Author: Ben Packer

Originally from Petersburg, Virginia, Ben Packer moved to Israel in 1999, where he served in the IDF's Givati Brigade in the Gaza Strip. Ben served as a Rabbi on campus at Univ. of North Carolina and at Duke Univ. Ben now serves as Director of the Jerusalem Heritage House (www.heritagehouse.org.il) and Co-Director of Young Jewish Conservatives (www.youngjewishconservatives.org). He lives in the Old City of Jerusalem with his wife and 6 children.
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PACKERS CORNER: “Palestinians aren’t willing to play ball with the Trump Administration”

People are still getting over the 8 day jelly doughnut malaise that is Hanukah here in Israel, but despite this, there were some developments this week.

And here they are:

-The Syrian Government continues to consolidate their control over more areas of their former country – specifically in the area of the northern Golan Heights. They are doing this with the significant involvement of Hezbollah forces – which ain’t great for Israel. It remains to be seen if Hezbollah will attempt to maintain forces in close proximity to the Israeli border and, if they do, what will be Israel’s response.

-The fallout of President Trump’s Jerusalem declaration continues to be unimpressive. THANK G-D!

– A few more arabs have been killed in violent protests over the past week, but nothing serious.

-Meanwhile, despite the fact that the arab street has not rallied to the cause, Abu Mazen, the long-term dictator of the Palestinian Authority (PA), has been talking alot of smack against President Trump and the US. Well, things with this President are slightly different than with those in the past. Therefore, it is being reported in numerous outlets that the US is cutting off all ties with the leadership of the pa, as well as encouraging others to do the same. It would seem that if the Palestinians aren’t willing to play ball with the Trump Administration, then they will be made irrelevant and ignored. Negotiations will instead be carried out with Saudi Arabia and other arab countries as to how to best solve/manage the conflict. If significant funding is removed, it is hard to see how the PA could continue to function much longer.

-Finally, the proverbial veil has been lifted and its now public info that Turkey is attempting to return to control Jerusalem. (In fairness, over the past 500 years, the Turks controlled Jerusalem for about 400 of them. Jews are in distant second place at 50 years). They are spending alot of money and sending groups of Turkish tourists – dressed especially religious and with propaganda supporting the palestinian cause against Israel. They have zero chance of success, but Erdogan ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Israel’s current position is undeniably wonderful – economically, militarily and politically, but Prof. Mordechai Kedar puts it better in arabic.

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Our Moral Hypocrites

There was recently a “feel good” story in Israel that didn’t make me feel so good. I’ll explain why.  An Iranian female blogger for the Times of Israel (a publication I hold in very low esteem) living in Turkey believed herself to be in danger of being deported from Turkey back to Iran. There was fear that she could face punishment in her native Iran for her Israeli connections and possibly even the death penalty. (link – https://worldisraelnews.com/iranian-journalist-granted-refuge-in-israel-lands-in-tel-aviv/)
As a result of this potential life-endangering scenario, the Ultra-Orthodox Israeli Minister of the Interior Aryeh Deri granted the non-Jewish woman asylum in Israel. After some Turkish imposed delays, she arrived safely in Israel.
While I don’t know for sure how likely any of this actually was, including the death penalty part, I think I’m in the solid majority of opinion that its better to be safe than sorry in such cases and it was right of the Israeli Government to act as they did. Despite this, I am left with a bad feeling. Why?
Another story also came out this week (link: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/eye-on-palestine/palestinian-authority/report-israeli-police-collaborated-with-pa-agents-in-interrogating-arab-who-sold-hebron-building-to-jews/2017/08/04/) about a non-Jew who had contacts with Israeli Jews and faces a potential death penalty. But this story is much worse and, so far, doesn’t end as nicely. In this case, the arab sold properties to Jews in Hevron, a capital crime under the Palestinian Authority (PA) for which other offenders have been executed in the past. He is now being held in confinement by the PA in Hevron. Not only is Israel not helping him, according to reports they are actually actively incriminating him. And he’s not the only arab being held in Hevron for the “crime” of selling land to a Jew. Where is his asylum and that of others?
I have no problem rescuing a politically irrelevant blogger in Turkey, but woudn’t it be more moral and strategic to rescue the very relevant and very endangered arab(s) in Hevron?  I don’t expect the Times of Israel to take up their cause, but I think we should expect faithful Jews to do so.
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Fake Threats and the Wandering Jew Has Arrived

As all are certainly aware, there has recently been some drama surrounding (literally) the Temple Mount. This drama has been accompanied by grandiose threats from both local and foreign muslim terrorist leaders. From Mahmoud Abbas, dictator of the largest local arab mafia, “The Israelis will lose as a result of this.“ Others, such as Erdogan in Turkey and the little “King” in Jordan have been constantly predicting tragedy for Israel if security measures are not removed. Tons of endless threats. It reminds of the unwillingness of the new US Administration to move their Embassy to Jerusalem – the arab world will not tolerate it. There will be mayhem and chaos. blah, blah blah.

With the plethora of threats and doomsday predictions, I was reminded of a particular passage in quite an interesting book I recently read – “The Wandering Jew Has Arrived” by French journalist Albert Londres (Geffen Publishing House). The book is the result of Mr. Londres’ extensive investigations into the perilous situation of world Jewry in the year 1929. He first describes in detail the dire po‎sition of Jews in Europe – both Western and Eastern. He follows this by making a personal pilgrimage to the Land of Israel to see firsthand the situation of the Jews there. Mr. Londres is quite enamored by Zionism and the secular Zionists in Tel Aviv and the various kibbutzim. He is less enchanted, although maintains a certain respect, by the religious Jews, both in Europe and Israel. (He would probably be surprised to hear that his book encouraged me to grow my peyos out.)

At the end of the book, there is a dialogue between the author and local arab leaders in Jaffa. At the end of the conversation about the recent massacres of Jews in Hevron and other cities, Mr. Londres recalls a discussion he previously had with the current Mayor of Jerusalem, Ragheb Bey al-Nashashibi.  In that conversation, Al-Nashashibi said that as long as the Balfour Declaration stood, there would have to be more massacres. The author then said to him, “you can’t kill all the Jews. They number one hundred and fifty thousand. It would take too long!” To which the Mayor responded “Two days.” The author pointed out that would be “seventy-five thousand per day.”  The answer from the Mayor: “No problem!” The other arab notables all completely agreed with this sentiment.

Now for the best part: the journalist’s response:

“So, gentlemen, when the British board their ships, do me a favor and send me a telegram. I think that you are overestimating your strength. The new Jews are not going to let themselves bleed to death. I am even certain that they will pay you back in kind. It will be a tough battle. Here is my address. Don’t forget to notify me.”

A few years later, Mr. Londres perished in a fire. However, safe to assume the arabs never wrote to him with an update. Empty threats from the arabs are not new. You’d think we’d realize that by now. Often reading a book set in the past helps us to better understand the present. The Jewish People are not going to lose, regardless of Abbas’, Erdogan’s, or Abdullah’s  empty threats or Bibi’s pathetic capitulations. Its just very likely that in the future they might look as silly as these jokers do in this book.

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Which is worse – UNESCO or Bibi?

The Israeli Government is all up in arms over the decision by UNESCO today to recognize the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hevron as an “endangered palestinian heritage site”. Condemnations are flowing in from various Government officials.

Here’s the problem: These are the exact same Israeli Government officials who have refused to allowed Jews to move into houses they have legally purchased in Hevron. Refused to allow building by Jews on Jewish-owned properties for decades. Refused to renovate the Jewish prayer section of the very same Tomb of the Patriarchs so that Jews can pray without fear of weather elements and wildlife.

All of this has NOT been done for fear of offending the very same terrorists who brought this motion to the UN.

Quite frankly: its time for Bibi and his cheerleaders to put up or shut up.

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Palestinian News is Fake News

This past Friday, a group of Jewish hikers, accompanied by the IDF, visited an archaeological site known as “Hilkiah Palace” near Hevron. (source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/227596)
According to the article on Arutz Sheva, as a result of the tour, an elaborate tunnel system from the time of the Bar Kochba revolt was discovered and explored. Its very important to note that the entire site wasn’t even discovered until 2014!!!
Now of course, the Arabs have a different take and, without any evidence whatsoever, claim: “that Khirbet al-Muwarraq is one of the most important Roman Empire-era archaeological sites in the occpupied Palestinian territory and represents an important part of Palestinian heritage.” (from fake Maan News – http://www.maannews.com/Content.aspx?id=776222) 
 
Now here’s the problem: the Hilkiah Palace is in Area B. If it were in Area C, visits and development would always be allowed. However, because its is Area B, visits are very limited and responsible development (as opposed to arab plunder missions) is deemed impossible. 
 
This is not right! Rejecting Oslo means rejecting all of Oslo. This is exactly what needs to be done. I’m not suggesting we immediately remove autonomy from heavily-populated arab areas, but there needs to be better national priorities. Sites like this castle and Joshua’s Tomb in Kifl Hares (also Area B), the graves of Pinchas and others in Awarta (also Area B) and of course Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem (ostensibly Area A) must be placed under Israel control! These sites, and many others, must be developed and made accessible to religious visitors and tourists.