Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi HaRav Yisrael Meir Lau was interviewed by Yediot Tel Aviv, discussing ongoing events in the United Nations vis-à-vis efforts to create the State of Palestine.
“It is clear that our preference is an Eretz Yisrael that is in accordance to the Torah but if a [Palestinian] state is created, one that results of large settlements blocs and the removal of other yishuvim, I can understand this. It is exactly like [late Prime Minister Menachem] Begin gave away Sinai, resulting in the destruction of Yamit, but then, no one accused Begin of uprooting Israel. When we arrived [in Israel] there was already a nation living here.
Regarding negotiations surrounding the future of Jerusalem, the rav added; Jerusalem must remain for the final stage of negotiations. I hope that Jerusalem will not be compromised. We can continue with the current situation. After the Six Day War (1967), Ben-Gurion ordered [Jerusalem Mayor] Teddy Kollek to remove the wall towards unifying the eastern and western areas of Yerushalayim. Can you tell me that Tel Aviv and Jaffa don’t live in peace? Don’t we have Jews and Arabs living peacefully side by side in Haifa?
When asked to comment on the possible removal of large numbers of Jews from yishuvim in Yehuda and Shomron, the rav stated; These are matters for negotiations. I dream of the desirable but I know there is a reality and a willing to sacrifice a great deal. I don’t draw maps.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
But if Obama or a member of J-Street said something like this…
#1, of course! it’s only for us to say what we’re willing to do, not an American President who himself would never talerate a fraction of what we do..
Besides, he is talking about doing all this WITH Abbas making peace and agreeing to all security arrangements, not like that epty-head Obama who said we should do it with no peace and with nothing in return!
Use your head, please.