We are happy to present you with our 16th Sovereignty bulletin, sent to members and supporters of our Sovereignty Movement. You are invited to read, get updated and join:
Hello, dear friends,
These are difficult times, times of economic crisis, when there are those who take advantage of this to deepen the rift among the people; the true cry that arises from the heart of the public is being distorted into scenes of anarchy and hatred. This is the time to instill faith and hope in the future of the State of Israel and the future of the People of Israel.
This is the time to return to the Zionist values that unified the People of Israel throughout its years, values of mutual responsibility, compassion, giving and kindness. This is the time to return to the basic Zionist values of longing for the Eternal People’s sovereignty in the Eternal Land and for these values to radiate the good that is within the People of Israel to the entire world, to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation spreading light to all the nations.
Focused Leadership
The Corona crisis is pushing the matter of sovereignty from the Israeli agenda. Voices are rising with the claim that at this time, the correct thing to do is to focus only on the battle against Corona, but statesmen of stature do not allow small or large crises to divert them from the goal toward which they are striving.
Political, economic, social and governmental difficulties did not deter the late Levi Eshkol or the late Menahem Begin when they brought about the application of Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. In this spirit, within the Likud and the party’s members of Knesset, the call is increasing for the Prime Minister to be strong and conduct the political battle along with the economic-social one.
As a public movement with a wide audience of supporters in all parts of the Land, we will continue to encourage those who make this call, among whom are Minister Ze’ev Elkin, Member of Knesset Sharren Haskel, head of Samaria Council Yossi Dagan, Member of Knesset Michal Shir, Minister Tzipi Hotovely, Member of Knesset Ariel Kellner and other senior members of the Likud who have expressed themselves similarly. Their public remarks calling for sovereignty, especially now, prove that the current mood, crises and difficulties do not deter true leadership from its path and the principles that it strives for.
Listen to the Americans
In an interview with Galei Tzahal (The IDF’s radio station) Jason Greenblatt, the U.S. President’s former envoy to the Middle East, presented the main points of the “Deal of the century”. Those remarks gave rise to the fear, again, that along with all of its clauses and dangers, the plan includes the chapter of establishing a Palestinian state in the heart of the Land of Israel.
Greenblatt defines this as ‘a realistic proposal for a state’ and emphasizes that if indeed, the parties in the negotiations progress according to the Trump outline, then the goal is the establishment of a Palestinian state that upholds the criteria detailed in several pages in the plan. These things are inter-dependent, he says, clearly and directly.
In light of these things, we must say it again and caution: Going according to the Trump plan is nothing other than a sugar coating of false and partial sovereignty covering the poisonous existential danger concealed in the establishment of an Arab terror state in the heart of our Land.
There is no way that we can agree to such an outline. The principle of ‘Yes to sovereignty, no to Palestine’ must continue to lead us in every discussion on the matter of sovereignty. We will support and promote an outline of sovereignty only if it can stand up to this principle. One does not make deals on the homeland, not theoretically and certainly practically.
Apart from this statement of principle, we will continue energetically the phases of Zionist sovereignty that does not entail dangerous cost to the future of Israel; we will continue to act to broaden the Israeli consensus on sovereignty in the Jordan Valley as a first step on the way to full sovereignty.
There are only a few in the Knesset that oppose sovereignty in the Jordan Valley. From Yamina to the Likud, the haredi factions, Blue and White, Derech Eretz, Telem, most of the Yesh Atid faction and part of the Labor party, all agree on the need for sovereignty in the Jordan Valley. On behalf of this consensus, we will act toward this first step of sovereignty that will unite the people around the return of the basic values of Zionism, the return of the People of Israel to its only Land.
Sovereignty – the Government’s Reason for Being
We mention here the clear and sharp remarks made by Member of Knesset Sharren Haskel of the Likud on the real and essential goals of the present coalition in light of the lack of stability emanating from the political sphere:
In the ZOA’s Internet event, Member of Knesset Haskel expressed her opinion that the coalition would not last, that it would disintegrate if sovereignty is not applied. In her remarks to the participants of the internet conference she stated that her words do not express her opinion only, this is the opinion of other members of Knesset from the Likud as well. According to her, the present coalition is not a natural one and one of the only reasons that the Likud members of Knesset agreed to support it was the need to seize the opportunity to apply sovereignty before the elections in the United States in November.
In the visit that she made together with Michal Shir in Hevron and the Cave of the Patriarchs, Haskell said, in an interview for the internet site Kipah: “For me, this government is really difficult. We have deep ideological differences. This government’s reason for existing is sovereignty. If sovereignty is not applied as we want, what accomplishment can we present to our voters?”
During this visit, Haskell also cited the Prime Minister’s own words and in remarks that were presented in Arutz 7, she stated: “As the Prime Minister has said, the application of sovereignty is part of the coalition agreement - without the application of sovereignty, this government has no reason to exist”.
In an interview for Channel 20 as well, Member of Knesset Haskell made remarks in a similar vein, stating that if in the approaching weeks sovereignty will not be applied, there will be no choice but to go for elections. According to her, the willingness to sit in one government with those who hold opinions that conflict so much from those of the Likud, was only to promote the historic step of applying sovereignty. “If in the coming weeks, there will not be sovereignty, we will need to go to elections. There are steps that we need to take”.
For me, sovereignty is…
And this time, our guest columnist is Deputy Minister of Health, Member of Knesset Yoav Kish (Likud):
“For me, sovereignty is the order of the hour”.
The Encounter between History and Current Events
This week, we mark 80 years since the death of the leader of the Revisionist Movement, Ze’ev Jabotinsky. We take this opportunity to quote from the article by the head of the world leadership of the Beitar movement, Neria Meir, as it was published on the Arutz 7 site:
“At this time, when a small, extraordinary political window has opened, Jabotinsky would have said that full sovereignty must be done immediately over the entire area of Judea and Samaria. He would also have acted at this difficult time to encourage our brothers in the diaspora to return home to Israel, even if only because the diaspora is actually destroying our brothers these days”.
We hope and believe that the Revisionist Movement continues through the Likud, and through the power of its leaders to carry the banner of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, it will be possible to erect an iron wall of sovereignty against our enemies’ aspirations to expel us from our Land and establish a state on its ruins.
To read the entire article (Hebrew)
And despite all, we continue
Under the strict restrictions of Corona, we will hold this year as well, for the 26th year, the Erev Tisha b’Av Walk. We will raise our flag of sovereignty in eastern Jerusalem as well, where, unfortunately, there is still not enough Jewish presence.
Over the years of the Walk, which is a renewal of an ancient Jewish tradition, we have walked by our thousands, carrying the national flag proudly and fearlessly. This year only fifty people will represent us, in accordance with the directives of the Ministry of Health, but we all, each and every one of us, from various places throughout the Land and from abroad, will be able to follow the live broadcast along with the historical remarks and speeches in the assembly at the conclusion on the movement’s Facebook page and on the Arutz 7 site.
On the eve of remembering the destruction we will raise our flag and convey the message of sovereignty in unified Jerusalem.
(gershon elunson)
Shabbat shalom,
Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar