The Very Existence of Israel Is at Stake:

A Call to the American Jewish Community to Stand Up in Her defense
by Howard Teich
Published in the Long Island Jewish World, Manhattam Sentinel, March 25-31, 2011

You just want to start shouting at our Jewish people.  It’s time to come together, and bring the world back to being our supporters.  The Palestinian terrorist massacre at Itamar of a young, beautiful Israeli family must be the tipping point.  Israel was once again restored to the land from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River in 1967 and we must never leave it.

Does the slaying in Judea and Samaria of an entire family, including three young children, by Palestinian terrorists finally bring some of our doubters back to reality?  Whether it does or not, the Abbas charade must be seen for what it is, a continuation of the Arafat effort to give a peaceful public face to a single-minded effort to destroy Israel.  It is reported that the Aksa Martyrs Brigade, the military wing of Fatah, took credit for these murders.  Just let that sink in.

Can we ever accept allowing our people to be murdered again in cold-blood because they are Jews?  Can we ever accept again that the answer to the Jewish problem is to cleanse the land of Jews?  Can we ever have peace with a people who by their very acts demonstrate their intent to never accept, and their hope to destroy the State of Israel?  And then, the even more difficult question, can we ever excuse our fellow Jews in this country who don’t speak out at a time of crisis for Israel, or worse, try to appease those who directly support those who have every intention by their acts, to harm Israel and Israelis?

My answer is no, no, no, and No.  In a clarion call, I appeal to the people of the world round to once again stand with the Jewish people, as they did in 1948.   Agree that you will listen with an open mind, and then be supportive of working towards a time of peace with Judea, Samaria and the entirety of Jerusalem remaining part of the State of Israel.  Yes, all Palestinians on the land would have fair and equal treatment and opportunity living in a future Israel, as Arab Israelis living in Israel today.

How many attempts for peace have been made in vain with the Palestinians, for the Palestinans are not interested in creating a State.  They control Gaza, and they haven’t moved towards a State.  They were given back Southern Lebanon, and they turned it into an armed encampment, and the world has stood by and let it happen.  The Palestinians have left their brothers and sisters in refugee camps when they could have easily moved them out into better conditions.  And in the Sinai, they recently have cut off supplies of natural gas to Israel, and continually make efforts to sneak Iranian arms into Gaza to use against Israel.

So, I say it’s time to put forward some Guidelines in America for the Future.

First, we must have zero tolerance for groups that support, or give aid and comfort to groups that conduct information warfare to delegitimize Israel, or conduct economic warfare either through the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) or other campaigns to directly harm Israel.

Second, all Jewish organizational missions to Israel  must include in their itinerary  visits to communities in Judea and Samaria, though over the so-called Green Line, as our people living in those communities, such as Itamar,  are true heroes for a Jewish future in Israel, and we must show them our support, and ensure their safety and protection.

Third, we must demand of those people who consider themselves leaders of our American Jewish community that they speak out for the human rights of our fellow Jews living in Judea and Samaria.  I particularly call on those who are involved in bridge-building relations with the Arab and Islamic communities in America, that they break those ties unless there is a willingness to have their Muslim partners speak out against the continued fostering of hatred against the Israelis by the Palestinians through their textbooks, their naming of street squares honoring terrorists, and their murders of innocent Jewish citizens of Israel and beyond, as in Itamar.

Fourth, now more than ever, we must show our support of Israel by personally visiting Israel including Judea and Samaria, buying Israeli products, particularly those made or produced in Judea and Samaria, and by speaking out forcefully when Israel is wronged.

There are people in our community who are often marginalized, now taking the leadership on these issues in a vacuum of leadership, and their stands are important.  Pay attention to them, for they mean well, and their meaning is clear.  Show up at their rallies, and support their Internet outreach.

The new Jewish future requires increased literacy about who we are, and about the land of Israel.  We need to develop more passion for our commitment to our people, and then increase our messages and actions of “compassionate righteousness” and “moral justice,” our heritage from Sinai as written in the Torah.  We must bring our stories of values, of service, and of moral clarity to the world.

We must present the case that Israel is our sacred homeland that we have liberated, and that we are committed to keeping every inch of.  We must make the case once again how we have protected all religious sites in Israel, whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim.  We must tell the extraordinary story of Israel, creating a vibrant democracy, and an economic miracle out of a barren land.  And we must show an Israel that was first in Haiti and Japan with medical care in their times of need.

We must not hesitate to speak out about the threat we face, particularly from the Arab and Muslim community surrounding Israel and beyond.  We can work towards peaceful relations, and never submerge our needs.  In Israel, it’s front-line on all sides.  Keeping the Jordan Valley isn’t just about the land, it’s about security, and it’s about Israel’s very survival.  If you haven’t looked at a map recently, I suggest you do it.

The challenge is here and now.  The very existence of Israel is at stake.  Don’t be afraid of jeopardizing your social status by standing up for what is right.  Social acceptance doesn’t require silence.  Political correctness has no role.  It is our generation’s time to carry the torch of our people.  Just What Don’t You Get!!