It’s been almost 400 days since Hamas invaded Israel, murdered 1,200 people, raped women, and kidnapped civilians. 101 hostages, including 7 AMERICANS, remain in Gaza nearly 400 days later. To put it in context, Iran held 52 American hostages for 444 days from November 4, 1979 to January 20, 1981. We don’t know when the hostages will return, or how many will return alive, but we hope and pray that it will be less than 444 days .
Recently we marked some significant dates that were once unimaginable. Oct 7, 2024 marked one year on the secular calendar since the Hamas attack on Israel. On the Jewish calendar, that anniversary was September 25-26, during the holiday of Simchat Torah. It is hard to believe that it has been over a full year since that horrible day. It’s hard to believe that we still have 101 hostages in Gaza more than a year later. It’s an embarrassment that there are still American hostages being held by Hamas and our government has not done all it can to get them back.
I saw this just before Simchat Torah and it struck me powerfully. One day, one murderous attack by terrorists, and 1,200 Yarzheits as a result. The explosion of antisemitism around the world. The hatred expressed on college campuses and at the United Nations, especially from leaders of the UN such as Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories. She is the Joseph Goebbels of today, spewing her Jew hatred and propoganda around the world from her bully pulpit. Her boss, António Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, refuses to discipline her or refute he hate and lies. When I look at the image below, I can’t help but think of the Children’s Exhibit at Yad Vashem. The link is visible and powerful.
When I think of the hostages, my heart breaks. While not particularly religious, every day I sing the Achenu prayer for them to come home. It’s one little thing that I can do, no matter where I am, to ensure they are remembered and never forgotten.
One of the faces of the hostages has been Hersch Goldberg-Polin (z’l) and his parents, Rachel and Jon. Hersh was tragically murdered along with 5 other hostages by Hamas. Last week, Rachel released this powerful video. It’s hard to watch. It’s harder to listen to. But it’s also a must watch and must listen. Hear the brutality that Hersh and the other hostages had to endure. Understand that Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran want every Jew to suffer like this. While Israel has offered pathways to peace, they only want Jewish death. As my friend, Fleur Hassan Nahoum has so elequently stated, “The problem isn’t that there is no Palestinian State. The problem is that there IS A JEWISH STATE!“
I’ve grown so tired on the lies being told. Of those with no knowledge spewing hatred based on these lies. The use of words like genocide and colonizer about Israel and Jews. The blatent antisemitism from certain political leaders and many businesses. The changing of history because it doesn’t fit their Jew hatred. Former President Bill Clinton has been vocal about how hard he worked to create peace in the Middle East and have an independent Palestinian State that lives in peace with it’s neighbor Israel. This speech is so significant because just as then General Eisenhower mandated that pictures be taken of the concentration camps as he liberated them because he didn’t think people in the future would believe what happened, this video documents FROM President Clinton what happened. He speaks directly about what was offered, what Israel agreed to, and what Yassir Arafat rejected. It’s so powerful, I have both the video and the text below.
“And the only time Yasser Arafat didn’t tell me the truth was when he promised me he was gonna accept the peace deal that we had worked out, which would have given the Palestinians a state on 96% of the West Bank and 4% of Israel, and they got to choose where the 4% of Israel was. So they would have the effect of the same land of all the West Bank. They would have a capital in East Jerusalem.
I can hardly talk about this…. And they would have equal access all day every day to the security towers that Israel maintained all through the West Bank up to the Golan Heights.
All this was offered, including, I will say it again, a capital in East Jerusalem and 2 of the 4 quadrants of the old city of Jerusalem, confirmed by the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Barak, and his cabinet. And they said no.
And I think part of it is that Hamas did not care about a homeland for the Palestinians. They wanted to kill Israelis and make Israel uninhabitable.
Well, I got news for them, they (the Jews) were there first before there their faith (Islam) existed. They were there. In the time of King David, in the southern most tribes, Hadjardia and Samaria.”
Powerful words from President Clinton. They should be a wake-up call to the woke antisemites about the lies they are being fed. But they aren’t. Instead, people are angry at him for what he said. We live in a world where the facts don’t matter, only a person’s individual truth. Hezbollah fires rockets into Israel for a year and when Israel finally responds, they are the ones who are responsible. UNRWA steals the food and aid and gives it to Hamas, yet it is Israel who is starving the people of Gaza. Iran fires over 300 missiles at Israel and then fires nearly 200 missiles at Israel in a second attack. Yet Israel is required to limit the response. Not with a proportional response of 500 missiles fired at civilians like Iran did. Not attacking their oil or nuclear facilities. Lies and double standards.
I like to think that it won’t continue but I know better. We have nearly 400 days of proof. We have hateful people like Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Francesca Albanese, Candace Owens, and many more that prove it to us constantly. Our fight must continue. As my friend Tal, a Lt Colonel (res.) in the IDF said to me last week as he prepared to go back for Miluim once again, this time in Lebanon, we are all tired but we must fight on. We must win. And so togther, we fight. Together we advocate. Together we lobby. Together we educate. It’s day 393. We won’t stop.
This week the news broke that Yahyah Sinwar, the Hamas terrorist who planned the October 7th massacre and attempted genocide in Israel, was eliminated by the IDF. The amazing thing about it was that despite all the amazing Israeli intelligence and targeted attacks to eliminate Hezbollah and Hamas leadership, Sinwar was eliminated by a training unit in the tanks unit. This video shows the proof of his death.
Yahyah Sinwar is dead – the proof
Israel has been targeting the leadership of Hezbollah and Hamas for a while now and eliminating them to destroy the infrastructure. While the world said this wasn’t possible, Israel has once again shown that what the world says is not possible, they will make happen. The Hezbollah leadership has been decimated. Not only have they eliminated Nasrallah, they eliminated the next two successors to him. As the chart below shows, the top 3 levels of Hezbollah’s leadership has now been eliminated. This is how you defeat terrorism.
Yet there remain those who actively support the terrorists. Noted antisemite Jackson Hinkle continues to think the terrorists are fighting for freedom despite their clear statements to the opposite. While the terrorists call the United States “The Big Satan” and are clear that while they want to eliminate Israel and all Jews, their real goal is eliminate the West and make the world part of the caliphate under Sharia Law, people like Hinkle empower and embolden them in their efforts to do so. His hatred of Jews blinds him to their desire to kill him. Note the number of views, the number of likes, and those who have saved the post. It’s frightening.
There are those memorializing Sinwar as some sort of Palestinian hero. How easy it is for them to forget his nickname, “The Butcher of Khan Younis” came for slaughtering Palestinians. They quickly forget, or never bothered to learn, that he went to prison for murdering Palestinians or while in prison, he was accused of raping Palestinians and ordered the honor killing of his own sister for having an extramarital affair. It doesn’t matter to them that in his interviews, he stated that he did not care if 100,000 Palestinians died in the conflict he started with Israel. Their hatred of Jews is more important that the facts.
To all the Hamas apologists pretending to care about the lives of Palestinians, Yahya Sinwar didn’t earn his the nickname “The Butcher of Khan Younis,” for slaughtering Israelis, he earned it for slaughtering fellow Palestinians. pic.twitter.com/WUrBjUEu7v
Then there are the lies being told about Israel not allowing food and aid into Gaza. Despite the documentation, despite the pictures and videos, the world chooses to repeat the lies. The documentation of UNRWA providing the aid to Hamas doesn’t change the world’s condemnation of Israel. When the people of Gaza complain that the food given as aid to be given out freely is too expensive, the world turns a blind eye. Israel is the only country that is expected to provide food, water, fuel, medicine, and power to the enemy they are fighting against. They are required to give it to an organization, UNRWA, that is tied closely to Hamas, the enemy they are fighting. The hypocrisy is real.
An airdrop operation of 81 food packages was completed in Khan Yunis today.
This marks the latest of 10,000+ packages, including food and medical supplies, that have been airdropped in recent months through 141 airdrop missions across Gaza.
Over the past month, as Israel has systemically eliminated the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, they have shown their strength. As a result, other Arab countries are now taking a strong position against Hamas and Hezbollah. Unlike the current United State administration and European countries, Israel understands that strength is the currency of the Middle East. When you show strength, others join with you. When you show weakness, you are not respected and you have no ability to impact what is happening. We are now seeing Saudi Arabia come out publicly against Hamas and Hezbollah. This is because Israel has shown strength.
The Saudis have decided to fight with all the bad guys in Middle East
The Saudi MBC tv channel mentions all the terrorists in the axis of evil including Qassem Soleimani, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Shiite militias in Iraq.
Our media and the world’s media doesn’t like to cover those speaking out against the terrorists or the hatred. Yet more and more of them are speaking out. More and more we are seeing those with knowledge choosing to take action and speak out against the terrorists and in support of Israel. The lie that you can’t defeat an ideology is being proven wrong. Here is an amazing piece by a Muslim Yemeni asking real questions and providing real answers. My favorite part is when he tells the muslim woman that what she just said makes her a Zionist.
Here is an Australian journalist speaking the truth. Where is this in our U.S. media? Where is this on the BBC? It’s powerful to watch and hopefully we will now be getting more of this time of accurate coverage.
There are a number of things we have learned since October 7, 2023. Here is a list of things we have learned that we either take action on or suffer because we chose to ignore them.
The world really does hate us. We can’t forget that, ever. We see it constantly. Authors who cancel speaking engagements because they won’t share the stage with a Jew (they say Zionist but they mean Jew). Actors who take uneducated positions. Even Porn stars like Mia Khalifa are now being hailed by the NY Times as an activist because of her Jew hatred. She isn’t educated but she hates Jews and speaks out so that is enough. President Macron of France speaks out against us. President Erdagan of Turkey spews his Jew hatred and wants to partner with the regime of Iran. All we have to do is open our eyes and we can see the world hates us. We can’t keep our eyes closed or our heads buried in the sand about this any longer.
We are always Jews first. That’s who we are and how the world will see us. We are not American Jews, we are Jewish Americans. It’s no different than Germany in the 20s and 30s. Jews thought they were German first. They weren’t. We aren’t. Not Canadian-Jews but Jewish Canadians. We are not French Jews, English Jews, Spanish Jews, or Italian Jews. The Jewish part always comes first. We forget this at our own peril.
Education not Hasbarah for our children. We have lost and are losing our youth when it comes to Israel because we don’t teach them the facts. We don’t teach them the truth. Even when the truth may be ugly. No country is perfect. Every country has done things they regret and are embarrassing in retrospect. Israel is no exception. We need to teach the facts of Israel. Israel didn’t begin in 1948. It began with Abraham. When we teach our children the facts of Israel and the modern State of Israel, they are empowered to support Israel. They are much less likely to believe the lies they are told on college campuses and even in Middle and High School.
We can’t rely on anybody else. For years we have depended on the relationship with the United States for much of Israel’s support. Since October 7th we have seen that while we are still getting American support, some weapons are being delayed and withheld. As important as the relationship with the United States is, we cannot depend on America for as much as we do. Israel must create its own weapons industry to ensure that there are enough weapons, ammunition, and other needed weapons to defend herself when needed. At the end of the day, we are the only ones who will take care of ourselves. On a campaign stop Thursday at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, VP and Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris was Vice President Kamala Harris was interrupted by anti-Israel protesters asking about ‘the Genocide’. Her response included the words, “What he’s talking about is real.” This is scary to hear from our current VP and possible next President. You can watch and listen to it yourself.
VP and Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee last week.
Relationships do matter. If you had told me five years ago that Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt would help defend Israel from an attack by Iran, I would have laughed at you. Yet that’s what has happened TWICE in the past year. The Abraham Accords have changed the narrative and are creating a new opportunity for real peace in the region. The rebuilding of Gaza will happen with our Arab partners. The freeing of Lebanon will be with the Lebanese people. We see the Iranian people supporting Israel while the regime tries to eliminate us. Saudi Arabia is waiting to join in the economic boom that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is experiencing because of their normalization with Israel.
Peace through strength is real. We have seen that the only way to have peace is to show your strength. It doesn’t mean war. It means showing your economic and military strength. It means having strong intelligence and being able to act on it. It means being daring and innovative to gain respect. World leaders respect strength. They do not respect weakness. From the time Israel took the offensive and blew up the pagers and walkie talkies of Hezbollah leaders, the world took notice. As the leaders of these two terrorist organizations have been systematically eliminated, the world took notice. Peace comes through strength. Diplomacy happens because they respect your strength.
The media lies. This may seem like an obvious statement however far too many people simply believe what they see, hear, or read. TikTok has become the preferred news media for many. The bots telling lies make sure to spread them far and wide. The news media is really in the entertainment department and more interested in ad sales and clicks than facts. The old saying, “If it bleeds, it leads” has never been more true. Facts don’t matter, only what will sell more ads. We must be careful with believing what we see, hear, or read as far too often it is simply not factual. The world believes what they are told which only enhances Jew hatred. We do have some reputable journalists and we need to listen to them. One, Douglas Murray, who isn’t Jewish, has been outspoken. Watch this interview with Bari Weiss of The Free Press on her Honestly show.
This is an hour long and worth every single minute.
Antisemitism, really Jew hatred, never went away. As Jews in America, we had an incredible period of time when expressing Jew hatred was not acceptable. As a result, we fooled ourselves into thinking that America was and always would be a safe place for us. October 7th and what has come afterwards has shown us the folly of our ways. Jew hatred on college campuses has gone from verbal to intimidation to physical attacks. There is a movement to defund and remove Hillels from college campuses. We see violent demonstrations targeting Jews and Jewish communal facilities under the guise of targeting Israel. Physical attacks just for being Jewish are happening all over the world, including America. The day after it was confirmed that Sinwar was eliminated, multiple signs on UPenn’s campus were vandalized with “Sinwar Lives.” This comes after students and faculty posted repeatedly about Sinwar as a “hero.” This is what we face on the college campuses.
We cannot be silent. Far too many people are choosing to stay silent rather than stand up for what they know is right. They’d rather be silent and ignored than speak out and take a risk. Their silence makes them complicit in the Jew hatred and the violence. The choice is to remain silent and wait until they come for us or speak up loudly and not allow the hate to grow uncontested. We saw what happens when stay silent in Germany and with the pogroms in Russia. We can no longer afford to be silent. Our silence will ensure our death.
We have to go to Israel. I don’t mean we have to make Aliyah. We have to visit. Our brothers and sisters need our support. We need to see, feel, and experience what’s going on there. We have an eternal bond with the land and after October 7th, that bond is stronger than we realize until we are there. So go. Volunteer. I’ve worked the land in May and July for a few hours. It’s incredibly rewarding. It is meaningful. I’ve volunteered making packages for IDF soldiers, making Tzizit for IDF soldiers, and making sandwiches for children who aren’t able to afford to purchase them. Each one is more meaningful than the next. I’m too old to join the IDF but I’m not too old to help Israel and the Israeli people.
These are important lessons that we cannot forget. Our history shows we do forget. We think we are part of the Babylonian people, the Romans, Spain, Russia, Germany, England, France, and the United States. We aren’t. We are always the Jews. We have always been the Jews. We will always be the Jews. As long as we remember that, we will not just survive but thrive. When we forget, we risk elimination.
Below are two pieces about being Jewish. Both are powerful pieces describing being Jewish. I encourage you to spend the time watching and listening to both.
I met Andrew years ago at the JFNA General Assembly. His poetry is powerful and worth listening to.
And of course, the famous piece by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (z’l)
I met Mahmoud in 2019 on my Encounter trip. You can read about the trip starting with this blog post and continue forward. It was great to see Mahmoud and we hugged when we saw each other. He asked us to sit as we caught up on our families, work, and life changes. This of course brought up the war which has impacted him both economically and in terms of how safe he feels for his family. It was another connection point as I have those same feelings as a Jew in the United States.
Mahmoud is incredibly smart. The conversation was deep and not stuck on talking points or things that often impede real conversation. It was refreshing to have somebody to talk with about what is happening without the incitement of specific words.
We didn’t use words like Genocide. We both agreed that lots of people were dying, and we wanted that to stop. We didn’t use words like forced famine. We agreed that not enough food was getting to the people, and they were hungry. He doesn’t believe enough food is getting in even if it wasn’t being stolen and sold. He said there were fewer trucks going in now than before the war. From what I understood that wasn’t accurate but I didn’t have the facts in front of me so chose not to dispute that point and just agree that people were hungry. We agreed that the Hamas attacks on October 7 were unacceptable. We agreed that Hamas was evil. We agreed that Hamas must be removed and cannot continue to exist in power. The murders, rapes, burning of bodies, and other actions were evil and unacceptable. He shared that he and his friends were horrified when they learned of the attack. We agreed that taking the civilian hostages was unacceptable and he shared that his hope was that they would be released the very next day. He also said that he felt the taking of soldiers was different as this was an act of war by Hamas and taking military personnel for future prisoner swaps was ok. While I understand his position on this, I struggle with it because of how Hamas treats prisoners.
We talked about Zionism. When we met in 2019, he made the comment that, “If Zionism means the Jews have a right to the land and we do as well, then I am ok with Zionism.” When I said that the definition of Zionism is that the Jews have a right to a homeland and says nothing about anybody else, he commented that too many people disagree with me. There are people who believe all of historical Israel belongs to the Jews and not only should we have the West Bank/Judea and Samaria but also Jordan and more. That Greater Israel should be ours. Just like there are Palestinians who believe there should be no Jewish state at all. They believe the entire land should be Palestinian. We can’t listen to the extremes and that’s where we are at the current time. The media only covers the extremes. That is what sells. That’s what gets ratings and advertisers.
We talked about the campus protests. He wasn’t aware of the number of outside agitators that were involved with them. As we discussed it, he commented that the fascists and communists always do that. This is their pattern throughout history, so it isn’t a surprise. I shared that in my opinion they were stealing his story and his pain for their own agenda which had nothing to do with Palestinians. It was about anarchy and changing the United States government. He agreed.
We discussed how the status quo in the relationship between the Israelis and Palestinians was not something that could continue long term. When I participated in the Encounter trip, one thing that was clear to me was that the status quo couldn’t continue. We agree on that. From the day I met him, Mahmoud has been a proponent of a one state solution. For him this doesn’t mean someplace that is free of Jews. It is his position that Israel already controls the entire area and that it is already one state in which some of the people who live there get treated differently. The challenge of a one state solution is that it would mean that Israel would no longer be a Jewish state. That’s the cost of peace in a one state solution. Unfortunately, I agree with him that the cost of a one state solution is the loss of Israel as a Jewish state. I chose not to tell him that this would be unacceptable to the world Jewish community as the entire purpose of having a state of Israel is to have a Jewish state. It is why I believe a one state solution will never occur. The Palestinians would have to agree to leave the land and they are not going to do that.
He was pessimistic about any chance of a two-state solution working. He made the point that Gaza was effectively a two-state solution. We see how that worked out. I agree with him. The challenge of a two-state solution is that the Palestinian leaders and people need to not just accept that Israel exists as a Jewish state but also there will be travel limitations and challenges because there are two countries with sovereign boundaries. This also doesn’t even consider the trust factor needed. The current trust factor is at best zero right now. When I made the comment that it might take ten (10) years to get to a real two-state solution he shook his head and told me that was likely too long. He said if it is going to take 10 years, it is dead. I don’t agree with him here and we spent a lot of time talking about leadership.
For those who have been reading my blog, you know how critical I have been about our lack of leadership. This lack of leadership exists in the Jewish community, in America, in Europe and certainly in Israel and with the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority President Abbas was elected to a 4-year term in 2005. There have not been elections since. He is in year 20 of a 5-year term. The world stays silent and supports him. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been in power longer than any other Israeli Prime Minister. While he has been in and out of power due to free elections, there is a reason why many countries have term limits for these and other positions. A new voice is needed. New leadership.
Both Mahmoud and I expressed our concerns about future leadership. Who might it be? Mahmoud is concerned Israel will elect Ben-Gvir, Smoltrich, or somebody on the far right like them. I don’t share those same concerns as the Israeli people are not far right like them. They are given a far too large platform because Netanyahu needs them to remain in power. I am concerned that the leadership that will follow Abbas is going to be Hamas or Hamas like. Somebody who will not lead towards peace but will lead back to the days of the intifadas and violence. Both of us are stunned that in the United States, with well over 300 million people, these are the two candidates we have for President. Because of their age, it is unlikely that either of them will be running in 2028 (one won’t be eligible per our constitution) so perhaps we can see some change in the US in four years but no matter who wins, it will be a very challenging four years. With all this negativity about leadership, Mahmoud wanted to talk more about the people rather than leadership.
His concern is that leaders are elected by the people. His concern is that the anger and rage at Hamas is spilling over to the Palestinian people and will make things worse. There are people who say, “just bomb them all” or “flatten Gaza and kill them all” or “they are all terrorists”. I shared with him that as I was in Kfar Aza and at the Nova site, I felt rage. I didn’t share that at Kfar Aza, as each bomb exploded in Jabaliyah, I felt better, as not only does that really bother me that I felt that way but also it would have been counterproductive to our conversation. He isn’t wrong. Israel is not the same country as it was on October 6. The people of Israel are not the same. The events of October 7 have altered the people and the country. I don’t know where it is going to end up. I told him I remain hopeful that when the war ends, and the war will end at some point, I am hopeful that the Israeli people can heal and look to a future where there can be peace and something like October 7 will never happen again. He was much more pessimistic and really fears that the long-term impact on the Israeli people will be to radicalize them further and further to the right. I shared my hope that after the war, it would bring them back towards the center due to the desire to live life.
We also spent time talking about how important it is for Jews and Palestinians to talk the way we were. To respect each other and share ideas, not ideology. To work towards finding solutions, not arguing and fighting for the sake of arguing and fighting. He shared that while some Israelis do some to talk with him, he has no platform in Israel to do this. Coming to the United States to talk to Israelis and Jewish communities isn’t the answer either. We need more dialogue. We need more discussion. This brought me back to my points about leadership and how they can’t and won’t do this. Perhaps after the war ends and Bibi is replaced and in the next few years when it is likely that Abbas will die, we will have a chance for new leadership that is willing to engage with each other and really work for the benefit of their people rather than to remain in power. Maybe I am overly optimistic. Maybe I am being too positive and too hopeful. I don’t see another way to live.
As we wrapped up our 90-minute conversation, there is much to think about and much to contemplate. We hugged goodbye and made plans to get together on one of my future trips to Israel. Because of the time and the heat, we chose to take a cab back instead of walking. Matthew and I began to talk a little about the experience, but those conversations will happen back in the US over a coffee or twenty.
I appreciate Mahmoud for giving his time. For sharing his opinions and concerns. For listening to both Matthew and my comments, concerns, and opinions. For being open to a real discussion and conversation. For looking to the future and not being stuck in the past. As we said during the conversation, we can’t change the past, but we can change the future. I look forward to future conversations with Mahmoud and to a future where there is peace. To a time when the Palestinians can live in peace with their neighbor Israel. When the thought of another October 7th isn’t on everybody’s minds.
My friendship with Mahmoud and a number of other Palestinians living in East Jerusalem and the West Bank/Judea and Samaria (two names for the same place) are examples that we can live together. We can have difference and get beyond them and live together. It gives me hope that when we finally get new leadership who truly cares about a different future, we might be able to have peace.
As most of you know, I am a passionate and unapologetic Zionist. Being a Zionist simply means that I believe that the Jewish people have a right to their own country and their own self-determination. No matter what else you may THINK Zionism is or means, that’s what it really does. The rest is simply propaganda created and spread by those Jew haters who want no Jews to exist and those who aren’t willing to actually learn something about Zionism.
As a result of my love affair with the State of Israel, I got connected with Dr. Ken Stein and the Center for Israel Education (CIE). Each week, CIE puts out ‘This week in Israeli history’. Some weeks there are nuggets that I learn about and other weeks there are monumentous events. This week it’s of the monumentous variety.
On February 27, 1928, Ariel Sharon was born is born in K’far Malal (near Hod Hasharon). For those of you who know much about Israel, Hod Hasharon is the home of the Alexander Muss High School in Israel. My cousin Eric attended there in 1984 and I have many friends who have attended as well. This would have been Ariel Sharon’s 96th birthday.
Sharon, like many of that generation, took an Israeli last name, changing his birth name of Scheinerman to Sharon. A true Zionist and patriot, he joined the Haganah in 1945 and served in the War of Independence. His reputation, which continued through his life, was having a lack of restraint and being very aggressive. He served as a paratrooper commander in the 1956 war, a Major General in the Six Day War (1967), and the commander of an armored division in the Yom Kippur War (1973).
Ariel Sharon in 1982 at the Suez Canal after peace with Egypt
Sharon was elected head of the Likud party in 1999 and became Israel’s 11th Prime Minister in 2001. As Prime Minister, he approved construction of the security fence, advocated for settlements in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank) and despite his reputation as a military hawk, oversaw the disengagement from Gaza, hoping it would jump start peace talks with the Palestinians. In 2006, he suffered a stroke that left him incapacitated and was no longer Prime Minister. He passed away in January 2014 after spending 8 years in a coma.
Ariel Sharon is a complex figure and a good lesson in the complexities of Israel and the region. Most of his career, he was considered a far right, war hawk. He was a military hero whose leadership was critical to the victory in the Six Day War. His leadership and actions in the 1973 war were essential to Israel turning the tide and capturing the Suez Canal and almost marching to Cairo before America and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger stepped in to stop the war.
His resignation after being found negligent in the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps by the Christian Phalange troops have many branding him a war criminal. He certainly did not use good judgment at the time, doing nothing to stop Christian militiamen allied with Israel from entering the camps, despite fears they might seek to avenge the killing of their leader the previous day. War criminal or not, it was a poor decision that helped define his life, career, and legacy.
In 2000, he went to the Temple Mount and visited the Al Aqsa Mosque. To many people this would be seen as no big deal. It’s the historic site of the ancient first and second Jewish temple. The ‘Rock’ in Dome of the Rock is supposed to be both the rock that Abraham bound Isaac to, prepared to sacrifice him, as well as the rock that Muhammad rose to heaven from. It’s also a flashpoint for violence as Jewish access is limited and many attribute the 2nd intifada to this visit. It’s a place I have never been to and hope that one day I will be able to have access. I remember this visit and wondering why he chose to do it as it was clearly going to incite violence.
Ariel Sharon on Temple Mount – this is considered by many to be what incited the 2nd intifada
In 2005, he made the decision to withdraw all Israelis and Jews from Gaza, returning it to Palestinian control, as an effort to jumpstart peace. The settlers and many Israelis were very upset that he would take this action as 21 Israeli communities were forcibly removed from Gaza and relocated inside Israel. His hopes for peace as a result never materialized, his stroke a few months later meant that he never had the opportunity to follow up on his vision. The Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, is tied back my many to this action in 2005 which led to the creation of modern Gaza.
The removal of Israelis and Jews from Gaza in 2005 was highly controversial. In the end, it didn’t accomplish the goal of peace and resulted in the Hamas massacre of October 7th
Sharon is an Israeli hero that I have always struggled with. My grandparents loved him because after the Shoah, he was the face of an Israeli and Jewish warrior. He kept safeguarding the Jewish people as his top priority and his actions were very public and visible. From 1957 through 1973, he played key roles in winning wars to ensure Israel’s existence and inspiring Jews in Israel and the diaspora. When I look back on those years, I see a headstrong officer who I can say thank you to for ensuring Israel exists.
A young Ariel Sharon with Moshe Dayan, another of the great Israeli leaders.
The Sabra and Shatila massacre cause me great pain and challenges. While he didn’t actually murder anybody and it wasn’t IDF soldiers under his command who committed the massacre, he had the opportunity to stop it or at least intervene, and he didn’t. From what I know of Ariel Sharon, I believe it to be a tactical choice that he made. I cannot reconcile the Jewish hero I wrote about with the man who would allow this to happen. I remember struggling with his being elected Prime Minister because of this. This struggle was enhanced by that 2000 visit to Temple Mount. As I’ve said, it’s a place I have always wanted to go and have never been able to visit. While there have been times when it has been permitted, the access is limited and as meaningful as it would be to pray on the Temple Mount, that is forbidden to Jews. Most people don’t know of this prohibition. It is hard to believe that his visit was not intended to incite violence. At the time the impeding visit was discussed with this being the likely outcome. Yet he did it anyway. Just like Sharon in battle, who did what he wanted, and thought was right, he did it with this visit, with the 2nd intifada as the resulting outcome.
And then there was the withdrawal from Gaza. I grew up being taught that when we finally got to the point of land for peace or money to release the Jewish people from oppression (like in the USSR), the battle was won. We would always give up land for peace just as we would pay for the freedom of our people. 21 Jewish communities were relocated. I hated seeing the families uprooted from their homes and forcibly removed. I hated seeing their crying and outrage. Yet I was hopeful that it would be for the greater good and that perhaps, the Palestinians would create a ‘Singapore of the Middle East’ in Gaza, and we might have peace.
As Israel faces all sorts of calls from countries around the world for a ‘Ceasefire Now’ and the creation of a Palestinian State without conditions. It’s worth remembering what President George W. Bush said in his August 27, 2005 radio address about the withdrawal from Gaza and the hope for a different future and what was required.
During the past two weeks, Prime Minister Sharon and the Israeli people took a courageous and painful step by removing Israeli settlements in Gaza and parts of the northern West Bank. I congratulate the Prime Minister for his bold leadership.
Now that Israel has withdrawn, the way forward is clear. The Palestinians must show the world that they will fight terrorism and govern in a peaceful way. We will continue to help the Palestinians to prepare for self-government and to defeat the terrorists who attack Israel and oppose the establishment of a peaceful Palestinian state.
We remain fully committed to defending the security and well-being of our friend and ally Israel. We demand an end to terrorism and violence in every form because we know that progress depends on ending terror. And we will continue working for the day when the map of the Middle East shows two democratic states – Israel and Palestine – living side by side in peace and security.
It is obvious this didn’t happen. There was no Palestinian fight against terrorism, nor did they govern in a peaceful way. The demand for an end to terrorism and violence remains a key requirement for peace and security. The withdrawal from Gaza was an abject failure even before October 7th. My hopes didn’t come to fruition and while I respect Sharon’s efforts to find peace, it turned out to be yet another failure of his leadership decisions.
Ultimately, I find myself viewing Sharon as a Lion of Israel, one of the key people who ensured the survival of the Jewish state, but also one who struggled with political leadership. He isn’t a role model, there is far too much that is troublesome, but he is an icon in the history of the modern State of Israel and one worth studying and discussing to learn from.
Remember that in the start of this post, I used the work momentous. The birth of Ariel Sharon in a week is significant but not momentous. On March 1, 1922, Yitzhak Rabin was born. They celebrated their birthdays just a few days apart. Two amazing leaders of the Modern State of Israel and the Jewish people. This would have been Rabin’s 102nd birthday!
When I read about Rabin, I’m always shocked that he was Israel’s 5th Prime Minister. I forget that he took over for Golda Meir in 1974 and think of him much more during his 2nd term of Prime Minister from 1992-1995. I also am always shocked at how short his second term was as it seems he accomplished so much during that term. It speaks to how young the country really is that somebody who played a prominent role in virtually all of Israel’s history is somebody that I recall so vividly. In many ways it would be like experiencing George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or Ben Franklin in the US.
Rabin in his Palmach uniform in January 1948
Rabin, the first Israeli Prime Minister to be born in Eretz Yisrael (Palestine at the time), served in the Palmach and as a commander in the 1948 Independence War. As Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), he was in charge of the 1967 Six Day War. Following the War, he was appointed Israel’s Ambassador to the United States from 1968 until 1973. Fifty years ago, he was already an icon. After returning to Israel, Rabin was elected to the Knesset and became Prime Minister Golda Meir’s Minister of Labor. Upon her resignation in 1974, Rabin became Prime Minister.
Being Prime Minister in Israel means you live in interesting times and your leadership is constantly tested. As Prime Minister, Rabin signed an interim agreement with Syria in May 1974 and one with Egypt over the Sinai in 1975. One of his most famous actions occurred in 1976 when terrorists hijacked an Israeli plan and flew it to Uganda. Rabin ordered the rescue of Israeli, Jewish, and other hostages from Entebbe in Uganda in 1976.
The raid on Entebbe was a huge success and raised the profile of the Israeli military further beyond the 6 day war. The only casualty was Yonatan Netanyahu, Bibi’s older brother.
Israel is an interesting country with some interesting laws and scandals. In 1977, it was discovered that he and his wife, Leah, had maintained an American bank account from their time in the US as the Israeli Ambassador. Leah publicly confirmed that she opened and operated the account alone however, then Attorney General Aharon Barak decided to prosecute both Leah and Yitzhak for this violation which normally only incurred a civil fine. Named by the media as the ‘Dollar Affair’, Rabin chose to resign over the lapse. When we look at our leaders today, it’s hard to imagine them taking such a moral and ethical stance over such a small infraction when they are involved in much larger scandals and choose to deny, minimize, and deflect. Unlike Ariel Sharon, Yitzhak Rabin chose to live his values, morals, and ethics, no matter the cost.
Rabin returned to the Knesset and also served as Minister of Defense from 1984-1990. In 1992, he again assumed leadership of the Labor party, and was elected to his second term as Prime Minister in June of 1992.
The 1992-1995 years of his second term as Prime Minister, Rabin oversaw some amazing breakthroughs that most people hoped would be transformational in the peace process. The Oslo Accords were negotiated and signed by Rabin with Yassir Arafat. In 1994 Rabin was able to negotiate with King Hussein of Jordan on a peace treaty that remains in place 30 years later. These efforts inspired the world and in 1994, Rabin, Shimon Peres and Yasser Arafat were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for their efforts to create peace in the Middle East.”
The 1994 Nobel Peace Prize winnersThe famous picture of Rabin and Arafat shaking hands with President Clinton
Sadly, on November 4, 1995, Rabin was assassinated by a right wing, nationalistic Israeli who didn’t want peace. The assassination came minutes after Rabin gave a pro-peace speech in Tel Aviv to more than 100,000 people cheering and hopeful about a different future.
I remember when Rabin was assassinated and the shock that was felt around the world. The fact that it was a fellow Jew who murdered him made it even worse. Hope for a brighter future seemed to disappear and in the 28 years since, has never recovered.
Every time I am in Israel, I seem to find my way to Rabin Square, the location of the pro-peace speech and his assassination, named for him after his murder. I’ve been there for Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations and for concerts. It’s an empty space until there is a reason to gather. I can imagine the energy that night and the power of hope. In the back, there is the area where he was shot. It’s preserved as a mini-museum documenting what happened. You can see where everybody was standing and even stand in their footsteps. You can see where Rabin’s security failed, allowing the murderer access to shoot Rabin. You can learn about the chaos that happened after the shooting, resulting in him being taken to the wrong hospital, wasting key time that may have been able to save his life. I am always humbled when I stand there and find myself dreaming of what could have been.
The memorial where Rabin was assasinated.
I read the David Horovitz biography of Rabin, Shalom Friend, and was deeply moved by the man. Similar to Ariel Sharon, he was there from the beginning in the War of Independence and throughout all the wars that came after. Rabin remained committed to his core beliefs throughout and unlike Sharon, didn’t waver. Rabin was complicated in the fact that he was both a man of war and of peace. While Sharon faced significant questions related to his sincerity for peace, Rabin was seen by the world as the bringer of peace. I often wonder if Yitzhak Rabin was the last politician I will see in my lifetime who truly acted on his morals, values, and integrity rather than his electability. While I don’t doubt what I think Sharon would say and do after October 7th, I am challenged by what Rabin would say and do. As a Zionist who did everything he could to ensure Israel won every war, he also did everything he could to ensure Israel could win the peace. Would he bring clarity to the world at a time when it’s so greatly needed? Would he be able to unite Israel at a time when we are seeing divisions again about the hostages, finishing the war in Gaza, Bibi as Prime Minister, and so much more.
Despite the Oslo Accords not working the way we hoped, Rabin is a true hero. Unlike Sharon, a Lion of Israel, Rabin was a true statesman. He was a true leader. He had a clear vision for what Israel could and should be. He had a vision of a world where Israel lived in peace with her neighbors. Rabin understood America and diaspora Jews just as he understood Israelis. Perhaps the only thing he didn’t understand was the power of hatred, which cost him his life and has resulted in the Hamas massacre of October 7th. That’s a shortcoming I’d be happy to accept in a leader of Israel and the US.
As we celebrate the birth of two icons of the Modern State of Israel this week, we have a chance to learn from them both. Both taught and continue to teach us important lessons about moral character, about hatred and the short term and long term impacts of it, of leadership and of hope. Although both died before accomplishing their goals due to a stroke and an assassin, both died with hope in their hearts and in their efforts. Let’s not let the sacrifices of these two great men go to waste because we lose hope. Even in times of despair, we must hold onto hope for a brighter future. It is that hope which will sustain us through the difficult times and allow us to reach better ones.
Pictures of Rabin and Sharon. The last one also has Shimon Peres. These are the founding fathers of the Modern State of Israel.
keithdblog 