Our Deed to the Land

I think that this article describes MK Moshe Feiglin of the Manhigut Yehudit- Jewish Leadership, wing of the Likud completely.

The Jerusalem Knock Out: By Moshe Feiglin

Translated from the Makor Rishon newspaper.

28 Iyar, 5767
May 16, 2007

"Shalom, this is Gideon Levi from the Ha'aretz newspaper," said the voice on the other end of the phone line. "On Sunday, I will be moderating a symposium on the topic of Jerusalem. Health Minister Yuli Tamir will be there, Faisal Husseini from the Palestinian Authority will speak, and I will be happy if you would also come," he says.

The Jerusalem Theatre is filled with Jerusalem Leftists -- all sorts of "human rights" types. A film depicting the suffering of Jerusalem's Arabs under the Israeli occupation is screened. At the end, the audience is palpably angry.

"I am honored to present the Jerusalemite who holds the Education portfolio in the Palestinian Authority, Dr. Faisal Husseini," says Gideon Levi. Loud applause accompanies Husseini as he ascends the steps to the stage and seats himself near the small coffee table at center stage. "Our second guest is Health Minister Professor Yuli Tamir." The honorable minister also enjoys loud applause as she sits next to Husseini. "And our third guest, Mr. Moshe Feiglin." I don't hear any catcalls, but the absolute silence shouts even louder. I walk between the rows of seats to the stage. But before I could ascend the stairs, Husseini gets up, stands at the top of the steps and greets me with his outstretched hand. His hand remains in the air. I ignore him and seat myself next to Yuli Tamir.

"Before we begin our discussion," Levi says, "I must ask you a question, Mr. Feiglin. A respectable, mature person gets up in your honor and wishes to shake your hand. Why don't you respond in kind?" "Mr. Husseini is my enemy," I answer simply. "He wants my Jerusalem. Would you shake the hand of someone who demands your home?"
The discussion begins. Husseini speaks about his family who has lived in Jerusalem for 600 years. He speaks of the good neighborly relations between the Arabs and Jews, depicting the pastoral Garden of Eden that existed in Jerusalem before the Jewish conquest. "When the occupation will end," he concludes his words to the vigorous nodding of Minister Tamir, "we will once again live in peace."

"You know what, Faisal?" I turn to Husseini in a friendly tone. "We have something in common that nobody else in this auditorium shares." Husseini looks at me in surprise. The audience becomes alert, waiting for peace to break out in the hall. "I think that you and I are the only people in this entire auditorium that believe in G-d," I continue. "You do believe in G-d, isn't that correct, Mr. Husseini?" Husseini nods his agreement. "Now look," I continue. "I have brought a Bible with me. This is my holy book." I take a Bible out of my briefcase and place it on the coffee table. "Jerusalem appears in my holy book more than 800 times. You can count if you would like." Husseini nods his head, looking confused.

"I also brought another book," I continue as I pull a Koran that I had borrowed from the library out of my briefcase. "This is a Koran. It is your holy book. Is that correct?" Husseini nods his agreement. I place the Koran on the coffee table next to the Bible. "Can you please count how many times Jerusalem appears in your holy book? You will not have to work hard, because it doesn't appear at all. Now tell me -- to whom does Jerusalem belong? To the People of the Bible or the People of the Koran?"

To my surprise, the audience begins to applaud. This is the language with which we will retain our sovereignty over Jerusalem.

Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem Day

This Wednesday, the 28th of Iyaar, the entire Jewish World will celebrate Jerusalem Day, the day when, in 1967, Jerusalem was liberated by the IDF from the Jordanians and for the first time in over 2000 years, the Temple Mount was in Jewish hands. Jews have never forgotten Jerusalem. Thousands of years ago, when our ancestors were first exiled out of the Holy Land by the Babylonians, they cried poignantly: "If I forget thee O Jerusalem, may my right hand lose its cunning. May my tongue stick to its palette if I do not remember thee, if I don't exalt Jerusalem during my greatest celebrations." On the 28th of Iyaar, 1967, the Chief Rabbi of the Israel Defence Forces, R. Shlomo Goren, carried a Sefer Torah to the Kotel, blew shofar and recited Psalms. Yitzhak Rabin, Chief of Staff, described the scene: “We stood among a tangle of battle-weary men who were unable to believe their eyes or restrain their emotions. Their eyes were moist with tears, their speech incoherent. The overwhelming desire was to cling to the Wall, to hold on to that great moment as long as possible.” The overwhelming announcement came "The Temple Mount is in Our Hands".
The Jewish People have always prayed facing Jerusalem. Every Passover seder has concluded with the words "Next Year in Jerusalem!". During every Jewish wedding, a glass is smashed in memory of the destruction of the Temple.
It is said that once Napoleon was passing a synagogue and heard sounds of lamentation. "Why are the Jews crying., he asked. "They are mourning the loss of Jerusalem," one of his officers replied. "How long ago was that?." he asked. "More than seventeen centuries ago," the officer replied. "A people that can mourn the loss of Jerusalem for so long, will one day have it restored to them," Napoleon said. And so it was, we have returned.
Jews have never lost faith that one day, Hashem would return us to our ancestral land and that He would have mercy on us and redeem us. There is a story told in the Talmud of the Rabbis standing on Mount Scopus looking at the desolation and destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. One Rabbi burst out into tears as he saw a fox wandering through what was once the Holy of Holies. The rabbis wept. Rabbi Akiva smiled. "How can you smile?" they asked. "The place that was once the most sacred spot on earth is now laid waste and fox is walking across the Holy of Holies where once only the High Priest was allowed to enter, and only on the holiest of days. "I smile," Rabbi Akiva replied, "because the prophets prophesied that Jerusalem would be laid waste, and they prophesied that it would be rebuilt. Now that the one prophesy has been fulfilled, can we doubt that the other will be likewise?"
How can we doubt that the other will be likewise? Let us all raise up our voices and thank Hashem the Merciful for the great miracles that He has wrought for the House of Israel and pray for the time of the Final Redemption when 'nations shall not lift up swords against one another; neither will they learn war anymore'. Amen, Selah!