CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Reflections On President Clinton's

Alliance With Terror In Gaza

By Rabbi Eliezer Waldman

Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshivat Kiryat Arba

[ 2 Tevet 5759]

The President of the United States, Mr. Clinton, was received in Gaza with much pomp and ceremony. For days in advance American flags were produced to be waved for the leader of the world who was to give respectability to the PLO cause. Thousands of small flags were given to children to wave, and gigantic flags were sewn to be hung next to the PLO flag showing how the United States supports the PLO. Pictures of Arafat and Clinton together with raised hands were displayed with the slogan, "We have a Dream". This dream includes the destruction of the Jewish State.

The President was in all his glory as he addressed the international gathering of terrorists. He applauded the achievements of murderers to proclaim their freedom and independence on Jewish soil. He congratulated them on their new airport which he personally initiated at the ceremonial ribbon­cutting ceremony. He failed to acknowledge that this airport will be used to smuggle arms to be used to implement the goals of Arab terror. He reminded his audience about how much money was raised for the PLO in Washington, and how he would personally continue to raise money for them. His words of praise brought the terrorist dignitaries to their feet with a standing ovation for their good friend from the United States.

Mr. Clinton admitted to his audience how he was personally moved to tears at the plight of the innocent children of Arab murderers of Jews who are in Israeli prisons. Although he did not hear the plight of the innocent children of the victims of those murderers, he declared that it is time that something is done to stop the misery of children from both sides. For this too the President received resounding applause from the murderers. His remarks, while seemingly reasonable on the surface, were, in fact, bordering on incitement to murder. By invoking sympathy for murderers, implying that they be freed to stop the tears of their children, was nothing less than justification for murder. The children weren't crying because of something the Israelis did. They were crying for what their fathers did. Their fathers were responsible for the tragedies of both Jewish and Arab children. How dare the President suggest that Israel as much as consider releasing murderers? By equating the tragedy of both sets of children, the President was not only irresponsible, but acted immorally by suggesting legitimacy to acts of terror.

This entire circus was orchestrated by the American President in order to convince the Israeli government that the PLO really is complying with their part of the bargain, and thus pressure Israel to retreat from more of her homeland. All of the murderers stood up and raised their hands in support of Arafat's meaningless declaration. And, all the while, Arafat's supporters were stoning Jewish soldiers and civilians in Bethlehem, Hebron, Shechem and other parts of Judea and Samaria. Near the Jewish community of Shavei Shomron a seventeen­year­old Jewish girl was stabbed in the back by an Arab. The PLO media continued to incite against Israel, calling for the liberation of "all of palestine". And the PLO "Justice" department enacted a law making ownership of "Palestinian" land by non­Arabs a crime punishable by death.

After the President was on his way home, the thrifty Arabs found another use for the American flags they had saluted at the ceremony. In reaction to the bombing of Saddam Hussein by the United States, they set those flags on fire. Surely Mr. Clinton must know that Saddam Hussein's closest ally is Arafat. No matter how joyous the ceremony, the true feelings and aspirations of Arafat and his followers are not friendship for the United States. Just like Arafat will shake hands with Bibi, because he knows that he can get so much more with a handshake than he can with a gun, so too he can put on a good show for the American president when it suits his purpose. Among those who stood and applauded for President Clinton in Gaza were those who took part in the murder of American diplomats. . . this includes Arafat himself! There can be no doubt that Clinton knew this, but the charade served his personal interests. For this he was willing to suffer the humiliation of playing the fool, and degrading the image of the United States of America before terrorist murderers. Wasn't the burning of the American flag a just punishment for the President's crime of saluting the flag of the PLO terrorists at that celebration in Gaza?

Clinton did speak beautifully before his Israeli audiences. He expressed his admiration for the Jewish people and recalled his promise to his pastor never to let down the Jewish State. He spoke with great respect about the Bible and the realization of the Zionist dream of Jewish return to the Promised Land. Can it be that the Bible of Mr. Clinton obligates us to share the Promised Land with Arafat? It makes one wonder how such a knowledgeable Christian could participate in distortion of Biblical destiny when talking to the PLO, yet display such profound admiration for the Jewish people and our Biblical destiny while in Israel. He knows to whom this Land was promised. . . and it wasn't to the PLO. Not only does the Bible speak about the intrinsic connection between the Jewish People and the Promised Land, but it also describes what will happen when the Land is in the hand of foreigners. "And I will make the Land desolate and your enemies who settle there will become desolate upon it." (Leviticus 26:32) This is why, for two thousand years of our exile, the land remained desolate. Only the unique combination of the Jewish People and the Land of Israel can cause life to blossom here.

While I can never accept Prime Minister Netanyahu's efforts to make Oslo work, and while I deplore the fact that he even decided to go to Wye, I am pleased that he had the courage to stop the madness in spite of direct and strong pressure by Clinton to continue. The American President might have made himself a laughing stock at Gaza, but he doesn't have to live here. He will be in the United States, far away from the troubles he helped to foment in the Middle East. Our Prime Minister at least seems to realize that he cannot afford to share Clinton's humiliation by the terrorist gangster, Arafat. For him every mistake costs Jewish lives. No sooner did Israel retreat from Jenin, then we saw Arabs begin to shoot at Jews and then escape to safety in these very areas.

Clearly the PLO never intended to make peace with Israel. They have shown, again and again that they are only using our desire to make peace as a tool to weaken us. The office of the Prime Minister has been issuing countless examples of PLO violations of every agreement they signed. When a legal contract is violated, in any society, that contract becomes null and void. The PLO covenant may not have been nullified, but the Oslo and Wye agreements have been nullified by the violations of the PLO.

The only process which is alive and flourishing is the Divine Process of Zionism. The Jewish people have been reunited with their Land, and authentic Jewish life has been renewed in the heart of Eretz Yisrael. We were privileged to witness a barren desert turn into a flourishing garden. It is irresponsible and immoral for any Jewish leader to lose hope in the Divine Process of Zionism at a time when we are so close to its climax. Rather than continuing a false peace which demands Jewish surrender and stimulates terror, we must stop and reverse the process. The responsibility of Jewish leadership is to continue the Zionist vision, knowing that only this will bring true peace and blessing to Israel and all the nations of the world.

Broadcast on Arutz-7 National Radio on November 26, 1998