscience

http://blogs.jpost.com/content/tears-rage-tears-conscience

Tears of Rage, Tears of Conscience
July 23, 2014

 A couple of days ago I drove with my son-in-law towards Jerusalem to pick up my daughter – his wife, and their new daughter – our granddaughter.

During the trip in, and on our way back, my thoughts wandered – back and forth.

A new grandchild. Baruch HaShem. Thank G-d. People ask 'how many?' So now I can say, from Alef to Taf. Those who understand, understand.

It was exactly forty years ago that I came to Israel. The first time was for an entire year. I was a junior at Case Western Reserve University, studying history, planning on going to law school. I'd had the idea of coming to Israeli in my head since my Bar Mitzvah, at age 13. It was my parents doing. They suggested a summer trip. I liked the idea, but for various reasons never made it.

But, while in university, the possibility of participating in a 'one-year program' struck a nerve. Sounded like a really good idea. CWRU was OK, but nothing special. Cleveland didn't do anything to me. So, being able to finally go to Israel, being far far away from anything I knew, and getting full credit for the year, it seemed like a golden opportunity.

That year in Jerusalem, at Hebrew University, changed my life. As is said, 'the rest is history.'

I came to Israel by myself. The only family I knew of here was my mom's second cousin. Presently, after forty years, I can count at least one family member in Israel for every year here. That includes my wife, her family, our great kids and their spouses, and our wonderfully cute grandchildren.

It should definitely be a time to celebrate. But it's difficult to celebrate these days.

For a minute, let's fast forward, forty years into the future. Max and Sean have been best friends for years. So much so, that they live next to each other in a city, in the heart of Israel. Years ago they served together, fighting against Hamas Arab terrorists in Gaza. And today is an especially special day. Max's youngest daughter is tonight being engaged to Sean's youngest son. Now they will bond, not just as friends, but as family.

Forty years into the future that might have been, but never will be. Actually, these two young heroes will be together, for eternity. Sean was buried in Haifa Sunday night. Max was buried in Jerusalem, at Har Hertzel, a couple of hours ago. They fought together and they died together. For the love of Israel.



I was one of about 30,000 people who crowded into the military cemetery in Jerusalem for, probably, one of the largest funerals that site has ever witnessed. Keeping in mind that the soldier being buried was not a general, or even an officer. But his contribution was certainly no less than that of any officer or general there.

Max, as well as Sean, were 'chayalim bodedim,' that is, 'lone soldiers' who came to Israel specifically to serve in the IDF, to help Israel, to be part of Israel, defending our country, our land, our people. Max was from Los Angeles, and as many of those eulogizing him expressed, he could have chosen to live an 'easy life,' near his family and friends in the US. But he decided, after participating in a Birthright mission, that Israel was for him. He literally fought his way into an elite Golani Division, after first being rejected for lack of Hebrew. He not only shined as a soldier; he received a certificate of excellence as a sharpshooter.

Much was said about his smile, his personality and his dedication. But in truth, after hearing his parent's parting words, I wasn't surprised by anything else expressed about Max. As is said, the apple never falls far from the tree.

Max's father, Stuart Steinberg: "On behalf of our entire family, we want to answer a question in the minds of many people: do we have any regrets that Max served in the IDF as a lone soldier. The answer is an unequivocal no." And after speaking for a few minutes, Stuart Steinberg ended his eulogy at the fresh grave of his oldest son with the words, "Am Yisrael Chai."

I think that says it all.

I too, with many others, shed tears for a man I never knew, but deep down inside did know, a person who decided to dedicate his life to Israel, and did so, literally. But my tears are not only of sadness. They are of rage. Because it didn't have to be. How many times will we warn, and warn, and warn, only to be ignored. How many times will we say, 'but this is exactly what we were talking about,' only to be ignored with the same trite, 'but you have to give peace a chance.'

For years I have been telling journalists and visitors about the dangers of missiles being aimed at planes flying in and out of Ben Gurion airport, shot from the Samarian Hills in a future 'palestinian state.' I've been laughed at. Except that yesterday the FAA and its European counterpart stopped all air traffic in and out of Israel because a rocket landed a kilometer from the airport, shot from Gaza.

Dozens of tunnels have been discovered, leading from Gaza into Israeli communities. Four soldiers lost their lives as a result of one such infiltration. From an anonymous message posted on whatsapp: 'Dozens of tunnels ending in the southern cities are not tunnels of terror, rather they are infrastructures for land conquest. If we had not surprised ourselves at the backlash of the boys' kidnapping, Hamas would have chosen the appropriate timing to pump thousands of soldiers through the tunnels to conquer cities and military posts. Thousands of terrorists dressed as IDF soldiers, kill, conquer and kidnap, while the IDF has no time to organize. At the same time firing barrages of hundreds and thousands of missiles into Israel's center, paralyzing organizational ability against invasion. Why did they wait? Maybe for a rainy day, and probably to coordinate with Hezbollah for an integrated missile attack in the north ... and possibly tunnels into our northern cities too ...' 

And as I write this, we have just discovered a tunnel in Hebron, next to Beit Hadassah, under an Arab house, in the direction of our children's playground.



My tears are also tears of conscience, for had we only done more, maybe, just maybe, the above-written scenario describing Max and Sean in forty years might not have been an impossible dream, rather reality.
We just have to do more.

May these young, brave heroes be an example, may they look down from above, and assist to guide us, may they rest in eternal peace, and may their memories be a blessing on us, on their friends and families, on all Am Yisrael. Amen.

Forward or Backward? A Good Day to Fast

http://blogs.jpost.com/content/forward-or-backward-good-day-fast

July 15, 2014

Early this afternoon an article appeared in the Jewish Daily Forward. Authored, in two parts, by the paper's editor, Missy Jane Eisner, today's item features yours truly and Hebron.

A couple of weeks ago I received a phone call from NY, informing me that Missy Eisner would be arriving and asked if I could give her a tour. I agreed. That's my job.

I know that The Forward is not overtly pro Judea and Samaria. I've had more than one run-in with them in the past. But when Missy Eisner arrived, I had hopes that maybe this time it would 'be different.' She'd never been in Hebron before and seemed to be looking forward to seeing the city. I asked her how much time we had, and her response was 'unlimited.' However, in the middle of the tour she received a call from her organizer saying that she had to rush off to Jerusalem for a long-awaited interview with Mark Regev, a spokesman in Netanyahu's office. For that reason, we had almost no time at Ma'arat HaMachpela, the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. We literally had time to 'jump in and jump out,' because Regev was waiting. For that reason I had no time to provide any of the captivating stories or explanations that are so-much a part of a visit to this special, unique place. And in any case, after about a minute there, she felt 'sufficated,' and 'couldn't wait to leave.'

I suggest you read her article before you finish reading mine, in order to understand what I'm referring to.

Within the time frame we had, I gave her a 'super tour.' To the best of my recollection we also sat in my apartment for a while, allowing me to answer her questions. Beforehand, we visited Tel Hebron – also known as Tel Rumeida. She mentions some of the archeological excavations, and how much it didn't seem to affect her. Honestly, that certainly was not her response when we toured together. I also seem to remember her using the word, 'fascinating,' to describe her emotions. Her face, personality and other outer reactions reflected the normal result of almost all people who visit the site for the first time, that being total amazement.

We climbed six flights to the roof of the building atop the excavations. That is where she photographed me, that picture appearing in the article.

A word about me: it is true that I carry a pistol. I'm licensed to carry a gun for reasons of self defense. (I've been told that 30% of Israelis are licensed to carry weapons. That includes many Jews living outside of Judea and Samaria.) My pants are baggy. I don't think my beard is unkempt. (Take a look at the photo – judge for yourselves.) Additionally, my shirt was not stained. I do not wear dirty shirts while publicly representing the Jewish community of Hebron, especially when speaking to 'important' journalists, like Missy Eisner.

But on to more essential issues. The photo was taken on the roof, but Missy Eisner refrains from discussing anything we spoke about while up there, overlooking the city of Hebron. From there we can see the few, small areas, which comprise the Jewish Community, and the overwhelmingly large area, comprising the Arab-PA controlled part of the city. She doesn't mention the 17,000 Arab factories in Hebron, three hospitals and four universities, or five billion shekels in business Arab Hebron conducts with the state of Israel annually.

Missy Eisner did remember to quote my saying that Jews have access to 3% of the city. She forgot the rest of the sentence, that Arabs have access to 97% of the city.

She also quotes part of my reaction to her query as to why we live in Hebron. However, she mentions only a short part of my answer. Additionally, I emailed her a link to the 2nd edition of my booklet 'Breaking the Lies' (downloadable here), which begins with an article titled, 'Motivation' which answers her question in depth. Missy Eisner, it seems, missed that.

There are two fascinating aspects to Missy Eisner's article. She begins her essay on Hebron with the words, "This is what’s so frustrating about these extreme settlers. They openly and eagerly defy the law, then react bitterly when — or more likely, if — the government actually responds. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Hebron…"

In other words, we are, a priori, "defiant of the law." Very interesting. Except for the fact that nowhere in the article does Missy Eisner detail our 'defiance to the law,' our illegality. We just are. Why? Because we live in Hebron. That is, in her words, 'unreasonable.'

Why?

The photograph of me is captioned, beginning with the word 'agitator.' Missy Eisner later writes, "Wilder is the unremitting agitator, whose passion I’d find almost admirable if it wasn’t so utterly unreasonable."

I checked out the word 'agitator.' It has a distinctly hostile connotation, of 'troublemaker' or 'rabble-rouser,' as a friend of mine defined the term. Merriam-Webster writes: "a person who tries to get people angry or upset so that they will support an effort to change…"something.

So, there is something inherently negative about me, because I am 'passionate' about "Hebron' and I have the audacity to live here. With other Jews.

Why?

Actually, the only hint of any positive reference to Hebron was just that, "whose passion I’d find almost admirable if…". 'Almost admirable.' Thanks a lot.

In other words, there is absolutely nothing positive about Jewish Hebron. Not of Hebron past, present or future. It is not a place for Jews in the 'modern era' because it is, as she writes, in her opinion, a 'palestinian city.'

Actually, I think it's quite fitting that this article be printed today. For today's Hebrew date is the 17th of Tammuz, a fast day, beginning three weeks of mourning for the destruction of Beit HaMikdash, the Temple, in Jerusalem.

Among other events that are traditionally recorded to have occurred on this sad day was Moses' throwing down and breaking the first tablets of law, the Ten Commandments, upon seeing Jews dance around a 'golden calf,' which they were worshiping as a god.

Missy Eisner's article has a distinct flavor of 'golden calves,' printed in a publication that should not be called 'The Forward,' rather, 'the Backward.' Because it views that which is holy and sacred as profane and immoral. Those dancing around the golden calf, 3,300 years ago, had it backwards. G-d wasn't real, and should be replaced by a god, a golden calf. Missy Eisner, refers to Jewish presence in Hebron and throughout Judea and Samaria as, 'Damn the consequences.' In other words, 'let's dance around a golden calf of emptiness and worthlessness. That is, the god of 'realpolitik', forgetting about our rights as a people in our land.' I ask, what would be the consequences should we not live here, in our homeland, in Hebron? Would again the Tablets of the Law be cast down on the ground and smashed to smithereens? Meaning, in real terms, again, Exile?! Galut?! G-d forbid!

Missy Eisner, I have but one last thought. I've been able to conjure up in my memory another person, who too, thought that Jews in Hebron were 'agitators,' simply because they lived in Hebron. His name was Haj Amin El-Husseini.

This realization brings me to understand that, in actuality, today has turned out to be a good day to fast.

Bombs Away!

http://blogs.jpost.com/content/bombs-away

Bombs Away!

July 11, 1014

There are different kinds of bombs.

Presently we are experiencing bombs falling on Israel, launched by a terrorist government whose goal is the demise of the State of Israel and the annihilation of all its Jewish citizens.

Simultaneously Israel is returning the favor, not in an effort to kill all Gazan Arabs, rather to exterminate the animals who are causing 'Red Alert' to be sounded, not only in Sderot, Ashkelon and Ashdod, but also in Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem, Haifa, Caesarea, Tel Aviv, Nes Tziona, Rishon L'Tzion, and many other places, and yes, including even Hebron. (The unconfirmed rumors are that the missile aimed at us fell in the Arab village Daharia, in the Southern Hebron Hills, killing three Arabs.)

Last night one of my granddaughters, who lives in Beit Haggai, in the southern Hebron Hills, where too there was a siren yesterday, called me. Her father (my son) was called up a few days ago in the emergency draft. In tears she whispered, "Saba, I'm afraid."

There are major differences between our bombs and their bombs. They are aiming for Ben Gurion airport. Their primary targets are civilians. Apartment buildings. Factories. Shopping centers. Wherever. The more dead, the better. After all, that's the goal.

Before Israel releases its bombs, the intended 'house' is notified. Not once, rather twice. "Get out, we are going to bomb this house." The people inside have, not 15 seconds, but five minutes to evacuate. Then a 'warning flare' is released. "We are serious about this." And only after both these warnings, is the building destroyed.

Of course, these are not random dwellings. These are the home bases of the beasts trying to destroy Israel. If the people inside take the alerts seriously, they are not injured. But lately, the Hamas terror leadership in Gaza has told its citizens to 'ignore' the Israeli forewarning. Not only don't they care if their own civilians are killed. To the contrary, they prefer it. That way they have good photos to show the international media and at the UN.

Thank G-d, we are experiencing Divine miracles. The existence of the "Iron Dome" system, which shoots the terror missiles while still in the air is a double miracle. The very fact that such a weapon exists, and the fact that it actually works. According to IDF statistics, the success rate stands (or flies) at 90%. The system not only identifies the attacking missiles' trajectory, but also where it is expected to land. If the targeted area is populated, the 'iron dome' explodes into action. If it projects that the rocket will land in an unpopulated place, it does not operate. Miracle of miracles. And just to clarify some of the expenses involved: Each Iron Dome projectile costs about $50,000.

There is another kind of bomb. In my opinion no less necessary or effective.

A few days ago HaAretz newspaper sponsored a 'peace conference.' (Ironically they all had to scatter, running to bomb shelters when the air raid 'red alert' siren sounded.)

One of the invited guests was National Home Party Chairman and Economics Minister Naftali Bennett. He is not exactly a hardcore left-wing extremist. He, together with Uri Ariel and Uri Urbach represent the right in the Israeli government.

As soon as he walked onto the stage the heckling and screaming started. "Murderer, murderer." Etc Etc Etc.
Bennett has an extremely strong character, remaining very cool under very hot conditions.

"You will not shut me up. I will speak!" And despite the continued interruptions, he did speak, saying very important words.

First, he used an example from his business career, (he made millions), to make a point.

I paraphrase: 'We initiated a project and invested millions. Until, after a few months of total failure, we recognized that we'd made a mistake. As a result we changed everything, including the product itself. Today we have employed over 400 people.

When we made a mistake, we saw it and changed direction. When are you, on the left, going to admit that you've made a terrible mistake and change direction?!?'

Bennett then proceed to list four essentials:

1) Land matters. 'Where would you prefer to meet up with Da'aish (the extreme insurgent Islamic group on the verge of conquering Iraq)? On the Jordan River or on Road 6 (here in Israel, on the border of the 'green line' – the projected border for a 'palestinian state.)

2) Deterrence. 'When you live in an area of anarchy, you have to be strong! So strong that no one would even dare think of trying to harm you. Deterrence is the ability to inflict harm on your enemies and the willingness to actualize it if necessary.

3) Internal National Resilience. That is solidarity between various parts of society. We witnessed this unity after the abduction and murder of the three young me. Concerns for the minority.

4) Our right to exist in our land. We are here for over 3,800 years. From Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose name is also Israel, to the Judges and King David and Soloman, the Maccabees, the 2nd Temple and the return to Zion. The idea is that a nation cannot be a conqueror or occupier in its own land.

"Not a foreign land we took, and we didn't use foreign property, rather the land of our forefathers, which was conquered by our enemies, without justification and we (the Jewish people), when we had the opportunity, we took back the land of our forefathers."

"Which Zionist pronounced these words," asked Bennett. No one knew. "Shimon the Maccabee, 2150 years ago."

Very impressive speech. Very effective bomb, of another type.

I'd like to conclude by defining one last 'bomb.' It relates to Bennett's first essential, that being land. Referring to this, he spoke of the missiles launched from land we abandoned to the Arabs in Gush Katif, and asked how it is possible that rockets aren't falling from Judea and Samaria. Because, of course, we are here.

The third, necessary bomb, is our return to Gaza, our return to Gush Katif. The rebuilding of the destroyed communities, and multiplication of that population by 1000% . Our enemies understand two languages: force and land. We are presently showing them force, and will continue to as long as necessary. But it is not enough. We must prove to them that we are serious. Force is not enough. We must take back our land, as we did in 1948 and 1967. We must continue walking in the footsteps of the Maccabees, we must continue living the words of Shimon the Maccabee. That will lead the road to total victory.

Bombs Away!

Those were the Days...

http://blogs.jpost.com/content/those-were-days%E2%80%A6

July 04, 2014

July 3, 1976 was a Shabbat. I had graduated from university a month earlier and had been accepted to be a counselor for a Jewish Agency summer group tour in Israel. Fortunately I was escorting a group of college-age youth, meaning that when they left back to the US, after the six week excursion, I wouldn't have to fly with them. The job paid my ticket back to Israel.

The group was scheduled to leave on Sunday, July 4^th. That being, of course, the two hundredth birthday of the United States. Major events were planned for that day and my parents and I suspected that traffic, from NJ into Kennedy airport might be unbearable. So after Shabbat they drove me to a hotel near JFK. We said our goodbyes and I went to sleep.

Except that I didn't sleep very well. The thought of returning to Israel the next day was tremendously exciting. That excitement wasn't overly conducive to a sound sleep. So at some point, in the middle of the night, having nothing else to do, I turned on the radio. And what news did I hear!

The broadcaster was talking about how the Israeli hostages on the ill-fated Air France flight had just been rescued by a special Israeli military force at Entebbe in Uganda.

Wow!!! What a way to take off.

I remember, after our group arrived, we spent a couple of weeks on a Kibbutz in the north. The Kibbutznick lady in charge of our group sat everyone down around a campfire and talked about the feeling of wonder in the country, following the successful mission. We spoke about it, I have no recollection of what people said. And I'm sure that our emotions didn’t reach nearly the heights of the Israelis, who lived and breathed that hijacking day and night, until the miraculous rescue operation.

Thirty eight years ago. Thank G-d that it happened then, and not today. Because if that Air France plane had been hijacked and flown to Idi Amin in 2014, Israel would never have even contemplated such a daring undertaking. After all, what would Obama, the EU and the UN say? Innocent Ugandans might be hurt.  Israel would be violating the sovereignty of a foreign nation. What right would we have to take on such a preposterous military adventure?!

Instead, the 'security cabinet' would have sat together, making up a list of terrorists to be released, including murderers with 'blood on their hands.' They might also have contemplated, as per the terrorist demands, expulsion and destruction of several communities in Judea and Samaria. After all, saving all those hundreds of people would be worth any price. Especially when the world community was saying that the hijacking was our own fault. The terrorists aren't really terrorists. They are frustrated Arabs, without a home, without a land, without…..  What can you expect from such poor, discouraged people?!

This is what was going through my head this morning when I saw headlines, that Israel had given the Hamas in Gaza an ultimatum. If they did not stop bombing Israel with rockets and missiles within 48 hours, Israel would invade.

In other words, they had two full days to continue shelling Sderot and Ashkelon, and then, stop.

This week, speaking to a German journalist, I asked/told her the following: If a rocket was shot from France into Germany and hit a building, and German Prime Minister Merkel did nothing, rather told the nation that they must be 'restrained,' how long would it take the German parliament to vote her out of her office?!

 

But in Israel? Dozens of missiles hit and our reaction? Nothing.

 

Why did they begin these attacks now? Again, we are to blame. These rockets were, I believe actually a 'warning' to Netanyahu. The Gazan terrorists said like this: 'we kidnapped and killed three Israeli youth. We hid their bodies; it took you almost 3 weeks to find them. Now you want to react. Don't you dare! Because if you do, these few days of missiles will turn into weeks and months. You won't be able to stop us. We have long-range rockets that can hit Tel Aviv easily. So, Mr. Prime Minister Netanyahu, be a good boy and don't play with matches. Don't even think about any kind of military action against us as a result of our successful terror. Beware – you've been warned.'

The 'security cabinet' met twice (that we know of) following discovery of the murdered men. After the first night's session, rumors abounded about the disagreements and arguments between the various ministers. After the next night's meeting, no details were released at all to the media.

And since then, total quiet. Israel has not reacted, in any suitable way, to the abduction and killing of the youth. The Hamas bombs us, and Israel shells some empty buildings in Gaza. Not exactly what we could call Entebbe 2.

The impotence of this government is mind-boggling. Most of the coalition is center-right. Yet a very small number of people seem to be swinging them all to the left. Including Netanyahu, who has never been known to have tremendous inner stamina, courage, or a firm backbone.  

I was never a big fan of Rabin-Peres. Almost all of what is happening at present is their responsibility. But had Binyamin Netanyahu been prime minister on July 4, 1976, I have no doubt that today, 38 years later, we wouldn't be celebrating the heroic event known as Entebbe.

In conclusion, I highly recommend an article authored by Prof. Mordechai Kedar, called, "However, we are guilty."  After that, nothing else needs to be said.

Sur m'ra v'Aseh tov - Destory the evil and do good

http://blogs.jpost.com/content/sur-mra-vaseh-tov-destory-evil-and-do-good

Sur m'ra v'Aseh tov - Destory the evil and do good

July 2, 2014

My statement to the media at a press conference yesterday at Yeshivat Shavei Hevron, here in Hebron.

We sat here almost a month ago following the abduction, in hope and prayer that we might meet the press here again at a big celebration and unfortunately that's not the case. In Hebrew we say,' sur m'ra v'aseh tov' – first do away with the evil and then do good and that's the path that the State of Israel  must follow today.  We lost three men, three boys, three heroes who didn't know anything about evil. Their only crime was that they were Jews living in Eretz Yisrael, studying in Hebron, studying in Gush Etzion, who wanted to do good. That was their purpose in life, those were their values, and the evil of the evil, the worst of the evil took their lives, but that spirit can never be taken. The side that the State of Israel must follow today, sur m'ra, to destroy evil, to eradicate evil, all of the terror, anyone who associates with the terror, anybody who gives any kind of support whatsoever for terror, has to be eradicated, has to be eliminated, has to be done away with. At the big rally in Tel Aviv, where we found all of the different sides of the Israeli people coming together, left, right, anything, everyone was there. One of the things that was said by the chairman of the student's union, was that their cannot be any justification whatsoever, in any way, shape or form, for the abduction, and he would add to that today, murder, of three young people. There's no justification, there's nothing that can be said, no excuses that can be given.

It goes without saying that Hamas, the Jihad, the Salafists who are starting to infiltrate, associated with Al-Queida, they all have to be wiped out, in any way that is necessary. The Israeli security forces know how to do that. I include in that group, Abu Mazen and the palestinian authority, who made a unity pact with Hamas. People who make unity pacts with terrorists are terrorists. Their goals are the same. Enough of the handshaking, the hugging, the kissing, the 'let's be friends.' It's all a show. And it has to come to an end. The state of Israel has to make that clear, because if it's not made clear, then we'll sit here again together, and if it's not here in Hebron, then it will be, G-d Forbid, in Elon Moreh, or in Yerushalayim, or in Sderot, because that's their goal. And if we don't destroy them, then they will continue to murder Jews.

We saw the other day, 15 missiles shot,  from Gaza into Sderot, it was a Divine miracle that no one was hurt, that no one was killed.

That's the side of Sur m'Ra, do away with evil.

There's another side, which is Aseh tov, to do good. Doing good means that we have to do what is good in our opinion, in the eyes of G-d, and to show the world that we have no intentions of acquiescing. We will not acquiesce to terror.

This yeshiva, which is a pillar of Torah learning, not only in Hebron, but throughout the state of Israel, has 350 students. It should be a yeshiva of 1000 men. The building should be tripled in size. There should be dormitories for 1000 men. That's Aseh tov. That's doing good. That's taking the spirit of Eyal, Naftali and Gil-Ad and raising it up, raising up their spirit. Raising up the spirit of Am Yisrael, of the Jewish people.

Their used to be what was called the 'Zionist response,'  to murders. When people were murdered, such as here in Hebron in 1980, when six men were murdered outside here, just down the road, outside Beit Hadassah, the Israeli government finalized and actualized the permits necessary for the renewal of the Jewish community of Hebron. That was the Zionist response. That has to be renewed, it's been ignored, or perhaps even contradicted over the years. It has to be renewed.

One of the best ways to respond  would be to expand the Jewish community of Hebron. Give us building permits. Give us the ability to purchase from the Arabs that want to sell us property, but not only in Hebron, rather throughout  Judea and Samaria. The area in Gush Ezion can be expanded, and should be annexed. So too through Binyamin and Samaria.

This has to be our response.  The goal of the terrorists is to move us out, not only to move us out of Judea and Samaria, but to move us out of Tel Aviv, Tzfat, Beer Sheva and Haifa. Those places and be built up too. But today the controversy centers here.  And our response, of 'doing good,' is to show the world that we will not acquiesce to terror.

Those are the immediate steps that have to be taken.  Of course today we mourn, with the families, with the friends, we mourn with all the Jewish people, because today the grief is national. Last night there were kids walking through the streets crying. I had people from the US  and from around the world sending me text messages, and emails, calling me, with condolences. People called me up in tears, both Jews and non-Jews. The feeling of grief for these people knows no boundaries, except of course, for the terrorists, and those who wish to continue such acts, and that must stop, and we will do anything and everything we have to do to push the Israeli government, those people who are making the decisions, and we have representatives in that government, and take all of the steps necessary. And I really do think that the first step would be to make this Yeshiva a study place for 1000 people. And Makor Haim in Gush Etzion, where the other two men studied, to do the same thing there. And with G-d's help we will never have to meet again under these circumstances for a press conference. But you'll all be invited when this Yeshiva is transformed into an international Torah organization , when we have here  men like Mickey (Zivan) and others, from around the world, and not only men, we can have here too a women's division. For the good of the entire world.

Question: What about the world opinion, which is against these things that you say?

I tell you what I've told other journalists: I don't give a damn what the world thinks. The world sat, 70 years ago, and watched as Jews were shoveled into ovens at Aushwitz. They didn't do anything about it. The leaders of the western powers knew what was happening.  It's detailed and documented.  It could have stopped. They didn’t' raise their pinkies to try and stop it. The world today is not interested in the existence of the state of Israel. Today it's not popular to be anti-Semitic, anti-Semitism has taken on a new form, it's called being anti-Israel and pro palestinian. Pure rabid anti-Semitism. And its goal is the destruction of the state of Israel. The world does not give a damn about us, and I, very honestly, don't give a damn about them. We have to survive, we have to do what is best for us and see to it that our people are safe, we have to make sure that guys standing on the road to catch a ride home aren’t picked up by terrorists and murdered in cold blood. Everyone hitches and we aren't going to stop. People have to be safe. If the world doesn't like it, that's their problem.