Every week and every day of this terrible affliction of ‘Palestinians’ and those who aid and abet them, the Holy One is calling out to His beloved people. He reveals, He blesses, He chastens in order to arouse and heal. The people are awake but with the leaders, the princes of the people, as Isaiah saw, it is word by word, line by line the same urgent and obvious truths must be reiterated. Again and again they visit bereaved Jews who show them the hilltops and corners from which Arabs attack. Again and again they promise, ‘soon’ it will change. In a mockery of condolence they hint and wink as DM Ben Eliezer did as he left the devastated Hershkowitz home in Ofra.

"Is there indeed silence when you should be speaking justice? With their mouths do they bless, but inwardly [with their counsels of deceit] do they curse" (Psalm 58:2, 62:5). Accepting and suffering this kind of leadership, Israel becomes "a shame to the nations and a mockery for all the lands" (Ezekiel 22:4).

The princes act this way not mainly because they are stupid but because their hearts are sealed against the evidence of their eyes and ears, and against Jewish fellowship. And their hearts are sealed because as Ezekiel states in haftora Kedoshim because they pursue policies of international powers, committing diplomatic and spiritual idolatry and adultery that violates the obligations and prohibitions of Torah. They stand by while the blood of their brothers is shed, they bear tales against and slander and persecute them via the police, GSS and policy initiatives like that of Peres, Sarid and Beilin who use the Arabs to destroy Judaism and the heartland of Israel. "Talebearers were among you to shed blood. They went among you on the mountains laying evil plans in your midst…they took bribery [from the nations] to shed blood within you" through a hornet swarm of Arabs. Thus they have "demeaned father and mother," the patrimony and sacred obligations of Israel (Ezekiel 22:7-12).

One specific example: despite the murder of Shlomo Elmakiyas April 29, Defense Minister Ben Eliezer proceeded with measures "to ease the suffering of the Palestinian people," relaxing roadblocks that protect Israeli lives from assault. As has been the pattern throughout the Oslo War that began in September 2000, Jewish casualties followed immediately. The morning of April 30 Asaf Hershkowitz was murdered. Yet the nucleus of the government, the mini-Cabinet of Ben Eliezer, Shimon Peres and Sharon continue to emphasize minimizing the suffering of the Palestinian general population (75% of which supports suicide attacks against Jews throughout Israel, JMCC poll, April 2001). The "mini-security Cabinet directing the nation has as its main goal avoiding "escalation." That is, it refuses to pursue a vigorous broad-based Israeli response to expand and secure defensible borders and defeat the enemy decisively.

As Aaron Lerner noted, despite the vote of February 07, the nation remains dominated by the Labor Party in the mini-security Cabinet from which Internal Security Minister Uzi Landau (Likud) is excluded. One would say "unaccountably excluded" except that the electoral machinations of the winter mainly concerned rescuing the Labor Party and continuing its death grip on Israel’s throat.

The princes have no strategic vision because they do not want Israel to win. Having lost this desire, "they shame the poor man’s counsel, that Hashem is his refuge." Thus "treachery is within the city, fraud and deceit in its squares." As an Israeli in Netzer Hazani near Gaza noted, what crushes the spirit is that those whose religious, legal and political duty is to protect Jewish life fail repeatedly to do so (Psalm 55:12-14, israelnationalnews.com 05-02-01). So every night the enemy howls like dogs around the cities of Israel, spewing hatred and violence. Only when the princes lead the nation to "destroy them in wrath until they are no more" will it be "known to the ends of the earth that God rules in Jacob" (Psalm 59:7-14).

In Ma’Ariv April 25, former GSS officer Menachem Landau offered many practical suggestions for fighting a far more vigorous (though still limited) war against terror and also summarized the main problem. "The Palestinians know precisely what they want, a state on the entire Land of Israel. Whereas we have not even formulated the exact final borders that we wish to have" (interview with Arutz-7, 05-03-01). So long as the princes of Israel look to the UN or America or, astonishingly, to Arab "neighbors" for these boundaries, they will curse Israel with confusion, violence and bereavement.

The essence of the "land for peace" idea, culminating in the Oslo process, divides and thus degrades the Promised Land which is meant to be whole (shaleim) like the Jewish people. Only this wholeness brings peace (shalom). As made clear by the Torah cited above, "Land for peace" is delusional and sacrilegious. A process of self-alienation and division, it necessarily brings war and contempt for one’s own land and people and de facto (or intentional) "cooperation" and alliance with their enemies. Beyond its constituent deceits it gives the lie to the essence of Israel. And this deceit brings bloodshed.

Yet these failures and betrayals of self, fellow and heritage have a silver lining. This long night of pain, this "partition-Zionism" has a bright morning of healing and strength such as Jacob found on his return to Shechem where "he arrived intact" (shaleim) after his struggles with Laban and Esau and where his daughter, family and honor were avenged by Shimeon and Levi. They acted by the duty not to stand aside while Jewish blood was shed. Disillusionment with failed politicians and policies is leading more and more Jews to a radiance just ahead, a return to God and Torah as the basis of life in the Land of life.

Yisrael Shleimah (and thus b’Shalom) has been abandoned for decades, even by the party that once espoused it vigorously. Successive governments have exposed Jews to be slaughtered, and the Land to dismemberment, drought and indefensible borders. "The death plaguing us is not a personal matter but rather a national humiliation," commented Rabbi MK Benny Elon, indicating the oneness of Israel, nation, people and Torah. For as politicians promise, deceive and fail, more and more Jews who feel and understand their unity in Israel (their father and their Land) turn to God. "I asked Sharon if he’s simply ignoring us," Rabbi Elon told Haggai Segal. "He said, ‘please believe me. I have a plan.’" Asked if he believed Sharon, the Rabbi replied, "I’ll tell you. I believe only in God. All I see is national humiliation. The enemy is fighting and we have not yet given the order to go out and win" (israelnationalnews.com May 01). The humiliation and its pain result from failing the commandments to prevent and avenge the blood of your fellow Jew as God commanded. The best recourse is returning to the practices God commands.

"Even with all our difficulties, pain and tears," explained Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed of Beit El (near Ofra in Samaria), "we will gather our strength and step up the pace of our march to Redemption. Neither terrorism nor inner weakness can block our return to our Land, our Torah, to ourselves and to our G-d" (05-01-01). Here is the signal point: Jewish strength is based on Jewish identity, and Jewish identity is based on returning to Land, Torah and to God. This is the path of blessings on which the root of Israel becomes a blossoming sapling no matter how many blights it has endured.

"This is no time to be silent," commented Yehoshua Herling, whose father, Rabbi Benjamin Herling was murdered by Palestinians on Mt. Ebal October 19. "We are at war and must act accordingly. Silence of any other type is simply a vestige of exile" (israelnationalnews.com 05-03-01).

God gave Israel His "ordinances and commandments to live by them" (Ezekiel 20:11-13). To live and not die, or allow each other to be slain (tractate Shabbat 151b, Sanhedrin 73a, Yoma 85b, Rambam, Hilchot De’ot 6:3). In a war, one must act accordingly, not to conquer for its own sake but for the sake of Jewish life and observance of commandments for which that life is formed, including settlement of the Land. "So they will not be uprooted again from their Land that I have given them, says Hashem, your God" (Amos 9:15, haftara Acherei Mot). When it cherishes and protects the blood of its brothers and sisters, Israel will dwell "secure in the land of milk and honey, a Promised splendor to all the Lands" (Ezekiel 20:5-7, Deuteronomy 33:21-8).

The Herut party from which Likud devolved once understood the bond between security and possessing the entire Land, the bond between wholeness, unity and peace. That is the spirit expressed in Psalms 60 and 108, among others. "Mine is Gilead and mine is Menashe and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head," sang David. "Judah is my prince. Over Philistia I will shout. Upon Edom I will cast my shoe." When Israel accepts what it is it will secure its divinely mandated borders, do valiantly and trample its oppressors, the wicked and speakers of falsehood. "They will be swept stormily away and mankind will see and say, there is indeed a God who judges in the Land" (Psalm 58:10-12). Until the Land is whole, it will be at war.