David Ha'ivri
A Jewish guy living in the Jewish national homeland raising a family with his wife Mollie. Works as the Executive Director of the Shomron Liaison Office. Travels around the globe speaking on behalf of the Jewish communities in the Shomron and advocating the right of the Jewish people to the land.
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- Have you read my OpEd on Abdullah II and Jeffery Goldberg?
- RT @hafiz_rashid: Palestinian journalist jailed for 'insulting' Mahmood Abbas | Jerusalem Post http://t.co/aSdYBQUvM6 #Palestine #freepress
- @TheJeremyMan @LahavHarkov You should have kicked him.
- Welcome new followers, hope you enjoy.
- Jeffrey and Abdullah II in Wonderland - Op-Eds - Israel National News http://t.co/IHKIF7egCg
- @nelly_spinoza87 That is right, he could have fought, but did nothing.
- @nelly_spinoza87 In what situation, did U read his account. He was heavily armed and trained to fight, be decided to sit back & do nothing.
- Gilad Shalit's debriefing has gone public, in his own account, he did nothing to prevent his abduction by the Hamas. He should stand trial.
- @sarahnadav A court should make that decision. He ignored orders and neglected his responsibility as a soldier.
- @sarahnadav Believe the debriefing of his own account that has gone public? If he doesn't sue the newspapers, I will believe every word
- Israel can reach peace with its neighbors, but must maintain superior fire power or will not survive.
- Gilad Shalit, a heavily armed Israeli soldier who was abducted by Hamas, he put up no fight to prevent that, he spent 5 years in captivity.
- RT @WEPromote: Experience is a dear teacher, and only fools will learn from no other. ~Benjamin Franklin
- Gilad Shalit is no hero, he should be court-martialed and pay a fine for damages tot he state of Israel.
- I think that repairing relations between Israel and Turkey was a wise move by Netanyahu. I hope that the Turks appreciate that.
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- Mar 05, 13The new trending topic on the anti-Israel network is “Apartheid Buses.” According the narrative, Israel has now launched Arab-only bus lines as a new means of oppressing the local Arab population. In fact, the truth behind this story is a special service that this Israeli bus company has begun to provide for Palestinian workers from the security checkpoint they pass though to the work areas in central Israel.To draw this in a negative light, propagandists have spiced up the story by reporting that the new service was launched after Jewish Israelis complained about the workers traveling on their regular buses. As usual, the propagandists do not allow small details - like the facts - to get in the way of the twisted picture they wish to project about Israel.Tens of thousands of non-Israeli Palestinians are permitted to work in Israel every day. Those who receive these work permits consider themselves lucky, because the economy in the Palestinian Authority areas is so bad that work places there are hard to find and pay very poorly. Those holding work permits are allowed to enter only at designated security crossings. This is a rule determined by the government security agencies, and has nothing to do with the preferences of the Jewish commuters.After this blitz grew wings and became the center of media attention, Israel journalist Chaim Levenson of Haaretz wrote on his Facebook page that he was going to meet with the Arab workers on the new bus line at 4:30 AM leaving the Eyal crossing. Many workers are headed for early starts at building jobs, where they need to be on site by 6 or so. Obviously, these buses have been provided as a special service, at the time and place according the needs of the worker population from that area. Does someone suggest that they wait for the first bus leaving Ariel at 5:30am, and be late for work?Arab-only bus lines throughout Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem are nothing new. There are Arab-owned lines running between Shechem (Nablus), Ramallah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hevron. You will never see them stop for a Jew waiting at a bus stop on the way. There is an Arab-only bus station in the American Colony in Jerusalem. Don't expect to see Jewish people walking around there. Why, you might ask? It’s because the Jews feel threatened there, and fear for their safety.On the other hand, Israeli-owned public transportation in all of these places is used by Jews and non-Jews alike. The same bus company, Afikim, which is being accused of running special bus lines tailored to the needs of Palestinian workers, has also launched special bus lines fit for the needs of the students at the university in Ariel. 80% of the university's 14,000 students are commuting from Israel's more central areas, and need more buses coming in during the morning hours, and more leaving at the end of the day. The university’s Arab students enjoy those buses just as Jewish students do.The rumor that Jewish residents were involved in the new bus arrangement was thrown in by some propagandist to make the story more sensational. It is an obnoxious distortion of the facts. The Jewish commuters have nothing to do with security regulations.In fact, the new buses are set to save the Palestinian Arab commuters a lot of money, as their previous alternative was to pay for expensive private taxis to their workplace destinations. This is racism?
- Feb 08, 13Dear Friends,In honor of the birthday of our dear friend and lover of Israel Andreas, I have decided to plant a orchard of berry trees on my farm in Israel.Every year, many Israelis plant new trees and bushes to beautify the land of Israel, and we have festive meals highlighting the blessings of the fruits of the land. This year, I have a special plan to plant an orchard of 1000 blueberry bushes on my land in Kfar Tapuach, in the Shomron.This, when grown, will be a special place where families and tourists will be able to spend a day picking fruit and enjoying the blessings of the land. I would like to offer you an opportunity to take part in these festivities, and have some bushes planted on your behalf.The cost of each blueberry bush is 13.50 Euro.
Plant blueberry bushes in Israel in honor of Andreas Please join this initiative and sponsor a gift for our dear friend Andreas. A certificate will be sent to him with your dedication message for each individual bush or bunch of bushes that you order, and pictures will be uploaded to his Facebook page.I thank you for your support, and look forward to you visiting this orchard and enjoying its fruit.Thank you,David Ha'ivri - Feb 05, 13
First we took you to Samaria. Now we're in Judea—the other half of Israel's Biblical heartland. We visit the ancient city of Hebron—burial place of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, Sarah and Leah. Also, Israeli Minister of Public Diplomacy Yuli Edelstein joins us to discuss the importance of Judea and Samaria to Israel's heritage and its security. Plus: we sit down with Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch to discuss what Mahmoud Abbas really wants with a Palestinian state. Click on the viewer below to watch.
- Feb 04, 13Dear Friends,
Greetings from the mountains of Shomron, Israel’s heartland. Among the many challenges that we must deal with daily, a very important one is maintaining our direct contact with our friends around the world. We know that we are blessed with good friends who love the land of Israel and the people who dwell here, but due to geographical distance and daily responsibilities, they can’t be here with their feet on the ground as often as they would like to be.
Meanwhile, the Jewish residents of the communities of Judea and Samaria are busy building and protecting the land and growing their beautiful families into the next generation. Many of these people are farmers and artists who produce unique products blessed by the land they grow from.
The Lev HaOlam (Heart of the World) Project is now offering an amazing opportunity to our friends who would love to have a taste of Israel’s heartland on their tables every month.
This is a great way for you to support the farmers and artists who reside in the hills of Judea and Samaria and to enjoy their produce.
Every month, a special package of these products will be sent to you through the mail and enrich your personal connection to the land.
I invite you to subscribe to this very special program and enjoy the fruits of the land!
With Love of Israel,
David Ha’ivri
Please Click Here for More Information - Feb 04, 13In American culture, isn’t the Thanksgiving holiday a celebration of the historical success of the settlers who built their land? In the book of Joshua, in the Bible, we first learn of the children of Israel who settled the land under his leadership. Wasn’t the city of Fort Worth, Texas founded as a monument in honor of the first American settlers in that territory? The Fort Lauderdale area was known as the "New River Settlement" before the 20th century. In the 1830s, there had been approximately 70 settlers living along the New River.Throughout history, people have migrated from one land and settled in another. Never in history has the migration of a people and their settlement in another land been met with opposition like that raised against the Jews returning to Israel. How ironic that the Jews’ return to our own homeland is branded as an injustice?!? Judea and Samaria are the heartland of Israel; some call them “the West Bank.” This very area is the home of the Jews.There is no people in the world who have a stronger claim to their homeland than the Jews do to Judea and Samaria. All of Israel is significant to the Jewish people, but Judea and Samaria are at the core of our national heritage.35 years ago, Ron Nachman and the Tel Aviv group climbed up a barren hilltop in the Shomron and set up a tent that became Ariel. Ariel means “Lion of God,” and it was a name applied to Jerusalem and its Temple in the days of the Bible.Over the past 35 years, that barren hilltop has developed into a thriving dynamic city in Israel - but some still call it a “settlement.” Today, Ariel has a population of 22,000 residents in addition to a University with 16,000 students and faculty. A four-lane highway connects Tel Aviv to Ariel via a 30-minute drive, yet some still call that a “settlement.” Ariel has its own kindergartens, schools, high school, libraries, swimming pools, supermarkets, and medical clinics. In the mornings, there are traffic jams coming into Ariel as thousands commute to its university from around the country.Two weeks ago, Ariel's founder, Ron Nachman, was laid to rest on a hill overlooking the city that he built. Thousands came from around the country to pay their respects to Ron Nachman, including Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government ministers. One friend from America eulogized Ron and his leadership, likening him to Joshua Bin Nun who led the nation into this land many years before.Although many people picture Jewish settlers in the West Bank as religious fanatics (like me), most Ariel residents are secular. Many anti-Israel propagandists will say that the Jewish settlements exist to the detriment of local Arab development. But in fact, the Jewish development of Judea and Samaria has brought great benefits to Arabs who live in this region. Thousands of local Arabs (“Palestinians,” if you like) earn high paying Israeli salaries at workplaces that the BDS movement boycotts.Some refer to writing like this as “hasbara,” but it is simple truth. Jewish settlements are a good thing, and they have brought blessings to the region. Ariel is a success story - as is Jewish settlement throughout Judea and Samaria.The time has come to change the narrative. Israel does not need to apologize for settling its own land.
- Jan 30, 13
On this week's edition of the Stakelbeck on Terror show, the world calls it the West Bank but we call it Samaria: Israel's Biblical heartland. We're on the ground in the mountains where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob walked to bring you the truth about those so-called illegal settlements that Israel is being pressured to abandon.
- Jan 10, 13Dear Friends,Tu B'Shevat, which means the 15th day of the Hebrew month Shevat, is considered in the Jewish tradition to be the "New Year of the Trees." This day has become the national tree festival in modern Israeli culture.Every year, many Israelis plant new trees and bushes to beautify the land of Israel, and we have festive meals highlighting the blessings of the fruits of the land. This year, I have a special plan to plant an orchard of 1000 blueberry bushes on my land in Kfar Tapuach, in the Shomron.This, when grown, will be a special place where families and tourists will be able to spend a day picking fruit and enjoying the blessings of the land. I would like to offer you an opportunity to take part in these festivities, and have some bushes planted on your behalf.The cost of each blueberry bush is $18.
Plant blueberry bushes in Israel for Tu B'Shavat Please buy some in honor of your family members and loved ones, or as a gift for a friend. A certificate will be sent with your dedication message for each individual bush or bunch of bushes that you order, and pictures will be sent to your email and uploaded to Facebook.I thank you for your support, and look forward to you visiting this orchard and enjoying its fruit.Thank you,David Ha'ivri - Dec 09, 12
We thank you also for the miracles, for the redemption, for the mighty deeds and saving acts that you have wrought, as well as for the wars that you waged for our fathers in days of old, at this season.
In the days of the Hasmonean, Matityahu Ben Yochanan, the High Priest, and his sons, when the iniquitous power of Greece rose up against your people Israel to make them forgetful of your Law, and to force them to transgress the statutes of your will, then you in your abundant mercy rose up for them in the time of their trouble; you pled their cause, you judged their suit, you avenged their wrong; you delivered the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few, the impure into the hands of the pure, the wicked into the hands of the righteous, and the arrogant into the hands of them that occupied themselves with thy Law:
for yourself you made a great and holy name in your world, and for your people Israel you worked a great deliverance and redemption as at this day. And at this, your children came into the oracle of your house, cleansed your temple, purified your sanctuary, kindled lights in your holy courts, and appointed these eight days of Chanukah in order to give thanks and praises unto your great name. - Nov 11, 12When I first met Avraham Herzlich some 25 years ago, it was to speak with him about his daughter - not his goats. I found him a good distance from his farm in Kfar Zittem in the Netai Valley, under the cliffs of Mt. Arbel, in the Galil. As Mollie and I approached, we could hear him singing the verses of the weekly Torah reading with the melodies and rhythms from the Yemenite traditions. Avraham, who had been raised in a non-observant Jewish family in America, made aliya in the 60's and learned about Judaism through rabbis from Yemen. He decided to leave the developing, high-tech world of Manhattan behind him and go back to nature and back to the roots of the Jewish people. The Bible tells us that the founders of the nation of Israel - from Abraham our father, through Moses, to our King David - were shepherds who learned the skills of leadership through the chores of tending to their flocks of sheep – most of them on this very land. I told Avraham that I was about to finish my service in the IDF and begin studies in Rabbi Kahane's "Yeshiva of the Jewish Idea.” Avraham said, “There you will learn about the Jewish Idea, but, here in the fields, I live the Jewish Idea. Here, I pray to HaShem for rain and know that my livelihood depends on that blessing; if the grass doesn't grow well in its seasons, the herd will go hungry and so will I.” Avraham believes that Jewish shepherds grazing flocks on the land is an important profession, because it actually redeems the land to the possession of the Jewish people. A large herd roaming the land will take the place of an Arab owned herd, and so the land of Israel is redeemed to the Jewish people through the work of the Jewish shepherds. His longtime dream is to see large herds of goats and sheep, managed by Jewish shepherds, spread throughout the land. A decade ago, he followed his children to the mountains of the Shomron, where he saw a new pioneering spirit, and potential in the young people who were ready to share his dream. He grazes his flock in Shomron, and he has become an icon and an inspiration to many, who have turned to him for training and direction, and have taken flocks to other hilltops in Judea and Samaria. Over this past long, hot summer, his own large flock exhausted all of the grazing land around his home base town of Kfar Tapauch. He decided to take his goats to other pastures; over the past few weeks, Avraham migrated from Tapuach to Migron. Knowing that Arabs might try to steal the goats, Avraham commonly sleeps nearby, and gets up during the night to make sure they are safe. Last Thursday night, he checked on them at 2:30 am, and then fell asleep. At about 4am, his entire herd of 400 goats was stolen. Shortly afterward, security cameras caught a glimpse of four trucks on the road to PA-controlled areas. That was the last they were seen. An IDF Bedouin scout who came to look for tracks called this “an act of terror.” This is a very perfect example of a targeted assault, meant to sabotage a Zionist project that is effectively redeeming the land. Since the terrorists have the ability to easily slip back into an area controlled by the PLO, they are able to just disappear. In any normal setting, it would be impossible to hide 400 goats so quickly, and leave no trace. But this targeted theft is also, of course, a great personal blow to Avraham, a man who has previously been targeted by Arab terrorism. 12 years ago, his daughter Talyia and her husband, Binyamin Kahane, were killed in a roadside ambush by PLO terrorists. Avraham’s family has been left raising six of his orphaned grandchildren. This theft has cost him and his family damages of about $100,000 dollars, and stripped him of his livelihood and his life work. This is not an isolated event, but part of an ongoing battle for the future of the land of Israel. Avraham, beaten but not broken, now intends to not only rebuild his own family's herd, but to help establish additional large herds that will span the width and breadth of the land. He is a living symbol of practical Zionism, living off the land and raising new generations of Jewish pioneers, educated in the historical and Biblical connection of the Jewish people to this holy land.
Please share http://www.facebook.com/theJewishShepherd
Help Jewish shepherds in #Israel: Adopt a Kid Fund: Goats for Shomron https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=766ELMVJDFU4L - Oct 19, 12
Published by Ynetnews
When discussing issues of the Middle East, a common assumption is that the core of the ongoing conflict is related to friction between Israel and its Arab neighbor states. Normally, little attention is given to the multiple other conflicts, revolts and even wars that Israel is not a part of.
With all of the talk about Iran’s nuclear program and its threat to Israel, the fact is that the USA has been in conflict with Iran for over thirty years, during which the US has sent troops into Iran twice, with no connection to Israel whatsoever.
Although many might think that Israel is the only country immediately concerned with Iran's plans, they overlook the fact that the UAE has an ongoing conflict with that country over land rights in the Abu Musa and Tunb Islands, which Iran has occupied since 1971.
While many Arab states are concerned with Iran’s involvement in Bahrain and with Syria’s internal events, to its shame, the Arab League has been unable to come to the assistance of the people of Syria, who are being massacred by the Assad regime. And there are concerns all around that the fighting in Syria could overflow into Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.
Few take notice of Turkey’s war on the people of Kurdistan, which is not contained within the borders of Turkey. As media services reported last week, the Turks have brought assaults even on Kurdish locations within Iraq.
A genuine Middle Eastern perspective is needed to truly understand the complexity of the region, and to demonstrate how Israel is part of a bigger picture that includes multiple regional interests. Israel need not be the unifying excuse for all Arab tyrants and their campaigns.
In a recent opinion piece in Arab News by Saudi General (ret.) Abdulateef Al-Mulhim, marking 39 years since the war of 1973, Arab nations were urged to ask themselves what goal has been served by three major wars and 70 years of refusal to accept Israel as a neighbor. He honestly points to major suffering in the Arab world, including malnutrition and internal war crimes, which are due only to corruption of Arab leaders and not caused by Israel’s continued existence. On the contrary, he points out that the Palestinians living under Israeli control (on whose behalf the Arabs have based their boycott of Israel) actually have a higher life expectancy and more freedoms than Arabs in many Arab states.
It is refreshing to see Arab dignitaries who are waking up and questioning the Arab attitude towards Israel. And what about the Israeli attitude towards its neighbors? Israel’s foreign policy (if it could be called that) was ironically shaped by the decision of the Arab League Summit in Khartoum, after the Six Day War in 1967. From that poorly attended meeting came the infamous “Three Nos” declaration, stating that the members of the Arab League would refuse to recognize Israel or have any dealings with her. Israel accepted that ruling, and has refrained from direct interaction with Arab states.
In another refreshing article by Naava Mashiach, published on the Your Middle East website, Israel is urged to take part in the region in which it is physically located - the Middle East. I was glad to see the writer seemingly ignore or forget the above policy of the Arab League, and suggest that we just do business. Israel is an international leader in the development of advanced technology in computers, medical equipment and agriculture. These products and others are in great demand in countries around the world. The writer proposes that Israel actively promote trade and tourism with her neighboring countries. This type of normal interaction would effectively bypass pointless peace negotiations and bring all sides into a basic understanding for mutual benefit.
The fact is that the Arab collective consciousness and pride is hurt by the fact that non-Muslims control land that was once under Muslim domain. That will not change; it is part of their culture, which can be appreciated without being accepted as a mutual value. On the other hand, we can expect our neighbors to be realistic and pragmatic enough to realize that Israel is a fact that is not about to go away, and to learn to live with that in peace. - Oct 18, 12These types of attacks were added to the anti-Israel sentiments demonstrated by Arab representatives in Israel, like Nazareth Mayor and Member of Knesset Tufik Ziyad, and later MK Achmid Tibi, who served the PLO within the halls of Knesset. Arab MK Azmi Bashara chose to flee the country to avoid explaining his interactions with Hizbullah while they were attacking Israel with rockets in the Second Lebanon War.
During the first Gulf War, while Saddam Hussein was bombarding Tel Aviv with Scud missiles, Israel’s Arabs were said to be dancing on their roofs, signing words of encouragement to Saddam. We saw scenes of Arab mobs destroying Jewish holy places like Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem, and rejoicing at the sight of Israelis being lynched by mobs in Ramallah in October 2000. It should not be surprising that Israelis would be frustrated and angry, after enduring so much terror and hatred.
Many books could be written on the actions that have been taken to reinforce Israel’s mistrust in the Arabs. The above examples are intended to give a hint of understanding, as to why an Israeli would identify Arabs with terrorism and harassment.
The aforementioned T-shirts for which I was charged were distributed at a rally in Jerusalem, marking 30 days since the assassination of the Israeli Minister of Tourism General Rachavam Zeevi. Zeevi was shot down in the hallway outside his hotel room in the center of Jerusalem. His murderers made an easy getaway into the nearby Palestinian Authority, under the jurisdiction of the PLO.
As a youth growing up in Israel in the 1980s, I was attracted to the very charismatic Rabbi Meir Kahane. After founding the Jewish Defense League and awakening Jewish pride, protecting the weak in the community and fighting for Soviet Jewry in America in the 70s, the rabbi relocated to Israel and took on the core issues of the identity of the State of Israel and its future as a Jewish State. More too come... - Oct 18, 12The outcome of the Six Day War saw Israel expand its borders into Sinai, Golan, Judea and Samaria, and Jerusalem, the capital, was again united. The armies of Syria and Egypt were emasculated, as was the Arab pride. Although victorious, the Jews were reminded that the Arabs were waiting around the corner for the first opportunity to throw us into the sea, if they only could.
The PLO and its band of terrorists began organizing in the mid 1960s, and the 1970s brought a tidal wave of terrorists attacks - school children in Maalot, the Olympic delegation in Munich, etc. Infiltrations and airplane hijackings were in full swing. Jews had escaped the antisemitism of the exile and were now forced to accept Arab hatred as a new part of their lifestyle.
The 1980s saw internal terrorism planned and carried out by Arabs inside Israel. Children, women and soldiers were kidnapped by Arab terrorists to be used as bargaining chips in negotiating for the release of imprisoned terrorists. Danny Katz, a 15 year old boy from an affluent neighborhood in Haifa, disappeared one afternoon as he was walking to a friend’s house nearby. Days later, his mutilated body was found in a cave near the Arab city, Shachnin. Five Arab residents of that city pled guilty to the abduction, rape and murder of the boy. Later, two of the guilty admitted that the year before, they had done the same to a missing Jewish woman named Dafna Kadmon, whose body was found in the Carmel forest. During those years, the targeting of Jews by Arabs became a sad part of the reality in Israel.
The 1990s brought in the intifada and Land Day riots. Jewish cars were targeted on open roads, with rocks being thrown through their windshields. In July 1989, the driver or the Egged bus on its way from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was overpowered by an Arab passenger who grabbed the steering wheel and forced the bus off of the road and over a cliff. 16 passengers were killed and 27 injured. On a winter night in February 1992, pitchforks were used by three Arab residents of Um El Fechem area, who infiltrated an army base nearby and killed three Israeli soldiers while they were sleeping in a tent. Read More... - Oct 13, 12In July 2002, I was indicted in a Jerusalem court, accused of publishing racist material for making T-shirts with a picture of Rabbi Meir Kahane in the front and the slogan, “No Arabs - No Terror” printed on the back. The trial dragged out for a couple of years. My attorney David Haimovich did a fine job fighting for my right to freedom of expression, and to preserve my dignity. At the end of the proceedings, I was found guilty and punished, although the court failed to prove any personal involvement in printing the shirt. In a way, I encouraged the “guilty” verdict by using the court hearings as a political platform to argue the right to express these views, and did not make a great effort to distance myself from them. In retrospect, I cannot gauge the value of that strategy, but it seemed right at the time.
In the trial, I argued that Rabbi Kahane was not a racist, and brought witnesses, as well as evidence from his own book, They Must Go, where the rabbi explains in his foreword that his call to separate the Arab population from the Jews in Israel does not spring from hatred, but out of concern for the future of Israel as a Jewish state.
In considering the conflict between Israel and the Arabs, people tend to look mostly at two points: the founding of the State of Israel in 1948, with its resulting wars, and the current Israeli-Palestinian stalemate. They usually overlook the events in between, that have served as building blocks in the wall of animosity between the two peoples.
From the first years of the State of Israel until the amazing victory in the Six Day War in 1967, the very existence of the Jewish state seemed to be in question. A popular joke before the Six Day War in Israel said that the last one out (to leave the country) should turn off the lights. As tension built towards that war, many Israeli leaders foresaw gloom; some said that the Third Temple was about to fall. Read More... - Oct 13, 12When setting out to write a book of this nature, an author must consider the question, “What qualifications do I possess, to make the arguments I offer here?” I have no intention of writing an academic-style thesis, backed up with endless sources to prove my points. What I wish to do is to offer my own opinion on the issues at hand, based mostly on my own beliefs, understanding and life experience.
In my 45 years, I have witnessed many events, been in many interesting places, and have been a leader in grassroots activism. I have been arrested, beaten, jailed, indicted and acquitted. I have overseen successful political campaigns, traveled around the world, debated, and published my views.My family moved to Israel when I was a young boy, after which my family fell apart and returned to their land of birth, while I fully integrated into Israeli society. I finished high school, served my country for three years, married my wife Mollie, and together we are raising our eight beautiful children.
This book is not my life story; I might write that in the future. This is about the ideas and concepts occupying my mind. These ideas are results of the experiences that I have had. If G-d wills it, this book will become a bridge for these ideas - or some of them - to become a reality, for the benefit of the people of Israel and for the world around us.
My qualification for writing this book is not academic accreditation or military rank of even elected position. Although not meant to be an autobiography, I will use my own autobiographical details as my source and basis for this. I do not demand that my readers agree with me, but I would appreciate it if you would consider what I have to say with an open mind, and set aside your pre-conceptions on these issues.
I am aware that some of my ideas might seem unconventional. Actually, I hope that is the case. It is not my goal to do or say the same things others are already saying, just smarter or better. If I felt that others were expressing what needed to be said, I would sit back and not get in their way, or would help call attention to what they were saying.
Recently, I sat in a three-hour meeting in the tent of the Muslim Sheikh Jaabari, south of Hebron, with Shomron Governor Gershon Mesika and other close friends and associates. I listened closely to the conversation of both sides for over two and a half hours, and only towards the end of the meeting did I pose a question to the Sheikh - one that made all my associates jump to attention. But I was not apologetic; the Sheikh understood well what I was asking, and his answer was satisfactory to me as well.Later in this book, I will describe what was said and the scenario under discussion. That short exchange is a major key to a proposal I wish to bring forth, that could lead to a true peaceful existence in this ancient and disputed holy land. For me, it was a conclusion to many months (maybe years) of ongoing inquiry.
This book is about the future of Jewish people and the Jewish state - which are both dear to me. I think that the futures of the two are inseparable. I will address issues of identity, national symbols, minorities, loyalty, borders, allies and enemies, war and peace, democracy, representation and government, privileges, benefits, obligations, diaspora and aliyah. Read More... - Sep 23, 12A Syrian dissident wrote to me, and explained why Arab leaders are encouraging their people to rage against America recently. He points out that Syrian dictator Assad (who is not a Muslim), has been massacring Muslims and desecrating the holy places for over a year and a half with no outcry from the Muslim world. His note below says it all about Arab leaders who have manipulated the issue of Israel to serve themselves. But he also questions Israeli policy on current events in Syria. To that I will try to respond, the best I can.
He writes:
“Since I was a little kid, the Arab and Muslim governments have always used Israel as an excuse to deprive their people of freedom and money. The recent event with the stupid movie about the prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is no different.
For more than 18 months, Assad has been killing Muslims, bombing mosques, burning Qurans, insulting the prophet Mohammed, and calling himself a God.
So why do Islamic leaders encourage their people to demonstrate against the US and Israel, but not against Assad? It's all a plan to unite the Arab and Muslim people against an outside enemy (Israel or the US) and divert them from the real crimes being committed by their leaders - who continue to loot and kill their own people. Even Hezbollah’s Nasrallah joined the call for demonstrations, to divert attention from Assad's killing.
To be clear, Israel, the US and the West have never committed any crimes that resemble the atrocities of Assad’s regime against Muslims or humanity, so why doesn't the Islamic/Arab world admit that? Again, it's to keep the people occupied with the spectre of Israel and the West, while the leaders themselves enjoy killing and stealing from their own people.
On another note, I keep hearing that Israel wants to keep Assad in power and is asking the US not to support the FSA. I am not sure about the accuracy of these rumors - please let me know if you have any more information.
Happy new year and peace to all.”
My response:
My friend, as an Israeli, I am ashamed to admit that Israel has no foreign policy, surely not in regard to our neighboring states. We are not alone in the blame for this. Most of our neighbors’ refusal to live in peace with Israel has reinforced a static level of tension and a lack of any positive interaction. In general, Israelis don't think beyond the common assumption that all Arabs are against us. If that is the case, any given Arab dictator could be better than a bad situation that could possibly get worse. So seems the case in Egypt. Mubarak was not friendly to Israel, but the new administration is even less so.
I am not aware of an official Israeli position regarding the possible change of government in Syria. Basically, the common wisdom is “let's wait and see what happens,” and Israel should be ready to deal with whatever the future brings.
Assad is no friend to Israel; his warm relationships with Iran, Hizbollah and Jihadi Islamic groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad are more than enough to classify him as a full-fledged enemy of Israel.
On the other hand, the northern border in Golan has been a quiet one for over 40 years. The fact that the FSA and its representatives are not publicly expressing any positive notes on their vision of peace with Israel is not encouraging to Israelis.
I have expressed my own opinion in the past, that Israel should assist our neighbors in the north to achieve freedom from the oppressive rule of the Assad regime. Helping them would be a kind humanitarian act, but it could also open the door for a new relationship between the people of Syria and the people of Israel.
I could be wrong, but I still doubt that the new Syria could be a worse neighbor to Israel than Assad's. It is time for Israel to invest more in helping Arab society develop leadership that does not need the “hate Israel” card to survive. - Nov 26, 12Love Israel Tours Is Proud to OfferThe David Ha’ivri Very Special Tour of IsraelApril 8 – 17, 2013Led by David Ha’ivriDay 1 – Monday, April 8: Arrive at Ben Gurion AirportWe arrive at Ben Gurion Airport where a Love Israel Toursrepresentative will meet us at the luggage carousel and assist us through customs. We drive up to the eternal capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem. As we drive to Jerusalem, the City of Gold, think of the thousands upon thousands of people before you who have made their pilgrimage to the Holy City. We proceed to the Kotel (Western Wall) and drink a traditional toast of le’chaim (to life). Dinner and overnight at the Mount Zion Hotel in JerusalemDay 2 – Tuesday, April 9: ShomronAfter breakfast we meet David Ha’ivriour host of the tour, we drive along the “Way of the Patriarchs,” the road where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob walked. We begin our day inthe regions promised to the tribes of Ephraim and Binyamin. Our first stop in this area is the site of Israel’s first capitol: Shilo, where Joshua placed Moses' Wilderness Tabernacle and where it stood for the next 369 years during the time of Eli the high priest and Samuel the prophet. We continue to the community of Itamarwhere we will see the successful farm of GivotOlam, we hope to meet with the Mayor of Itamar, Rabbi Moshe Goldshmith and see the home of the Fogel family and the Zimmerman organic farm. We stop for lunch at the Har BrachaYeshiva and continue to Mount Gerizim to visit the Samaritan museum. Our next stop is the Bakanindustrial park,one of the largest Industrial Parks in Israel where we will see for ourselves the strategic importance of the area. In the early evening we have the honor of meeting with the head of the Shomron Regional Council, Gershon Mesika. We check into our hotel in Ariel and proceed to the community of Kfar Tapuach for dinner with David and Mollie Ha'ivri. For a very special treat we hope to be able to make a midnight visit to Joseph's tomb (or Joshua's tomb)Dinner with David and Mollie Ha'ivri, overnight at the Eshel Hashomron Hotel in ArielDay 3 - Wednesday, April 10: Shomron, HaifaAfter breakfast we tour of the city of Arielincluding the Ariel University Center. We hope to meet with the shepherd, Avraham Herzlich and then we drive to Havat Giladwhere we will meet with Ilana Shimon and Moshe Zar. Our next stop is the Kedumim museum where we will hear from Tzvi Slonim. We stop for lunch at the ShaviShomron yeshiva and then continue to the Druze village of Usafiawhere we hope to meet with Memberof Knesset, Ayoob Kara. We stop for a kosher Druze dinner and Druze hospitality and proceed to our hotel in Haifa. Druze Hospitality dinner and overnight at the Dan Panorama Hotel in HaifaDay 4 - Thursday, April 11: GalilWe drive though Haifa, the beautiful city on the bay and stop for a look at the magnificent Baha’i Gardens. We leave Haifa and stop in Akko (Acre), the ancient port immortalized by the Crusaders, the Turks and the British. We will see the prison where Jews were hanged during the time of the British Mandate. Also in Akko we will see one of the most fascinating synagogues in all of Israel with its mosaic tiles which tell the story of the Jewish people. In the village of Zarzirwe will meet with Kias Mazarib and Tzvi MeSinai. At the Moshav of Kfar Zeitim, we will have lunch and a tour of the community. We drive to the Kineret (Sea of Galilee) to check into our hotel and enjoy a boat ride and dinner overlooking the Kineret. Dinner in a local restaurant and overnight at the Leonardo Hotel in TiberiasDay 5 – Friday, April 12: Galil, JerusalemThis morning we travel to Tzfat (Safed), one of the four holy cities in Israel and known for its mysticism and Kabalistic studies. Here we tour fascinating synagogues and cobblestone streets filled with workshops and galleries of local artists. We now drive to the Golan Heights, and see the observation point on Mount Bental, a former Syrian bunker, with an overlook of the mountains of Lebanon and Syria. Ournext stop is Gamlawhere the oldest Beit Knesset was found and where according to Josephus 5,000 people jumped to their deaths rather than be sold into slavery by the Romans. We drive through the Jordan River Valley toJerusalem. We check into our hotel and get ready for Shabbat and then, as the sun sets, we make preparations to welcome the Shabbat with prayers and dancing at the Kotel. As we enter the Old City, look around you and notice how people from all corners of the world enter through the various Gates with one purpose in mind, to welcome the Shabbat Bride at Judaism’s holiest site on earth. Traditional Shabbat dinner and overnight at the Mount Zion Hotel in JerusalemDay 6 – Shabbat, April 13: JerusalemFOR OUR JEWISH FRIENDSIf you wish you may attend Shabbat Services at the Great Synagogue, the Kotel or a synagogue of your choice.FOR OUR CHRISTIAN FRIENDSAfter breakfast we will view Bethlehem and visit the sites of Jesus' life that occurred in and around Jerusalem. We climb to the Mount of Olivesand the Garden of Gethsemane. We cross the Kidron Valley tothe Old City where we will retrace Jesus' final steps along the Via Dolorosa. We continue to the Garden Tomb where Jesus was buried.Both groups will meet back at the hotel for a lavish late lunch in the hotel and then we will have a walking tour of the reconstructed Jewish Quarter, we will see the Cardo, the unearthed main Roman thoroughfare and an ancient marketplace lined with shops;Hezekiah’s Broad Wall dating back to the First Temple and walk on the rooftops above the "shuk". As Shabbat comes to an end, we will perform the traditional Havdalah service under the stars. As the city becomes active again we can enjoy shopping and dinner on our own on Ben Yehuda Street the outdoor pedestrian mall. Luncheon and Overnight at the Mount Zion Hotel in JerusalemDay 7 – Sunday, April 14: JerusalemToday after an early breakfast we ascend to the Temple Mountwhere the Temples stood. We hope to have a briefing from a minister of the governmentwho will enlighten us on present political situation in Israel. Then we will meet with a representative of the Jerusalem Reclamation Project,learning the truth about Arab encroachment in Jerusalem. We will be shown the efforts on the part of this organization to hold onto Jewish land in the Jewish homeland. The Jerusalem Reclamation Project will take us on a tour of areas and neighborhoods Jerusalem that are being purchased for use by for Jewish families, such as the Moslem Quarter, Abu Tur, the Yemenite Village, Ma’ale Zeitim, Abu Dis and the Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood. We will be able to visit and give support to some of the young people who are fighting to reclaim Jerusalem. Next we will have the unique privilege of working alongside archaeologistsas we sift through soil from beneath the Temple Mount looking for ancient Temple-era artifacts. In the Kotel Tunnels(Western Wall) one of the most amazing archaeological sites in all Israel, we can walk alongside the Western Wall's massive foundation stones and stand opposite the place where the Holy of Holies once stood. Dinner in a local restaurant, overnight at the Mount Zion Hotel in JerusalemDay 8 – Monday, April 15:This morning we stroll through MachanehYehudah, the wonderful outdoor market where native Jerusalemites buy theirfood. The sights and smells of everything from fish to fresh-baked bread will stir your appetite. Then we explore the City of David, the original site of Jerusalem where David made his capitol 3,000 years ago and where most of the Tanach (Old Testament) was written. We will walk upon the area of King David's palace; then take out our flashlights for a walk through one of the marvels of King Hezekiah’s reign: the Water Tunnel. Leaving the Tunnel, we will walk the short distance to the Pool of Shiloah and then walk through the newly discovered tunnel to the Southern Wall Excavations where we will be able to understand what life was like at the time of the Second Temple. In the restored Jewish Quarter we can visit the Temple Institutewhere Jews are preparing for the Third Temple. There will be opportunity to shop today in the Jewish Quarter. We drive past the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and the Supreme Court building and continue to Yad Vashem, the Jewish people’s memorial to the murdered Six Million during the Holocaust. Dinner and overnight at the Mount Zion Hotel in JerusalemDay 9 – Tuesday, April 16: Hebron and South – Yom HaatzmautAfter breakfast we say goodbye to Jerusalem and drive to the area of Judea where we will meet with Jeremy Gembel and Ari Abamowitz of “The Land of Israel” organization. Now we drive through the "Valley of Blessing" to Hevron where we will have an in-depth tour with David Wilder. In Hevron we will visit the Cave of the Patriarchs, burial place of Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca and Jacob and Leah, the neighborhoodswhere some of the 100 Jewish families live and spend some time in an army base to give our support to some of the young men defending Israel’s borders. Scheduling permitting we hope to meet with an Arab sheikof Hevron who is a supporter of the Jewish presence in Hevron. We then drive to the Hevron hills and visit the dairy farm at Sussyiawhich is owned by a couple who were expellees of Gush Katif. After a Bedouinhospitality dinner we hope to hear from a Bedouinsheik. Bedouin Hospitality dinner, overnight at the Leonardo Hotel in BeerShevaDay 10 – Wednesday, April 17 – DepartAfter breakfast we proceed to the airport for our departure.Shalom for now, and L’hitraot – may we meet again in the unforgettable land of Israel.Prices for the Land Package$2,300 p.p. double occupancySingle room supplement: $565.00 per personTERMS OF PAYMENT:Non-refundable registration of $300.00 per person, plus initial rooming list are due 8 weeks before arrivalRemainder of the money and final rooming list are due 3 weeks before arrival.
Single/Couple - Sep 21, 12One of the key issues that almost brought on early elections in Israel is the exemption from the mandatory draft that certain political powers wish to extend to certain communities in the country. Others, who do not fit in these categories, feel an unfair burden and are calling themselves “The Camp of the Exploited.” They feel that they are giving more than their fair share in army service - training, guarding and fighting for the safety of the nation of Israel and protecting its borders. Naturally, those who serve are actually putting their lives at stake for the well being of all the others. They are demanding - and rightfully so - that all who enjoy the protection of the Israeli Defense Force should chip in and do their own parts for the good of all.
As usual, political parties and biased media outlets piggyback on these points to make profit for themselves. Political parties representing both sides use this as a key issue to get those concerned to vote for them and newspapers and other news outlets to up their ratings in the popularity contest. It is common for both sides to focus on yeshiva students who, by Israeli law, are allowed to postpone their draft dates in order to extend their studies. Many believe that when this arrangement was agreed upon, in the beginning days of the state, there were far fewer yeshiva students, and that the number of exemptions has grown over the years to an unacceptable level. This may very well be true. But the fact that is generally overlooked is that in other, more secular parts of the population, the practice of avoiding the draft through other means of manipulation has also risen greatly since the founding of the state.
While the religious community is shamed for allegedly avoiding the draft by postponing it in order to extend Torah studies, other members of the religious community have a reputation for being highly motivated volunteers for the most elite units, and many go on to become commissioned officers. But, aside from the two major focuses of this discussion (the religious Yeshiva students and the secular community), there are others who merit notice as well.
Non-Jewish Arab citizens of Israel also enlist by law to serve their country. Soldiers from the Druze, Charcsi and Bedouin communities proudly wear IDF uniforms and bravely fight to protect the people and land of Israel. But on the other side, many other non-Jewish Israelis are in fact exempt from serving, and thereby from sharing the burden of protecting the home country that affords them so many privileges, a high standard of living and freedoms that they would never dream of anywhere else in the Middle East. They, too, should share the responsibility of protecting this land from Shiite Islamic fundamentalists in Lebanon and Iran, who would treat them (the Sunni Muslims of Israel) no better than they would treat the Jews, if they succeeded in overrunning this country.
The Jews of the Diaspora also have a stake in the homeland of the Jewish people. It is not a responsibility only for Jews who happened to be born in the land. Israel is the homeland and holy land for the entire Jewish people, and the center of our nation. Protecting this land and people is an obligation for every Jew, no matter where he happens to live. Every year, there is a handful of young people in the Diaspora who follow their inner calling and come to Israel to serve in the Machal volunteer program in the IDF. But in truth, this should be the standard. Every Jew should be called to fulfill his obligation to protect his land and his people, regardless of where in the world he lives.
The people of Israel should look down on those who avoid taking their share of the mutual responsibility. Of course, sanctions should be put into place to punish those who evade the draft, in the common interest of the people. Special subsidies, tuitions and land grants should be made available only to those who participate.
Until G-d brings the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Bible - when a Lion and a Lamb graze together and we can beat our guns and planes into plowshares, we will need to continue to wear uniforms and fight battles against those who wish us dead. As long as that is the case, every able body (regardless of race, religion or geographical location) in Israel should have to give his share.David Ha’ivri is the director of the Shomron Liaison Office. He and his wife Mollie live in Kfar Tapuach, Shomron with their eight children. You can follow him on Twitter @haivri - Sep 21, 12On the 28th of October, 1991, a bus carrying residents of Shilo to Tel Aviv was ambushed by Palestinian terrorists on Highway 60, just south of Tapuach Junction in the Shomron. The bus driver, Itzchak Rofeh, and a woman from Shilo, Rochela Druck, were killed in the attack. Later that night, women from the community of Shilo, friends of the woman who was killed, decided to establish a new Jewish community at the location of the murder. They called this a proper Zionist response to those who thought that they could chase the Jews out through the means of terrorism. They said, "On this site, where Jews were killed for living as Jews in their land, new Jewish life will grow.”On that cold and rainy night, the women set up a tent on the side of a dark and winding road in between unfriendly Arab towns. I remember that night well. When we got word of what was going on not far from our home in Kfar Tapuach, we decided to go out and show our support to our new neighbors. The hike from Tapuach to the campsite was about two and a half miles. It was a very dark night. Along with a group of youth, we walked along Highway 60, winding down from the Tapuach Junction. It was so dark that we almost stumbled into the poor soldiers who had been stationed there to prevent more Jewish "settlers" from reaching the site. We managed to find our way around the checkpoint and reached the site as the first trailers were being unloaded onto the hill adjacent to the road. At about two o’clock in the morning, we tried to get some sleep in the trailer home, but as it was hastily placed on uneven ground, the floors were at such a slant that wherever we lay in the room, we would all roll into the same corner.From day one, the founders of the community held open channels of communication with the government and negotiated permission for the encampment to be authorized in some manner. In the first stage, the government agreed to the idea that an educational institution would be allowed to operate at the site, which was situated on state-owned land, and not the property of any individual. The women of Shilo would manage the classes and events at the site, but would return to their homes at night, and the IDF would oversee the camp.In a later development, the place was named “Rechelim” to commemorate Rochela Druck and another terror victim, Rachel Weiss. The plan was to make it a Nachal outpost, operated by the IDF. In a still further development, this was officially declared a “civilian community,” as had been the case with the founding of previous communities throughout Israel, in the history of Nachal.In 2005, PM Ariel Sharon appointed attorney Talia Sasson to write a report on the expansion of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. According to the Sasson Report, Rechelim was one of 105 Jewish communities in the region that were lacking all needed official documentation and zoning rulings to be considered “authorized.” From that time on, Rechelim and all other communities on the list became known as “un-authorized” or “illegal outposts.”This negative branding effectively caused the development of these towns to come to a complete standstill. This has, of course, been very difficult and confusing for the 50 families who have made their homes there. Many of them are living in homes that were built by Israeli government agencies and paid for with state-approved mortgages.The classification of this community as an un-authorized outpost brought a stop to all government funding for basic services normally offered to all citizens of Israel. So, for instance, funds previously designated to build classrooms for the community's pre-school were frozen for the past few years and diverted to other places. This has forced the residents to find other sources of funding for the building of local educational structures that normally would have been funded by the government, through taxes that these residents still pay, just like any other citizens. Homes that had been under construction, with all needed building plans and permits, were stopped in the middle and frozen because the town around them became “un-approved.” The families building those homes felt like the rug had been jerked out from under them.As it later became clear, when Ms. Sasson ran for Knesset in the extreme left-wing Mertz party, she had abused the trust given to her in writing the said report, and used it to promote a very set political agenda meant to impede the continued development of Jewish communities in Israel's heartland. The government's decision this week to grant zoning permits to Rechelim in the Shomron, and to Beruchin in Sansana, in the hills of Hebron, is nothing more then repairing a wrong. After seven years in limbo, once again the residents of these communities can fulfill their dreams and the corporate dream of their nation – they can finally build their homes in Eretz Yisrael.
- Sep 21, 12During my visit to the British Parliament last week, I heard concern from a number of members that Jerusalem's new light rail system was built as a “tool of Israel's apartheid.” This type of claim can leave one baffled - where do you start explaining, when an intelligent elected official hits you with a claim that is so totally off base? Aside from the issue of priorities, since people are being killed by Assad daily in Syria, it is so hypocritical for world leaders to ignore that massacre and waste their time and effort in seeking out something to pin on Israel.The city of Jerusalem was first declared the capital of the united Kingdom of Israel by our mighty King David some 3000 years ago. In its center, on Mount Moriah, David’s son Solomon built the Temple, which became a place of gathering for the entire nation of Israel three times a year. Ever since, this city has been the focus point of the prayers of Jews wherever they have lived in the world. In Israel's War of Independence in 1948, part of the city was captured by the British=trained Arab Legion of Trans-Jordan, who held the city for 19 years, until it was again united in the miraculous Six Day War of June, 1967. During the 19 years of Jordan's illegal occupation of Jerusalem, Jews were barred from access to holy places in the city. Jewish doctors and nurses were massacred while trying to reach the Hadassah Hospital, located on then-isolated Mount Scopus.Only after Israel's Defense Forces reunited the holy city were members of all religions again allowed access to places holy to them (aside from the Temple Mount, which maintains limited access for non-Muslims).Jerusalem today is a city with total population of about 760,000 people - about 65% Jewish, 35% Muslims, Christians and others. Anyone who visits the city will see a mix of people from all ethnic backgrounds and all religions taking part in all aspects of the city's culture and commerce. Like it or not, apartheid is not a fitting description for the reality of Jerusalem today.The city of Jerusalem, capital of the State of Israel, incorporated its light rail public transportation system this year. The light rail is intended to relieve traffic congestion, and to save the city from some of the air pollution of exhaust fumes from the cars and buses that it will replace.Three years of its construction was very bothersome to the residents and visitors to Jerusalem because it made transit within the city even more difficult and slowed up traffic, with many roads closed and much traffic redirected. When the work was finally completed, I think that most of Jerusalem was happy with the results.The light rail is now 14 KM long with 23 stops. It starts in the Pisgat Zev neighborhood in the north and runs though Beit Hannia and Shuafat, passes by the Old City through the center of town, runs along Jaffa Street past the central bus station and ends at Mount Herzl.The track passes though and stops in both Jewish and Arab neighborhoods. I have taken the train and noticed that both Jews and Arabs are regular commuters. All of the train’s signs, tickets, ticket machines, and public announcements are made very clearly in both Hebrew and Arabic. Signs of station names are posted in both Hebrew and Arabic.Knowing the facts firsthand, it is strange for me to hear discussions in British Parliament about the light rail being segregated and a “tool of apartheid.” Why, I ask, do people buy into such baseless libel and propaganda?
- Sep 21, 12Many leading professional Israel-bashers are so off the wall and obnoxious with their ridiculous claims that at times, it’s hard to figure out where to start. Last year in Washington, I had the opportunity to debate Hussein Ibish, who has a PhD in obnoxious. His strategy is to use his academic rhetoric to make nonsense sound important.On a recent visit to the UK, I had the opportunity, along with Shomron Governor Gershon Mesika, to meet with one of England's most prominent Israel-bashers, Member of Parliament Julian Brazier.MP Brazier has recently gone on record speaking out against the light rail train in Jerusalem, claiming that it is a tool of Israel's apartheid policies, and that it connects "illegal settlements” to recognized areas of Israel. On one hand, he claims that he has never called for a boycott of Israel, while at the same time, he calls for an investigation of local UK municipalities working with the French waste management company Veolia, because of their involvement in the light rail project in Jerusalem.Beyond that, MP Brazier claims that Israel's "settlement" activity in the West Bank is the cause of the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, as well as anti-British sentiments in Pakistan and Afghanistan. This takes us back to my opening question: where do you start, when claims so detached from reality are bombarded on Israel by academics and elected officials in modern Western countries? I can understand those who say that it’s no use, and suggest ignoring the accusations. But I would suggest that we confront these bashers and not let them get away so easily.So I was glad for the initiative of the British Israel Coalition, who asked our leadership to meet with Mr. Brazier to set the record straight. After Brazier's recent statement, BICPAK organized a letter writing campaign to the British Parliament and local newspapers, to speak out against these outrageous statements.I am glad that we have people like Gershon Mesika, who is an effective municipal administrator with a clear pragmatic agenda of building the Jewish communities of the Shomron. But I am also not ashamed to say in any forum (including the UK’s House of Commons) that the land of Israel is the birthright of the Jewish people, as stated in the Bible. This is not "occupied" land - it belongs to no other people but Israel. The development of the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria is not the cause of the Arab Spring in the Middle East or anti-West sentiments in Islamic societies, but rather, fundamentalist Islamisation is the cause.Also attending this meeting was Jordanian writer and activist Mudar Zahran, who reminded MP Brazier that the Palestinians already have a state in Jordan and called for his assistance in replacing the Hashemite monarchy with their own leadership.I do not think that we succeeded in changing Brazier's anti-Israel outlook, which (as he pointed out) is based on three generations of his family's involvement in the region. Both his father and grandfather served in the British army during their occupation of the land.Supporters of Israel do not need to sit back and expect this kind of bashing as a “given.” We should stand up and state the simple truth. This is our land. Those who wish to live with us in peace stand to enjoy great benefits from our friendship and ability to bring the region forward in all aspects. Israel is not the cause of anti-Western sentiments; at best, it is a convenient excuse and meeting place for anti-West and anti-semitic types who pose as liberals and human rights enthusiasts. The suffering of the people in Syria, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Egypt have nothing to do with the light rail in Jerusalem, or with the number of Jews who live in Judea and Samaria.Julian Brazier might not have been convinced to stop bashing Israel, but after the letter writing campaign and the meeting with Shomron leadership, he knows that if he wishes to continue on the path of confronting Israel, his work will only grow more demanding; he will need to do more work and better research if he doesn't want to be exposed as a fool. All of this might bring him and his like to reconsider how much time and effort they can invest in dealing with an issue that is far from their constituency's real needs and interests.
- Sep 21, 12Human Rights are an area of great concern, surely, for all who strive to be politically correct, but they are even more so for regular people who have goodness in their hearts and cringe at the thought of people being oppressed, beaten, raped and murdered. The thought that people in this world are oppressed because of the color of their skin, their ethnic origin or sex is unacceptable in the value systems of decent people. But has this admirable line of thought been hijacked and manipulated by people who not only do not really care, but who would like to use it as leverage against other people?
You need only to read the news and ask yourself “what is the world coming to?” There is so much injustice going on in the world and particularly in the Middle East. But it seems that most of the so-called “Human Rights groups” are blind to that because of their obsession with the Jewish State of Israel. How many can claim to be truly objective - only concerned with people and not politically motivated?
Let's review just a few of the facts.
In Egypt, foreign journalists are groped, molested and raped in public view by mobs holding demonstrations calling for democracy. If this is how western guests in that country are treated, one can only imagine how they must treat their own – but then again, no imagination is needed. Just Google the words "women Egypt street" and you will see that in Egypt, modestly dressed Islamic women are stripped, beaten and stomped on by soldiers wearing combat boots. What international sanctions are being suggested for Egypt? Are international Human Rights groups calling to boycott their exports? Will rights groups call on the USA to reconsider its flow of billions of dollars in foreign aid to this country that has elected the Muslim Brotherhood to its government?
What about the little “peaceful” island of Bahrain whose streets have become a war zone in which civilians are abducted and beaten regularly? Are Human Rights groups considering sending a flotilla of aid there - or perhaps to the little girls in Yemen who are being forced to marry and satisfy older men? Not to mention the dancing boys of Afghanistan who are made to please men of means in a society ostensibly being protected by the American armed forces and western powers?
Has the world blinked an eye at the oppression of the people of Kurdistan, occupied and oppressed by Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq? Did Human Rights groups petition the USA to assist the Kurds while they controlled Iraq? Are Turkish products being taken off of shelves of grocery stores in solidarity with the Kurdish people who are oppressed in their own land?
With no love for Ghadaffi, I still ponder what significant action was taken to protect the people of Libya after the world witnessed the public lynching of its former dictator. Reported incidents have included detention of international journalists and rape as punishment to supporters of opposing sides in that civil war. Would the west withhold its support for those involved?
What is being done for Saudi women who are being jailed for the crime of driving? Are Saudi representatives heckled in Universities or their public events crashed by inspiring flash mob dancers? Can nothing be done? Or are these issues just not important enough to those who pose as Human Rights enthusiasts and crusade against Israel?
If it weren't so sad, it would be funny to see the mockery of the Human Rights agenda as evidenced in Syria over the past year. Every week, hundreds of citizens are being massacred by the Syrian army and semi-official gangs of thugs under Bashar Assad's regime. The international community stands by like a bunch of idiots - each looking to the other, wondering what to do. Then they decide to be pacified that the Arab League would take on some responsibility for its member state Syria. Apparently, international Human Rights organizations and activists take comfort in the idea that countries like Saudi Arabia (mentioned above for their own "high standard" of Human Rights) would be the ones to send objective observers to determine how bad the situation is in Syria and plan appropriate corrective action. The Arab League observers, fumbling with their out of date cell phones and asking oppressed residents to lend them pens and paper made the Keystone Kops look like an elite unit of professional investigators.
Founder and long time director of HRW, Robert Bernstein, has already voiced his concern that the Human Rights movement has lost its way and become a tool to bash Israel.
Has anyone bothered to consider improvements to the standard of living for the Palestinians under Israel's control? Visit any Israeli hospital and you will find many Palestinians enjoying Israeli medical care. General infrastructure for all Arab towns in Israel - Judea and Samaria included - has greatly improved under Israel's control. Roads, water and electric lines, even the majority of private homes in these areas have been built through Israel’s support. But so-called Human Rights services choose to focus on the negative and manipulate reality in order to draw the picture as if, of all places in the world, the Arabs under Israel's control are in need of the most attention.
Israel strives to continue to improve the standard of living for all of its citizens and residents. But Israel is not in a position to ignore ongoing threats to the security of its people. Security checkpoints are an inconvenience forced on the population - not by the government or army, but by the terrorists – some who travel in ambulances and pretend to be sick and then lash out in demented attacks once they get through. Check the news; this happened again just yesterday. Obviously, the key to raising the standard of living in Israel for all is an end to terrorism. That can be accomplished through protective measures by Israel's military when needed and civic leadership on all sides when possible.
David Ha'ivri is the director of the Shomron Liaison Office. He and his wife Mollie live in Kfar Tapuach, Shomron with their eight children. You can follow him on Twitter @haivri - Sep 21, 12A wise but pragmatic Israeli answered this way: “No, this is not going to end in the near future. Israel needs to be prepared to protect herself in this conflict for the next 100 years like it has over the past 100.” This statement surely does not sound very hopeful, but it does look the truth in the eye with an understanding that the facts must be acknowledged and dealt with. Things like armies, hate and nuclear armament can’t easily be swept under the carpet and ignored.Many Jews and some Israelis would rather fool themselves into believing that the much-anticipated peace will be attained by merely forfeiting lands gained in the 1967 war and establishing a Palestinian state. They dream that these concessions are required to repair the damaged honor of the Arabs who have never gotten over losing the battle with Israel who in six days fought off Arab military assaults from all sides in a joint effort to push the Jews into the sea.What these dreamers fail to realize is that the Arabs not only have not gotten over losing the 1948 war in which Israel came into being in spite of a massive joint Arab effort to forbid it. But the Arabs have not accepted the fact that the Arab empire no longer rules these lands or others that were captured in the great Arab conquests ages ago. According to their culture, there are only two types of lands in the world - lands under Muslim control (Dar al-Islam) and lands that are not yet under Muslim control (Dar el Harb - literally “the house of war”). Lands that have at any time come under Muslim control will forever be considered Dar al-Islam lands (Spain and Israel for example). Lands that have not yet come under Islamic domination - the rest of the world - are on the conquering agenda whenever the global situation allows it. For this reason, the rest of the world is considered “the house of war.” The simple state of NOT being dominated by Islam is considered in their religion as an act of aggression against it.No matter what they say, Israel's sworn enemies are not interested in a peace settlement. They are interested in Israel disappearing and ceasing to exist.With all this said, I still believe that peace can be attained, although “peace” might be the wrong term to use to define the goal. “Normalization” for Israel in its Middle Eastern neighborhood would be a much better definition of the goal that we should be aiming for. “Peace” would demand that either Israel's Arab neighbors become Zionists or Israel become an Arab State. Neither of those options is realistic. But whatcould come about in reasonable normalization would be Israel's neighbors accepting Israel as she is and interacting with her as a neighbor. Chances are that when that came about, Israel's relations with some Arab states might be better than the relations between many Arab states themselves. The reason is simply that the Arabs who are friendly to Israel stand to gain so much more from the relationship, as have countries around the world that have enjoyed Israel's friendship and assistance.Ironically, the biggest deterrent to proceeding with establishment of normal relations between Israel and its neighbors is the “peace camp” itself, which systematically sabotages the real potential for normalization by pushing their preferred agenda of retreat, which Israel could never agree to. If normalization is to come about, it can only be set in place by responsible and pragmatic leadership, and not by hazy eyed dreamers who fantasize that if Israel just retreats we can all live like brothers.The fact is that in the Middle East, the Arab countries themselves would overrun each other if they had a chance (and they do, from time to time when they think they can). That is what Israel could expect, as well, if it didn't have a strong army protecting its borders and national interests. The basis for regional normalization is exactly that – Israel has a strong army, and is open to having positive relations with all of its neighbors. Naturally, this cannot be at the cost of Israel's security or by forfeiting our country’s assets and land.The truth is that Israel's neighbors and the international community will be much more respectful if they can see that we have a clear message and are firm on our own national agenda. Mixed messages and the willingness to negotiate on the very fundamentals of Jewish national existence project a very dangerous message to those who still hope to see the Jewish State as a passing phenomenon that will again be forgotten by history, which is not the case. The return of the Jewish people from the exile and the re-establishment of the Jewish State in the land of Israel are irreversible facts. The sooner Israel's neighbors acknowledge Israel as a permanent part of the regional scenery, the sooner we can get on with building normal relationships as neighbors living in peace and mutual respect.David Ha’ivri is the director of the Shomron Liaison Office. He and his wife Mollie live in Kfar Tapuach, Shomron with their eight children. You can follow him on Twitter @haivri
- Sep 21, 12There are battles going on every day against Israel. The battlefields are University campuses and grocery stores near you, and they appear on your TV screens and web browsers. Like at the time of Yehuda Maccabee in his war against the Greeks, we are again few in number and up against a large, powerful and well equipped army. They have well funded student groups supported by local professors in all major Universities. They have support from anti-establishment anarchistic types around the world who are always good for some provocation and a good - or even an ugly - fight. They have talented writers, bloggers and social media geeks all ready to type away and pepper cyberspace with deliberately manipulated messages. And the news media is most often on their side, showing its full support through over exposure and through interpreting events in ways that make Israel look like “the bad guy.”Their attacks are focused on anything that comes under the heading of “Occupation,” “West Bank,” “Apartheid” or related issues. Israel's strategy of Hasbara (promoting a positive image through Public Relations and apologetics) has mainly turned its back on these sticky issues, since they are not considered Politically Correct, and diverted their efforts to promote a focus on Israel's achievements in technology, worldwide humanitarian aid, great beer and beautiful bikini-clad women on the beaches of Tel Aviv and Eilat.The problem I see is mainly that Israel’s advocates are not addressing the particular issues for which Israel is under attack. By avoiding and not responding to the accusatory claims, it appears that Israel doesn't have a good answer. We thereby help prove their points by our silence. We need not offer this great advantage to the anti-Israel machine. When our advocates point out that Intel inside every computer was developed in Israel, the anti-Israel propaganda spokesmen are right ask “So what?” and “How does that justify occupying someone else's land?” There must be a better answer, and I believe that there is.Israel does not need to avoid the core point of conflict – Israel's control of the West Bank. First of all, Israel won this area fair and square in a war that was forced on her by neighbors who occupied the land before the war. Basic international standards don’t require countries to give back land that they won in wars. Israel controls these lands only because the IDF has the means to protect our borders – not due to any kind of international approval.I could proceed along this path, but I would like to suggest another strategy that I have found extremely effective - display the reality on the ground. The facts themselves should be our strongest arguments, because they alone can demolish the anti-Israel campaign. Guests who visit the Shomron (the Northern West Bank area I represent) see these facts for themselves and form a very different picture than the one drawn by the anti-Israel misinformation movement.Those who wish to boycott products manufactured in Jewish communities in Yehuda and Shomron disregard the fact that thousands of local Arabs (Palestinians) work in these factories alongside Jewish Israelis, both receiving the same salaries and all workers’ benefits entitled by Israeli law - which happen to be much higher than the established norm in areas under the Palestinian Authority’s control. This means that Palestinians who are lucky enough to find employment in the “settlements” are taking home three times what they would be making in their own villages.Seeing firsthand the University Center campus in Ariel, with its 14,000 students (including hundreds of Arab students), research departments, sports and cultural centers quickly diminishes the misconception that the “settlements” are in any way limited to temporary structures that can just be folded up and moved to another location on a whim. Witnessing this, guests realize that the image of a lone trailer-home on a barren hilltop has been placed in their imaginations by media outlets wishing to portray Jewish existence in this area as something built on a weak foundation. The reality shows how communities throughout Judea and Samaria are very well established and totally integrated into the scenery of the land. They are not something that is about to just go away.My point is that I believe advocates of Israel need not avoid the issue of Israel's control of Judea and Samaria. We have very good answers that can be offered with our heads held high. Israel has a solid claim to this region and provides benefits for its population, both Arab and Jew. We can stop apologizing and stand up with pride, proclaiming the truth. Israel is committing no crime by building and developing its heartland. Standing up to the core of the argument with good answers has proven very effective, where it has been tried. I strongly suggest that all advocates for Israel come to spend a day in the Shomron and see the sights for themselves. Just one day will equip each of them with background information and renew their efforts to balance the debate and give them the advantage in their struggle to speak the truth - Israel is in the right.David Ha’ivri is the director of the Shomron Liaison Office. He and his wife Mollie live in Kfar Tapuach, Shomron with their eight children. Follow him on Twitter @haivri
- Sep 21, 12
A good neighbor is better than a brother far off. Proverbs 27:10
Some months ago, I suggested that Israel offer humanitarian aid to the opposition in Syria. As would be expected, this idea received mixed responses from both sides. Many Israelis share the feelings expressed by our government's inaction: “This is none of our business; we should not get involved at all.” And it’s no secret that the Syrian people have never been friendly to Israel. Even when not engaged in open warfare against Israel itself, Syria has consistently backed and supplied terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Although some Israelis – such as Deputy Minister Ayoob Kara, a Druze Arab MK and ardent Zionist – have taken a similar stance to my own, and attempted to build semi-official lines of communication with the Free Syrian leadership, these efforts have been stopped directly by Israel's Prime Minister and Foreign Ministry.
Among the Syrian opposition leadership, the thought of Israel’s coming to their aid has been received with a mixed response at best. The editor of a Syrian underground opposition newspaper told me that his paper would write about my proposal, but that they (the Syrians) could take care of themselves without Israel's help. One Arab friend put it to me this way: “If there is one thing all people in Syria have in common, it is their hatred for Israel.” Currently, both sides in the conflict think accusing their enemies of accepting help from Israel will strengthen their respective positions in the eyes of the Syrian public.
Apparently, the most defamatory thing that can be said about you in Syria is that you are backed by Israel. That being that case, offers by Israel to help the rebels might actually be counter-productive, since they would be viewed as “making a pact with the devil,” which could be hurtful to the revolution.
Syrian leadership, like that of many Arab states, has indoctrinated its citizens by telling them that the source of all of their sorrow and hardship is Israel. The Arab people have for years been told, “The Zionists are our greatest enemies,” in order to distract them from issues like their own basic rights and freedoms as citizens. As a result of this unrelenting propaganda campaign, even now, while leaders are using their own armies to gun down protesters and civilians in the streets, the Syrian public has still not fully grasped that the “Zionists” have nothing to do with the suffering they are currently experiencing at the hands of a second-generation corrupt Arab tyrant.
The logic I presented in my previous article on this topic was that Israel is known for extending humanitarian aid to peoples in need around the world. This is an imperative for our country - first and foremost because Jews are a compassionate people, and secondly because it is in Israel’s best interest to peel away the anti-Israel prejudices that are otherwise pedaled by media. Videos of IDF doctors delivering Haitian babies in the only operational field hospital after the recent massive earthquake there are a source of pride for all Jews. If we can reach the farthest ends of the earth to help people in need, then why not use the same means to help distressed people only a few miles from our borders, who are fighting for their lives and being gunned down in the streets by a bloodthirsty tyrant? The very same Assad who is currently using the Syrian army to massacre his own people (alongside those soldiers who refuse to comply with those orders) would just as soon attempt to do the same to the Jews of Haifa and the Galilee, were it not for the IDF presence in the Golan.
Building bridges with the leaders who come to power after Assad’s inevitable demise would be a wise move for Israel. Helping bring Assad down would surely be a moral thing to do, and the chance that the new leadership would maintain still more anti-Israel inclination is difficult to imagine. No one can predict the future, but there is definitely an opportunity to open a new page with the leadership soon to arise in Syria.
A Syrian dissident recently told me, “Even the Syrian people who do not believe in the government’s anti-Israel message can't express themselves freely, since they'll be considered traitors. The Syrian opposition’s views may be less hostile towards Israel, and they may be willing to have direct peace talks, but they are precluded from doing so by the legacy of the afore-mentioned anti-Israel propaganda that has long saturated the Arab public. Any interaction with Israel will lead to a loss of the opposition’s credibility.” On the other hand, he maintained, “most Syrians see Assad as a greater enemy than Israel. Israel treats Arabs much better than Assad, especially in jail – they do not torture and mutilate like Assad does. Also, the Assad family has killed more Syrians and Arabs (Palestinians) in the past 41 years than Israel has - for example, in the Syrian city of Hama during the Lebanon War in the 1980s, and now today.”
With this new light on the case, it seems that sitting back and watching Syrian events without openly interfering might very well be the only path of action for the Jewish State today. We can hope and pray that the new leadership destined to arise in Syria will have the wisdom to appreciate Israel as a good and friendly neighbor and implement normalization of relations between the two countries based not on efforts to undo mistakes of the past, but on the mutual regional interests of peace and prosperity.
David Ha’ivri is the director of the Shomron Liaison Office. He and his wife Mollie live in Kfar Tapuach, Shomron with their eight children. Follow him on Twitter @haivri
