The issue of so-called “illegal” Jewish settlement outposts in Judea and Samaria is often in the news, and can present a difficulty for Israel advocates when confronted by detractors of the Jewish state.
It is, therefore, important for Israel’s friends abroad to educate themselves on this topic so as to be able to effectively argue Israel’s case even opposite those who have no interest in the Bible and the legitimacy it lends the Jewish people in settling the land. Continue reading »
Andrew Jaffee comments at IsraPundit on a Jerusalem Post story regarding Europe’s suggestion that Jerusalem “lease the settlement blocs from the Palestinian Authority rather than annex them outright.”
According to the article:
…the EU’s hope would be that Israel would ‘be generous’ and give the PA ‘more than the minimum.’
An incredulous Jaffee responds:
Israel makes up 1/6 of one percent of the territory of the Middle East, and the Jewish state should “be generous” and give the PA “more than the minimum?” There’s an old expression: ‘One half of nothing is still nothing.’ Israel has already been generous, giving up Gaza and now planning to give up the West Bank. We’re back to square one, where the Arabs, and their EU supporters, seem bent on demanding that all of little Israel be given up.
I would add that even before the current “peace” process, “disengagement” and planned “convergence,” the Jews were more than generous with this land.
You see, the Balfour Declaration promised to the Jews not only all the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea to Israel, but also all of what is today the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan - much of which was part of biblical Israel.
In 1920, the Balfour Declaration for all intents and purposes became international law at the League of Nations’ meeting in San Remo.
But when it came time to seek independence, the Jews did not bring up these laws, and settled for whatever scrap of land the UN would agree to recognize Israel on. And that scrap was far smaller than the lands originally promised.
The Jews have already shown more generosity than any other people would even consider in relinquishing their biblical, historic, and legal claims to OVER half the land they are entitled to.
And this is why Ehud Olmert’s “convergence” plan is so dangerous, and should throw up warning signs for all Israelis. If the past century has taught Israel anything, it should be that no amount of land will ever assuage its enemies.
Hamas appears to be the only party seeing things clearly when it says: Peace means the elimination of Israel.
