While studying for my "drash" (sermon) for a lay people service at our Reform congregation, I found that Hebron has a much larger historical significance than I knew. First of all, it is the first piece of land that Abraham bought in Israel some 4000 years ago; also the Machpela in Hebron is the burial site of all the Patriarchs and matriarchs, except Rachel; Then it was King David's first capital for seven and half years some 3000 years ago.
In more recent times it has been an important city for hundreds of years for Jews, right behind Jerusalem. The Arabs expel Jews from the city by murdering some 70 Jews in the pogrom of 1929, (when my sister in law's family escaped by pure coincident,) and as a result all the Jews left. A clear murderous Ethnic Cleaning. The Jews returned in 1931 to Hebron to reclaim their rightful place, but the pogrom of 1936 drove them out again, Ethnic Cleaning by use of force. Only after the 1967 Six Days War Jews were able to return and live in Hebron.

To somewhat my surprise, my liberal, Reform Rabbi told us in a Friday service that if Israelis and Jews claim historical rights to Israel, Hebron is definitely one of the most important places that we can lay this historical claim to. "If not Hebron then what. Definitely not to Tel Aviv or Haifa”.

The response of the congregates was very warm and supportive, while in the past many of this group would have said in the past that Jews should leave Hebron to reduce tension with the Palestinians and move towards peace.
What gives the Palestinians right to use Ethnic Cleansing to claim land as they have done many places before?

Here is how the Palestinians treat holy places important to Jews:
The Matriarch Rachel burial site Kever Rachel was destroyed a few years ago by the Palestinians immediately after it was given to them to guard as a holy place- their police watching the destruction with a smile. The purpose of surrendering the site was to reduce the danger to Israeli guards and under the Arafat promise that they will keep it safe. Each and every stone was turn down and scattered so, they Palestinians said, the Jews would not be able to reconstruct it back ever again!
The Jordanian forces who held the Old City of Jerusalem destroyed all synagogues there, but one, during their occupation from 1948 till 1967

I am disappointed that this information is not widely distributed in Israel and here in the US so Jews and others understand that the Orthodox families that decided to live in Hebron are not, as the typical saying goes, are there "just to spite the Palestinians" and disturb the peace process.

Matania

The Israelis who left Gaza ten months ago wanted to forget about Gaza and hoped the Palestinians could finally mange their own affairs. This was a test case, to see if a two state solution could be a viable solution-which many doubted, including me. I supported the withdrawal, but with tighter border control than was implemented. (Secretary of state Rice forced Israel’s Chief of Staff to remove most border barriers with Egypt thus allowing increased amount of weapons and more dangerous ones to reach Gaza and used against Israelis communities inside Israel.)

Unfortunately the Palestinians still want to eliminate Israel by any means they can, elected the terrorist organization Hamas to govern them and continued terrorism. Regrettably, Israel had to return to solve the continuous rocket attacks on Israeli communities from Gaza and the murder and kidnapping of Israeli soldiers inside Israel of a few days ago.

I felt the Israeli waited too long, it was obvious it was not working. Instead of peace the Palestinians were killing one another, murdering Israelis, and a thousand rockets were shot into Israel during that period.

Here are a few short comments/editorials from German, American and Canadian papers about the situation.
Matania
6/30/06

The Ongoing War Against Reality - Henryk M. Broder (Der Spiegel-Germany)
(A few days before the current Gaza situation)
• The Israeli withdrawal from Gaza last summer has more than anything motivated militant Palestinians to demonstrate to Israel that the conflict is not primarily about territory, the end of the occupation, and the return to the 1967 borders. Rather, it's about all or nothing. It's about the control, not the division, of the region between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
• What's the point of military withdrawal when those Palestinians who want a peaceful resolution are unable to assert themselves - and those Palestinians who want to continue fighting merely feel vindicated and encouraged?
• Israel has no other choice but to stand tough because every climb down and withdrawal is interpreted as weakness. Furthermore, the word "compromise" is a foreign word in the Arab world.
• A "ceasefire" is the most Hamas is prepared to offer Israel, which the Europeans insist on misinterpreting as the first step towards recognition. Rather, it's merely a tactical pause in the war against Israel.

• Gaza's Harsh Lesson in Democracy - Jules Crittenden
The terrorist organization Hamas, which is also the elected Palestinian government, suggested a prisoner swap. The usual formula is several hundred bomb-making terrorists for one soldier. The Israelis declined. The Israelis, who live in an extremely bad neighborhood, don't mess around. When people plot to kill their people, the Israelis kill them. When Israel is attacked, they fight back. That's why they are still able to live there. If Hamas wants to convince the world that it is a government and not a terrorist organization, it has to behave like a government. The Palestinian people, likewise, need to understand that an election is something that gives the people a voice, and choices, with consequences. (Boston Herald)

• Gaza, Again - Editorial
The plan was to leave Gaza to the Palestinians, with hopes that they, with international help, would turn it into a thriving state. But those who have sworn to wipe Israel off the map viewed the withdrawal as a military victory. And they wanted more. So they kept lobbing their rockets into Israel, day after day.
This much is clear: The economic pressure is working. Hamas desperately wants to persuade the U.S. and its allies to stop the economic embargo. Hamas is learning a painful lesson: A government that can't deliver paychecks won't stay in power long. Keep the pressure on. (Chicago Tribune)

• Hamas Chooses War - Editorial
When the terrorist group Hamas won the election to lead the Palestinians' government, the group was offered a choice: Make peace with Israel - or get war. Hamas seems to have ditched the peace option. Now, war is what it may get. There should be no confusion about where blame for this latest crisis lies - and where Hamas stands. It was a terrorist group before becoming an officially elected regime; now that it holds power, its acts against Israel are acts of war. The ultimate annihilation of the Jewish state remains Hamas policy. So if war is what Hamas wants, war is what it seems about to get. (New York Post)

• Hamas Puts Palestinians in Harm's Way - Editorial
The Hamas-led Palestinian government can spare its people from more needless suffering simply by returning the Israeli soldier. No nation can allow its citizens to be attacked day and night without taking action. Nor can it stand by while its soldiers are taken hostage. As always, it will be the Palestinians who suffer the most because their leaders are more interested in bloodying Israel than in sparing their own people from harm. (Detroit News)

• Israel Has a Right to Defend Itself - Editorial
Israel's incursion into Gaza is not an outright invasion, as has been hysterically claimed by some critics. Israel did not relinquish control over Gaza ten months ago only so it could have the fun of reoccupying it now. This military operation is an effort, simply, by Israel to defend itself, and to rescue an Israeli soldier who was kidnapped by Palestinian extremists. Far from evoking the sympathy of the international community, the events of the last few days will only serve to affirm the decisions taken by those countries who decided not to do business, or send economic aid, to an entity dedicated to the destruction of Israel. Palestinians have reaped what they have sown. (National Post-Canada)

• Hamas' Dilemma - Editorial
Hamas cannot be both a terrorist gang and a governing party. Its election gave it a tiny thread of legitimacy, but that will snap if it does not renounce violence. The Hamas leadership should have denounced the raid on an Israeli army outpost and cut itself off from the militants. This crisis will not convince the international community to deal with the Hamas government. As long as that government refuses to recognize Israel and to cut itself off from its military wing, it is in a posture of war. (Ottawa Citizen-Canada)

• It's Time to Stand with Israel - Editorial
The Toronto conference of the United Church this week joined the Ontario division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees in calling for economic sanctions against Israel and a boycott of the Jewish state to protest its policies in the Palestinian territories. Basically, both are calling on Canadians to choose sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fair enough. We choose Israel, which cannot be expected to negotiate with a Palestinian government led by Hamas, a terrorist group whose founding charter calls not only for the destruction of Israel, but for the annihilation of the Jewish people.
Further, we urge Prime Minister Stephen Harper to continue Canada's sensible policy of refusing to recognize Hamas and denying it foreign aid until it unequivocally recognizes Israel's right to exist and renounces terrorism. It is Hamas, not Israel, that should be boycotted by the civilized world. (Toronto Sun)

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