Gary Fitleberg, July 7, 2005

There are three simple and smart reasons to stop the reward of terrorism otherwise known as the "disengagement" plan.

First and foremost...

Because the Land belongs to Israel and the Jewish people. Our Right to the Land of Israel.

G-d gave a very precious gift to the Children of Israel in an eternal covenant that can never ever be broken of the Holy Land, Promised Land, Eretz Yisrael, or today Medinat Yisrael, or modern nation State of Israel as documented in the other precious gift, the Bible, Chumash, Five Books of Moses, Pentateuch, or Torah which is the Deed of Trust to the Land. These two greatest gifts can not be given away nor stolen away.

There is a fundamental argument that must be dealt with. At the bottom of all the Arab rhetoric lies one basic claim: "You are intruders. This is our land. We had been living here for centuries and then you decided to take it from us."

Once it is established that the Jews have a valid right to the Land of Israel, then the violence, hatred, and disregard for life that has characterized the Arab position can be judged for what it is. Unless that right is established, the Arabs will always claim that they have a valid goal: reclaiming a land that is rightfully theirs. And once validity is granted to their goal, the debate whether all means are acceptable to attain it or not is one of philosophy.

What is our claim to the land? G-d's promise in the Torah. G-d told Abraham: "I have given this land to your descendants." For one-and-a-half thousand years the Land of Israel was our home, and ever since then, Jews everywhere have longed to come home to their eternal heritage to Jerusalem, the site of the Holy Temple; to Hebron, the burial place of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; and to Bethlehem, where Rachel weeps for her dispersed children and awaits their return. Even throughout the two thousand years during which our people wandered from country to country, Israel has remained the national home of every Jew. From the beginning of the exile until this day, no matter how far flung his current host country might be, every Jew has turned to face the Holy Land in his thrice-daily prayers.

So central is this principle to our faith, that Rashi, the foremost of the traditional commentators on the Torah, begins his commentary by stating:

Rabbi Yitzchak said: The Torah should have begun with the verse, "This month shall be for you the first of the months...," for this introduces the first commandment given to Israel.

Why then does it begin with the narrative of creation?

So that if the nations of the world say to Israel, "You are robbers, because you took by force the lands of the seven nations [of Canaan]," Israel will reply to them: "The entire world belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He; He created it and gave it to whomever He pleased. Of His own will He gave it to them, and of His own will He took it from them and gave it to us."

From this perspective the entire Land of Israel not only the coastal region, Jerusalem, and the Galilee, but also Judea, Samaria, and indeed every tiny portion of the land is part of an organic whole, an indivisible and sanctified unity. In this spirit, the Kneisiyah HaGedolah of Agudas Yisrael, an assembly of Jewry's foremost sages in the pre-Holocaust era, declared in 1937:

The Holy Land, whose boundaries were prescribed by the Holy One, blessed be He, in His holy Torah, was granted to the nation of Israel, the eternal people. Any sacrifice of the Holy Land that was granted to us by G-d is of absolutely no validity.

This explanation is, moreover, the only rationale that cannot be refuted by the Arabs or the Americans. They also accept the Bible and believe in the truth of its prophecies. The Koran does not dispute the Jews' right to the Land of Israel. And can you conceive of an American president telling his people that G-d's promise to Abraham is not relevant? Indeed, the connection between the land and our people is so well established that everywhere it is referred to as "the Land of Israel."

For this reason, it is important to emphasize that this connection is rooted in the Bible's prophecies. It would not be desirable to base our claim to the Land of Israel on the Balfour Declaration or international agreements of the present century, for these agreements could be countermanded by other ones. After all, how favorable is the United Nations to Israel today?

Nor is the fact that our people once lived in the land sufficient in and of itself to establish our claim to it today. If the American Indians would lodge a claim to all of America, would it be granted them? These were actually indigenous native people unlike those Arabs who claim they are the "Palestinians" descended from the "Philistines" because the former are descendants of Ishmael while the later are an extinct people of a Mediterranean sea-faring people who lived in Gaza

When the Bible's prophecies serve as the basis for our claim, then many other arguments are effective in reinforcing the position. But when that foundation is lacking, we have difficulty refuting the gentiles' claim: "You are robbers, because you took by force the lands of the... nations."

After thousands of years of exile, our people have returned to our land. Every portion of the land over which Jewish authority is exercised was won in defensive wars in which G-d showed overt miracles. Now when G-d grants His people land in such ways, should it be returned? Is it proper to spurn a Divine gift?

Safety and Security

Gaza is Israel's buffer and security zone and its strategic importance should not be denied, forgotten or ignored by those sworn to safety and security of Israel's citizens.

All of them. Those in the disputed territory as well.

Smuggling operations continue daily from Egypt's underground tunnels and beachside coastal operations such as the Karine A weapons of mass destruction operation financed by Iran on a ship with 50 tons of weapons intended to be used against the only beacon of democracy and freedom and tiny Jewish nation state in the entire world as opposed to the 22 Arab/Islamist corrupt dictatorships, human rights violators, ruthless repressive regimes, state supporters of terrorism, and tyrannies that comprise the very bad neighborhood known as the Medieval Middle East.

Why create another Arab/Islamist and 23rd State of Terrorism that will be called Palestine?

Economic Stability and Success

Love of the Land has turned this area from desert yellow to leafy green. A desert of wandering dunes has become the flagship of Israel's agricultural exports.

In Gush Katif Bloc's unique hothouses, using the most advanced technology, leafy vegetables and herbs are grown, all bug-free, answering to the strictest health, aesthetic and religious requirements. Most of the chemical-free organic agricultural products are exported to Europe. In addition, the community of Atzmona has Israel's largest plant nursery, and the Katif barns with 800 cows are the second largest in Israel.

Conclusive Case Against Disengagement

A conclusive case against the "disengagement" can be easily made.

"Disengagement will advance terrorism rather than peace. If the PA/PLO gets territory in return for terrorism it sets a shining example for other Arab/Islamist nations to exact and extract political concessions through terrorism rather than via a peaceful negotiation process with Israel and sets a very dangerous precedent.

The plan for unilateral "disengagement" or "withdrawal" fuels political pressure through violence. A reward for the support of terrorism will transform Jerusalem, Tel Aviv (including Ben-Gurion Airport) Haifa, Netanya, Afula, Ashdod, Ashekelon, and other major places into targets for a future state of terrorism and its missile range.

Already, the "disengagement" of southern Lebanon has proven disastrous as Hizbollah know has a launching point for missiles that can destroy major population centers in Israel.

The July 2000 "disengagement" from Israel's security buffer zone in occupied southern Lebanon has propelled Hizbollah from a local to a regional stature. The proximity of this terrorist organization plagues U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq with Arab/Islamist terrorism.

The Oslo driven "disengagements" have ignited an unprecedented wave of Arab terrorism. Each and every square inch added to the PA/PLO since 1994 has become the largest terrorist base in the world, a safe haven for Arab/Islamist terrorists under the control and domination of the Iran-Syrian axis of evil and support of terrorism.

Israel has not controlled the Arabs living in Gaza since the "disengagement" 1994 Oslo Accord. The PA/PLO controls and dominates the territory together with its sister terrorist organizations Hamas, Hezbollah, and Islamic Jihad, working hand in hand in towards the annihilation and complete destruction of the only Jewish nation state in the entire world.

"Disengagement" therefore would not impact Israel's demography.

"Disengagement" of Gaza and Gush Katif has similar symptoms of the failed Oslo Accord and failed peace process. Land for Terrorism. Nothing less. Nothing more. Israel is getting nothing in return in its unholy alliance and agreement at suicidal self-destruction otherwise erroneously and falsely called withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms are weakness and willingness to self-destruct as seen through the eyes of the Arab/Islamists.

"Disengagement" is a complete setback for deterrence, intelligence gathering and pursuit of peace. In other words the plan is a bottomless keg, militarily diplomatically and economically.

"Disengagement" would not be financed by the U.S. It will increase the budget deficit, avert economic recovery, worsen unemployment, increase taxes, impose government bonds, cut human services and infrastructure expenditures, and much, much more.

Israel and the Jewish people better beware of Bush's call for a total freeze of all so-called "settlements" (derisively used as gypsies living in tents) and Condoleezza's call for a contiguous Arab "Palestine" (according to the Balfour Declaration all Palestine was to be a Jewish homeland and the British Mandate gave away 80% to the Arabs in the created Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, formerly Transjordan.

Bush's comment is deceptive and fraudulent "that any final status agreement [including the "right of return"] will only be achieved on the basis of mutually agreed changes."

On the one hand...

Bush's refusal to finance the disengagement" confirms that disengagement" will not produce any benefit to America as well as Israel. His friendly statements were not legislated and ratified by Congress, which merely passed a non-binding resolution.

On the other hand...

Bush's recent offer to fund the PA/PLO with $50 million U.S. taxpayer money also sends a mixed message to the Medieval Middle East comprised already of 22 Arab/Islamist corrupt dictatorships, human rights violators, ruthless repressive regimes, state sponsors of terrorism as compared to the only Jewish nation state in the entire world and only beacon of freedom and democracy and true blue American ally in the entire region. Why create a second Arab "Palestine" and twenty-third state sponsor of terrorism and tyranny?

Is a terrorist a terrorist? What about Mahmoud Abbas, "Chief of Terrorism" elect of the PA/PLO and "Mr. Moderate"? As Arafat's partner in organized crime for over forty years the holocaust denier and financier of the Munich Olympic massacre has not changed spots. Only into a more palatable image with a better barber and more stylish suit. Make no mistake. Mahmoud is a cold-blooded murderer and terrorist.

While Middle East peace has been driven by deterrence, "disengagement" guarantees destruction and undermines deterrence.

Disengagement is destructive. Disengagement is dishonest. Disengagement is disastrous.

Gary Fitleberg is a Political Analyst specializing in International Relations with emphasis on Middle East affairs.

Copyright © 2005 Gary Fitleberg