Wednesday, November 02, 2011

No Jerusalem, no Zionism

Dror Eydar

The blade has been drawn from its sheath. Peace Now is denying that ancient Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Well, we already knew they felt that way. But notice that the petition against the recognition of unified Jerusalem as Israel's capital was submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court in the name of "peace." This poor "peace." The Oslo Accords' victims were forgiven because they were all victims of this "peace." Israelis continue to support the campaign to delegitimize Israel, of course in the name of "peace." Israeli soldiers walk around campuses throughout the world and slander Israel, in the name of -- you guessed it -- "peace." We can safely announce a new entry in the Hebrew dictionary: peace, as defined by Peace Now. The definition will include the injustices done to Israel as a country, and to the citizens of Israel wherever they reside in the world, as well as the sick opinions we have to contend with, mostly from the generous minds of those who belong to the "Peace for Nothing" movement.

It's hard to believe, but the petition was also submitted in the name of Zionism -- another virtue that has been indiscriminately desecrated. Obstacles have repeatedly been placed in the way of Jewish settlement for the sake of Zionism. Have we ever heard of a settlement that was established by Peace Now? Sending teams with photographers to snitch on Israel, which is, heaven forbid, building houses in the Jewish people's historical homeland, is wonderful Zionism!

It seems that a majority of Israeli citizens understand the terms "peace," "settlement," and "Zionism" differently. Even "Jerusalem" is understood differently. On the other hand, to Peace Now members, ancient Jerusalem, the City of David, the Temple Mount, and the Jewish nation's heart all belong to the Palestinian collective. In their view, ten portions of conflict came down to earth, and nine were taken by Jerusalem.

But the deeper truth is that there is no Zionism without Zion, which is Jerusalem.
The pioneers who came to Israel and landed on the sand dunes of Jaffa dreamed of historic Jerusalem, the city to which they were carried by the wind. In the name of Jerusalem, generations of Jews kept their dreams of returning to Zion alive. Only on the strength of an oath made by those who were exiled to Babylon -- "If I forget thee O Jerusalem, may my right hand lose its cunning" -- did the wind blow in the sails of the ship of Zionism.

The attempt to portray tiny pre-1967 Israel as satisfied with Rehavia and Tel Aviv is a lie. We never gave up our dream of reconquering Jerusalem, of renewing our presence there. We need not fear the word "conquer." Man desires to conquer his maiden's heart. The Jewish people have dreamed for thousands of years of returning and conquering the heart of beloved Jerusalem, the heart of the land of Israel.

The petition to the U.S. Supreme Court is yet another stage in our struggle for sovereign existence in this land, the land coveted by our forefathers. U.S. organizations that support a petition to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital will go down in history as those who stood up for justice and integrity even in difficult times. We are not dependent upon the U.S. judicial system, but this is its chance to establish historical justice and restore the credibility of the U.S.'s foreign policy.

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