We are happy to present you with our Sovereignty bulletin # 35, sent to members and supporters of our Sovereignty Movement. You are invited to read, get updated, send us your comments and join:
Dear friends,
Happy Hanukah
The holiday of Hanukah is the holiday of sovereignty, the holiday when the People of Israel commemorate its just and successful battle for the right of sovereignty over its Land. We see the image of the Maccabees in front of our eyes, standing strong and resolute, with a challenge against the many, with the sword in their hands and the belief in historical justice in their hearts, determining eternal loyalty and attachment to the Land of Israel.
The Greek Empire, which had imbued the entire world with its concepts, tried to undermine the Jewish People’s right to its Land, and today as well, the People of Israel stands against the many and the powerful, who seek to cut off the People of Israel from the Land of Israel, but as it was then, so it is today – we will stand firm for our historic right, we remember and know that ultimately, truth is eternal. Those peoples of the world who recognize it and stand by our side, will find themselves entitled to stand on the side of truth, justice and morality, while those peoples who still have not internalized this will understand, sooner or later, that they have chosen the dark, false and brutal side of history.
We must, however, remember the great mission of our generation, the generation of redemption. The Hasmonean monarchy was short-lived. After about eighty years, this chapter of Jewish history ended because we bowed our head to alien culture that had infiltrated into the People of Israel and its leaders, loss of Jewish identity and the erosion of our sovereignty over our Land. We must be vigilant, lest we repeat the mistakes of the past. We must hold fast to our culture and our heritage, hold our heads high, cling to our homeland and be strong advocates for our sovereignty over it. The eternal People will anchor in its consciousness and the consciousness of all the peoples, the eternal nature of the living connection between it and the Land of Israel.
Elected representatives make the call: Sovereignty now!
This week, we held an exciting and very significant event, together with the many partners who joined us. Entitled “Lighting up Sovereignty in the Jordan Valley”, we lit the first light of Hanukah at the Sartava Fortress, overlooking the Jordan Valley and together with many public figures, members of Knesset and ministers, we called on the Prime Minister to apply Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley first, even before elections, even before the change of governments in the U.S.
We held the event, which was broadcast online to thousands of supporters in Israel and abroad, together with Jordan Valley Council, Regavim, the ZOA, Israel is Forever, AFSI and Save the West. Most members of Knesset, minister and public figures that participated in the event made sure to declare clearly that the step of sovereignty in the Jordan Valley must be only the first step toward the ongoing process of the application of sovereignty.
You can watch the filmed documentation of the important event here, but it is important to note that the support of MKs from various factions for the demand of sovereignty in the Jordan Valley is most encouraging. It seems that it really is possible to tell the Prime Minister that this step has sweeping and broad support among decision makers in the Knesset. The event was attended by public figures from various factions. The sovereignty coalition is taking on flesh and bones and in the near future, we will continue to act together with them, jointly, until there is full implementation of the vision of sovereignty.
Foreign peoples shall not determine our sovereignty
A few important points that were made during the event of Lighting up Sovereignty over the Jordan Valley:
MK Miki Zohar, Coalition Chairman, stated that sovereignty should be applied over the Jordan Valley even before the elections; he said that he has spoken with the Prime Minister about it and he will continue to act in this direction. To this, MK Zohar added emphatically that sovereignty in the Jordan Valley is just the beginning of a process and that sovereignty must be applied over the entire Land of Israel, because “We have no right to surrender any part of the Land of Israel, which was given to us by the Almighty.
MK Uzi Dayan spoke of his personal connection as a commander in the IDF with the Jordan Valley and with the Sartava site in particular. He stressed the need for development in the Jordan Valley in the aspects of agriculture, settlement and especially tourism, and said that together with the regional council heads he is preparing an orderly plan for significant and immediate development of the Jordan Valley, even during a transitional government.
Head of Jordan Valley Council, our friend and partner, David Elhayani, presented the extent of agriculture in the Jordan Valley, noting that when the first settlers came to the Valley, they found infertile ground and desolation, and that no one believed it would be possible to live there, but with hard work, they brought about a great and inconceivable revolution.
When Elhayani was asked whether Israel should wait for American or Arab consent before applying sovereignty in the Jordan Valley, he answered emphatically: “My opinion is strong and resolute that only the State of Israel should make the decision of whether to apply sovereignty over the Jordan Valley, and not the U.S., Britain, France or Germany. We must do it and not wait for the gentiles to tell us what our rights are over this Land”.
The People also says: Onward!
During this special event, we also presented the results of a survey, which examined the position of the entire Israeli public, from the Left to the Right, regarding the application of sovereignty over the Jordan Valley. Here too, the results indicate broad public support.
Only a third of the Jewish public in Israel opposes applying sovereignty in the Jordan Valley. The step is supported by 56 percent among the general public, 10 percent answered that they don’t know and only 33.5 percent opposed it. Among right-wing voters, the step wins sweeping support of approximately 81 percent, the number who oppose it stands at 9.6%, while 9.4 percent answered that they don’t know.
These results as well, provide a tailwind from the people to the elected representatives and toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the call to carry out the required step especially during this period before the change to a new White House administration and especially in light of the promises made by both Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, each in his own way, to apply sovereignty over the Valley.
The legal battle against terror is bearing fruit
This coming Sunday there will be another lecture in the Oz VeGaon Lecture Series, and this time with Atty. Niztana Darshan Leitner, Chairwoman of Shurat Hadin, which fights international legal battles on behalf of terror victims, against terror organizations and against international legitimization of these organizations. This lecture will be in English.
If you still have not joined in the lecture series, it is still possible to do it by contacting us by email [email protected]
Explaining (and teaching) sovereignty
The Sovereignty Youth project, Explaining Sovereignty, will conclude this coming Sunday with a fascinating seminar, in which will participate former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, Dr. Moti Kedar, economist Dr. Eran Bar Tal, the head of Gush Etzion Council and others.
Among other things, during the seminar, for the first time, the youths will have experience with short lectures in the style of TED lectures. The youths will experience preparing the topic focusing on the vision of sovereignty, presenting it and speaking about it before members of the movement. The next generation of Israeli leadership is well aware of the importance of fluent and clear advocacy. They will practice this skill, along with the hasbara skills, which they revealed during the Explaining Sovereignty Campaign, in meetings that were held throughout the country.
Dear youth, we are proud of every step and every act that you do on behalf of the Land of Israel!
The Sovereignty Youth seminar will be held in memory of our dear friend Helen Freedman, ob”m, co-executive Director of AFSI who passed away this summer. Helen dedicated her life to the Land and the People of Israel.
Changes in the U.S. and the implications to us
This week, we uploaded to the Sovereignty website the main points of a talk given by Israel’s former Ambassador to Washington, demographer Yoram Ettinger, with insights on the results of the U.S. elections and the implication for the future relations between the government of Israel and the White House over the next few years.
Ettinger gave the talk as part of the new season of Oz veGaon lectures. The audience of subscribers for the lectures continues to grow and again, if you still have not joined, you are invited to do so.
Click here to read Ettinger’s remarks
Shabbat shalom and Happy Hanukah
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar