I read about fifty emails and articles about Israel and the "situation" every day. I am starving for news of what is happening right at this moment. My early adult life was spent in Israel, stopping every hour to the six beeps heralding the news. The streets of the towns and the equipment on the M'shakim stopped to hear the latest on the "situation." It is a hard habit to break. I spend my days and nights listening to the TV and occasionally expending the effort to focus on the ticker at the bottom of the screen while the "talking heads" continue to babble.

There is a consensus, or appears to be a consensus among all of the talking heads on the Left and Right, that Israel is behind the withdrawal. I just heard Charles Krauthammer, a noted friend of Israel; tell the world that "there is a consensus among Israelis that supports the withdrawal."

Hasbara!!!!!!!!! Again, we fail in Hasbara. Ever since the first armistice, we have been able to win the battles on the field of arms, and we have always known that we were losing the battles of propaganda.

The pundits are telling us that Arik has successfully formed a broad-based coalition. They are telling us that the Israelis want this disengagement; that the Israelis support the government. The only exception, according to these pundits, is a very small group of "right wing extremists."

I used to freely visit Kever Rahel Immenu. I trained Shlav Bet in the fledgling new (1970) settlement of Qiriat Arba. We used to run down the road to Me'Arat HaMakhpela for prayers. This is our homeland. This is our home.
The duly elected government of the State of Israel has been overthrown in a bloodless Coup D'Etat. There is no consensus that I can see coming out of Israel. The residents of the Jewish towns of Israel have either been lied to by every government of Israel for thirty-eight years or they were told the truth until the Sharon government decided that the truth had to be replaced with another truth.

I remember when the President of the United States of America said that there must be "adjustments" in the final borders between the Israelis and the [so-called] Palestinians, taking into account the "facts on the ground." This was a clear signal that Israel should negotiate with the PA as to what should be removed and what should remain. There have been no negotiations. There has only been "unilateral" decision-making. Everyone who gets in the way of this Prime Minister is removed, and replaced with Leftie Labor Dupes. The Prime Minister of Israel should look in the mirror and try to see if there is any remaining shadow of the man Israel elected.

The PA has not changed its rhetoric. The PA has not changed the Fatah Charter. The PA has armed more people as "police" and has refused to disarm the terrorist organizations in their PA administered areas. The PA and its knew chief Abu Abbas have not made a single move toward coexistence. They retain their rhetoric of a "temporary two-state solution," as they proceed to the ultimate goal of "a single State of Palestine in all the territory of Palestine." Who is listening when they still shout hatred at us? Is it only the "few Right-Wing Extremists?"

HaShem is my witness. We have stood at The Sea before. HaShem has redeemed us before. We must all remember that as we enter the three weeks we will all be under an order of evacuation. We must remember that at the end of the three weeks, we should expect Ge'ula. The promise of Tisha B'Av is that our tears of sadness will be turned to tears of joy. I cannot support the government of Israel or the Government of the United States at this time, on this issue. I find my Bitachon in HaShem and have no need to look to man for redemption.

Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim
Petition HaShem for the peace of Yerushalayim

© 2005 Rabbi Haim Cassorla

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Rabbi Haim Cassorla