Michael Rootshtain
SA Jewish Voices for a Just Peace quote the unsubstantiated number 105 which represents past generals, commanders, police officers and even Mossad chiefs, who believe that Israel is not negotiating in good faith.
Do the signatories of the letter appearing in the Jewish Report have any idea how many thousands, no, tens of thousands of Israelis fit those categories? Why were the voices of those leaders not heard when they were in office? Do the writers not know that Shimon Peres was president of Israel until very recently and that during his term he travelled extensively and publicly, making peace proposals in the name of the Israeli government?
Did he not state time and time again that the Israeli government and Israelis in general, wanted peace, but with security? Was he bending the truth then or now?
A just peace is when justice is done to both sides, twisting the comments made by Gary Selikow which had nothing to do with tit-for-tat concepts. It needs to be understood within the context of the Palestinian claims of genocide and the JVJP three are quite aware of this.
Of course, every child and innocent civilian that dies is a tragedy. Torah, however, teaches us that if someone comes to kill you or those around you, you have a duty to strike them first. Israel not only waited while the terrorists struck again and again, but when she did strike back, it was with a fraction of the power and an abundance of care, to avoid civilian casualties.
If you truly want a just peace, stop the rhetoric, stop the inflammatory words such as “obstructing peace”, “entrenching the occupation”, “land grabs” etc. If you truly want dialogue, look at the facts objectively, stop mouthing political garbage such as “lifting the blockade on Gaza”.
When someone promises to wipe you out and then tries to do so, you don’t embrace them, relax your vigilance, and give them a free ticket to re-arm.
Our right to the land comes from Torah, but for those for whom this is not enough, it also comes from the Balfour Declaration, The League of Nations, the Partition and recognition of Israel in 1948 and from countless wars that were thrust upon us and which, thanks to Hashem, we were victorious.
Since when can the defeated aggressors make all the demands and terms – no recognition of a Jewish State, no sharing of Jerusalem, no territorial adjustments to address the situation on the ground.
We all want a just peace. We want everyone to be safe. But we will not put our necks on a chopping block to satisfy those who believe that only they know the truth.
Highlands North, Johannesburg
