There was a great buzz of excitement when it was announced that Netanyahu had been invited to deliver an address before the entire congress. It was to be his second congressional address since he was first invited 15 years ago. On the evening following his address, I was told by a friend that it was one of the greatest speeches he’d heard in his life, featuring 29 standing ovations. I eagerly went to watch the speech, anticipating a great rebuttal to Obama’s pressure on Israel to give away our G-d given land to the Arabs. To my sorrow, it was anything but.
Op-Ed: Have We Lost It?
There was a great buzz of excitement when it was announced that Netanyahu had been invited to deliver an address before the entire congress. It was to be his second congressional address since he was first invited 15 years ago. On the evening following his address, I was told by a friend that it was one of the greatest speeches he’d heard in his life, featuring 29 standing ovations. I eagerly went to watch the speech, anticipating a great rebuttal to Obama’s pressure on Israel to give away our G-d given land to the Arabs. To my sorrow, it was anything but.
Netanyahu vowed to offer our land to the Arabs “very generously.” He further stated that he “was committed to the establishment of a Palestinian state side by side with Israel.” Unfortunately, this wasn’t big news to me as Netanyahu has long been very supportive of “land for ‘peace.’ ” What greatly bothers me is the amount of Anash kvelling over Netanyahu’s “great speech.” Netanyahu is clearly a great orator, but his commitment to giving away our land is sufficient for us to oppose his goals.
On Shabbos, I was sharing my displeasure of his speech with some [Anash] friends in Shul. They couldn’t relate to my discontent. One of them even contended that the Rebbe wasn’t opposed to Palestinian statehood- and he was serious! Perhaps one of the Rebbe’s most passionate issues was the preservation of Eretz Yisroel in the Jewish people’s hands. I’m not necessarily advocating that we relentlessly become the torchbearers of this battle, but at least we should be on the right side of the issue. Have we lost our sensitivity to Shleimus Haaretz? Wasn’t it the Rebbe’s battle?
yankelovich
people have long forgotten the Rebbe…
all people care about nowdays is buying their wife a short skirt
may Hashem save us all by sending moshiach now
Dovid
In absolute agreement!
forgot the main point
PM mentions this is the land that avrohom ovinu declared the idea of one g-d this is the land and this is the land etc.. but he forgot the main point that this is the land that g-d gave to the jews and its ours to keep for good without any concessions weather they like it or not.
Nobody
I think the Rebbe wasn’t opposed to Palestinian statehood – in Jordan.
While recognizing the problems with the speech, I overall liked it and found it inspiring. Why? Because it stood proudly for being Jewish in Eretz Yisroel (including “the settlers in Yehuda and Shomron are not foreign occupiers”) and shone a light of truth on a bunch of lies the world likes to tell about Eretz Yisroel and Jews in general.
So yes, the lack of dedication to Shleimus Haaretz is disturbing, but it isn’t the totality of the speech.
I remember a publisher of a periodic newspaper delivered free to homes in Crown Heights arguing that the Rebbe wouldn’t have opposed giving up Gaza. The fact of the matter is that people project their preferences on the Rebbe all the time. It is just rarely as blatant as the Shleimus Haaretz issue.
u rock!
go Boruch Sholom!
Milhouse
Yasher koach. This is exactly right. The speech sounded wonderful, but it was one of abject surrender. It’s nice to hear a yid standing up to Obama, but not when he’s conceding the entire principle, and is reduced to haggling over details.
levi.
U do have to realize that netanyahu is not chabad or even orthodox
For that matter ,so what we as anash are applauding is the fact
That netanyahu a secular Jew should speak the way he did ..
P.s I don’t think that if we had a frum leader he would have
Such courage to speak like that
The truth
The Rebbes ultimate battle was Kiyum Hatorah behidur. This we seem to ha e forgotten because it pertains yo ourselves.
It is quite easy to be strong when it cones to Netanyahu. This means no effort on our part.
mordechai
You are right, but I think the elation that people have with the speech (and his press conference with the Obama)is the fact that Natenyahu had the guts to tell Obama (and the world) that he disagrees with Obamas vision of a PA sate.
As to the the comment that Rebbe would have been supportive of a two state solution, the Rebbe would have supported it, if it were 1000% guaranteed that it would save Yidden lives, the same way we break Mitzvos for Pikuach Nefesh. However, the Rebbe knew the facts on the ground better than anyone in the world, and knew that such a guarantee could not possibly exist.
CHAYIM
YOU ARE 100% RIGHT. JUST AS WITH THE “MOSHIACH’ ISSUE. MOST OF US HAVE BECOME ”POLICITALLY CORRECT” & SEEM TO HAVE FORGOTTEN THE REBBE’S HOLY WORDS.
mendoza
who ever wrote this article is 100 % right , we have lost it the REBBA was against giving away one inch of eratz yisrole . hey guys wake .and dont be week , just print the secahs in english and give out , ask kuti rapp he will expain it to . so big deal he wears a deagel
Missing the Point
I think if you take those “concessions” in the context of the entire speech, they weren’t really “concessions” at all, but strategic political maneuvering. While he said he supports the creation of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, he was also very clear that there would be negotiating for that state until the Palestinians recognize Israel’s right to exist. That seems like a perfectly reasonable request. But, of course, that will never happen. So in this way, he appears reasonable to Congress in his willingness to negotiate, knowing full well that it will never come to that.
Leah
What great concessions is this man proposing to pharaoh, how dare he propose anything that only belongs to Hashem, isn’t he then stealing from Hashem and the Jewish people!!! He is a great orator like his counterpart Muslim buddy
big picture
@12. missing the point
I agree 100% “anash” needs to stop being small minded and missing the big picture, it will never come to this anyway!! Anyone who thinks palestinians are going to agree to this are forgetting who were dealing with. Its hardwired into them to be at war with us, they will never agree to anything untill moshiach comes.
Mendel
Can someone please clearly explain what is the FULL Rebbe’s Shita? The fact is that there are Millions of Palestinians living in the west bank, They are humans just like us, they deserve rights just like us, We don’t want to rule over them and we want a Jewish majority state of Israel. What do we do? I am not C”V questioning the Rebbe I just want clarity. Everyone must agree that the present situation is not sustainable, Peace is in the interest of all the Jews and all of Israel, What is the solution?
Re: Missing the Point
I hate to throw your words back at you, but I believe that you’re missing the point. Once Israelis show a willingness to make a concession, regardless of what that concession is contingent upon, the goyim including the US government, start believing that we ought to unilaterally make those concessions, and then Israel and the PA should only later work out their differences. Over the years, we’ve seen that again and again. We made concessions, ‘for peace’, contingent upon the PA doing their part, and we’re always left with executing concessions while they renegade on all of theirs. What makes it worse, is that it came from the so called ‘Israeli right’, so now the world definitely thinks that we have no entitlement over these lands.
I was listening to Aaron Klein on WABC radio today (I just happened to hear it while it was playing in the bus;) ), and he said that he was very disappointed with Bibi. He said, that “Bibi should have stated that we currently have no peace partner so concessions are a moot point, and if that reality changes further down the road’ we’ll speak at that point about peace”.
To Mendel
Their rights are to pick one of the following choices:
* Accept Jewish sovereignty, and Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach
* Move elsewhere
* Be considered enemies, hence legitimate military targets
These may not be very politically correct. But if you’re not familiar with them, these are the very same three choices that the seven nations of Canaan were given before Yehoshua led the people into the land.
Peace or Pieces
visit truepeace.org for some info on the Rebbe opinion
Sara
there are 22 arab countries, and a tiny little Eretz Yisroel.They want a state because this is another step forward to Chas Vesholom get Israel off the map!!!Doesn’t anyone get it???
IMHO
Bibi is no chosid, although he was inspired by the Rebbe.
Once Obama “came out of the closet” with his ’67 borders doctrine, Netanyahu should have given his apologies to Obama, and not turned up to the meeting (What is the purpose of speaking to him? The best he could accomplish was what he accomplished. Rising popularity, and, and, and….? Status quo.)
He the should’ve returned home and launched a major offensive against Syria (who BHO wants to give them back the Golan, the most damaging issue of the Obama doctrine.) It could even be called a humanitarian invasion to save the locals from the minority rule of the Assad clans. Obama is afraid to do that.
Now was the time to show America that we have a more powerful supporter.
For all the scardey-cats saying that: BUT then the USA would hold back the money: Congress NOT the President (and sspecifically the House not the Senate) control the budget. The Republicans in control have already seriously considered moving aid to Israel out of the Foreign Aid section and into the Defense Dept. budget – because Israel is crucial to US defense policy.)
Actions have consequences. If you slap an Arab you better watch out. (For generations). Kick a Jew, and you expect him to cringe. Netanyahu should have shown the US electorate, that BHO’s behavior towards allies is going to diminish the influence. He (BHO)could have lost the 2012 election on this issue alone (Remember, he has been cosy-ing up to Assad, and will not give him the Gaddafui treatment. So Israel should have done it.)
sam
wolf lost it, this isnt about the rebbe, this is netanyahu making nice nice in congress while still supporting a right wing agenda.
BRAVO NETANYAHU, keep up the good work and get stronger every day with the rebbes shita.
rks mini
To sam
Netanyahu could have made nice with congress and gotten the same 29 standing ovations without selling out. He had a golden opportunity to present our case of entitlement for Israel.
Yassir Arafat once cited to Clinton the story of the two woman which each claimed that a baby was theirs (in short, they came before Shlomo Hamelech and Shlomo Hamelech ruled that the baby has to be cut into two, immediately one woman started wailing and saying you can’t cut my baby…, so Shlomo Hamelech ruled that she is indeed the mother for the true mother would never tolerate seeing her child severed). Arafat contended that obviously Israel belongs to the Arabs, because the Jews want to sever it while he insists overtaking the entire land. President Clinton was stunned and didn’t know how to respond.
When we MERELY TALK of giving away land, the nations start doubting our entitlement to the land. If we would stick to our guns (pun intended!) and firmly inform them that there are no negotiations, they would learn to respect us. After all, if someone comes to you contending that you are living in their home, and you would say, “you know what, I’ll make peace with you and let you have my basement”, I would start to think that the guy is right. If he weren’t, why would you give up a chunk of your property like that?! That is indeed what the Gemoroh explains that a modeh b’miktzas (someone who partially concedes) isn’t believed, but if you deny THE ENTIRETY of the claim of a claimant, you ARE believed. The Goyim, simply don’t trust us because we are Modeh B’miktzas! Not Ahmadinejad, Hamas and the Arabs! Woe to us.
Netanyahu also happened to endorse the expulsion of the Jews from Gush Katif, personally gave away Har Choma and has conducted many expulsions of the tiny settlements. I find it hard to argue he is pushing a right wing agenda. It would be generous to say that he’s pushing a centrist agenda.
baffled
Sam, as the Rebbe’s Chassidim, it SHOULD be about the Rebbe! Who cares about Netanyahu’s ploys when the Rebbe has outlined for the Israeli government how to the secure the land. I completely understand that Netanyahu is ignoring the Rebbe. After all he’s not a chossid, but we are!! How do we ignore the Rebbe?
For number: 15. Mendel
As Mendel asks, Whats the Rebbe’s approach when you have a million Palestinians living in Israel?
The Rebbe’s brilliant answer: Build, Build and Build. Build so much housing for yidden all over Israel will compel the arabs to face reality that the Jews are moving nowhere. Only then will they accept it and realize that the living conditions in Israel are better than any other arab country.
Have you ever wondered why the PA and arab world goes nuts EVERY time the Israeli government wants to build another housing complex?
The Rebbe’s view was that building and settling throughout Israel will not only save Israeli lives but arab lives as well as they will realize that any attempt to take land will be futile.
So True!!!
we all have to go back to the books!! th book of sichos on sheleimus haaretz “karsi vein oneh”!!
WE SHOULD START PUBLIC SHIURIM ON THE TOPIC! YES ALSO IN YESHIVOS!!
Milhouse
“Missing the point” and “big picture” think they’re such chachomim. Begin also thought he was a chochom, making a concession only in principle, thinking that it would never become a practical problem. He only made a little concession: acknowledging that there is a “Palestinian” nation with rights. And every single problem we’ve had since then comes from that concession.
The Rebbe was clear that even *talking* about concessions is dangerous. Once you’ve conceded the principle, and indicated that in some circumstances, however remote, you’d be willing to give the enemy what they want, then you’ve already lost the battle. You’ve established what you are, and are now merely haggling over the price.
“Mendel”, goyim living in Eretz Yisroel have *no* national rights there. As individuals they have the right to be treated like human beings, *provided* they admit that they are foreigners in our country. Then they can have the same rights that Israelis have in the USA. No right to vote, and if they commit a crime they will be deported, but if they behave themselves they can be resident aliens. But so long as they demand political rights and national rights, they have no rights at all.
eliyu
why did fall prey to the lie of “palistinians”, no such animal exist!!!!!!!!!!!!!
agreed 1000%
while it’s commendable that netanyu showed guts- more guts is needed. the Rebbe clearly stated that even talking about giving away land is a danger