Passover is behind us, but I would like to address the issues that it revealed: group generalizations and individual comparisons based on position held about terror organizations or enemies of state must be removed from the discussion. This applies to comparing national Zionism to Hezbollah (Yossi Klein), it applies to rendering the left wing ISIS collaborators (the Prime Minister in his election campaign) and it applies to daily statements by which left wing organizations are BDS collaborators or simply enemies of the state.
I deeply disagree, ideologically and politically with the Jewish Home (HaBait HaYehudi) and leaders of the settlers. To them, the objective is the Greater Israel and, as such, they will build on every secluded spot in Judea and Samaria in order to prevent any measures required for separating from the Palestinians. Understanding that annexation will grant Palestinians the right to vote for the Israeli government, they try to convince the public with unfeasible concepts that oppose our values – such as Palestinians with no voting rights in a certain country. In their attempt to conceal this clash, they impair belittle values of equality and democracy, and deride their gatekeepers – the people responsible for putting up their hand and saying – that’s it, headed by the legal system.
Their position is not a security position. Settlements do not provide security but rather vice versa – security is provided by the IDF (and the soldiers truly are our children) and not by families with children living in a remote area. The isolated settlements consume budgets, impair our ability to enter into alliances in the region and further establish the claim that our goal is not security, but rather annexation.
Unlike them, I believe in the Zionism defined in the Declaration of Independence: a Jewish and democratic State of Israel – a nation state for the Jewish people, where all citizens are equal. A Jewish majority is essential to a Jewish state and thus, separating from the Palestinians is essential and the two state solution is an Israeli interest.
I am a traditional Jew who believes in Judaism, not just as a religion, but as a philosophy that defines us as a nation with a shared history, culture and values – values that include equality, love of humanity and respect for the people who live among us. And yes, equality is not an issue of leftist Arab lovers, but rather a Jewish value. And yes, I have a profound dispute with Judaism – with those who hallow the land and those who render Judaism a radical religion that excludes women and hates Arabs and LGBT’s.
I am willing and I indeed stand up to the world about Israel’s right to exist with security as the state of the Jewish people – but today, Israel is paying the price of a minority group that is leading us to the loss of the Jewish state. Worst of all is the fact that this ideology will lead us to the point of no return, where we will no longer be able to separate ourselves from the Palestinians and we will continue to exist in a bloody conflict between the Mediterranean Sea and Jordan River.
We have a profound debate about the future of our country, its identity and values. The debate must be conducted without hate and in a clear and precise manner. I invite you to have this debate with me here.
I undertake to read and address relevant responses to this post in order to promote a true discussion.