Dr. Aaron Lerner
IMRA
Weekly Commentary
04 February '10
I know that one of my predecessors, Ariel Sharon, spoke from this podium about disengagement. Today I would like to speak not of disengagement, but rather of engagement: engagement with our heritage, with Zionism, with our past and with our future here in the land of our forefathers, which is also the land of our children and our grandchildren.
. our existence depends. on our ability to explain the justness of our path and demonstrate our affinity for our land - first to ourselves and then to others.
. Our purpose today is to reignite the flame, to introduce a new spirit into the blaze of our lives and reconnect with this land - our land - the unique and singular Land of Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Speech at the Herzliya Conference 3 February 2010
Less than a year ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu's Bar Ilan policy speech featured a security-centric approach which saw Israel's requirements for a Palestinian state essentially limited to it being demilitarized.
Last week Netanyahu used Tu Bishvat tree planting photo ops to proclaim that various locations in Judea and Samaria will remain under Israeli control if a deal is indeed cut with the Palestinians.
He planted trees in some major settlement blocs where the argument for keeping the territory is more focused on population figures than on any particularly special historical connection to the locations.
But the speech at the Herzliya Conference relates to a completely different criteria: national history and heritage.
Does our national history and heritage stop at the Green Line?
The opposite is the case.
Does this mean that the Jewish State must have each and every landmark of previous Jewish kingdoms under its control?
I don't know. But, in the least, it turns relinquishing that control into a painful concession rather than a give away to the Arabs that deserves no compensation or consideration.
And while some places might be conceded, this could ultimately be the sign that places like Maarat Hamachpela in Hebron, that have national significance second only to Jerusalem, are off the chopping block.
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I think what we see is the old Netanyahu re-emerging. He had to tack Left in 2009 in response to a strong Obama. Now he can bring up Israel's historic and moral claims to Eretz Israel because the US is too weak and preoccupied with its own problems to pressure Israel along a path it never wanted to go on in the first place. And it is clear to all but the most deluded Jews in Israel that the Palestinians do not want peace and there is no point in Israel sitting around waiting forever for them to come to their senses, relinquishing all of its national rights. This applies no less to the Golan than it does to Yesha. Israel's history and national heritage do not end at the Green Line. This marks a turning point and the Palestinians will have to accept this new reality. We will see if the Israeli government makes it stick in its policies.
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