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Rabbi Shea Hecht is chairman of the board of NCFJE (National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education). He is a Rabbi and activist in the Jewish community. As a life strategist, Shea's expertise centers on family crisis intervention- particularly as a marriage counselor and helping troubled youth and a drug abuse and cults counselor. He has spent many years fostering racial harmony and diversity and he is a liaison between the government/law enforcement and the people.
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By Rabbi Shea Hecht
July 26, 2005
Over recent years a major part of Israel's economy collapsed, causing Israeli citizens great financial hardship. Tourism, which used to be the number one money-maker for Israel, was killed off by the latest Intifada. This made the financial situation so difficult that for a time, Jewish organizations found it necessary to advertise a "Go Israel" campaign to encourage people to visit the country -- making use of Israeli airlines, hotels, car rentals, etc. These organizations also wanted tourists to spend their money in local shops. Additionally, Israeli vendors traveled around the U.S. advertising "Buy Israel." Americans wouldn't travel to Israel, so Israeli vendors, on the verge of bankruptcy, were forced to come to the U.S. to sell their wares.
Israel's second money-maker has always been exports -- mainly of fruits and vegetables --particularly citrus fruits. I'm not a military expert or even a financial expert, but to me it seems that under the guise of peace, the Israeli government is looking to give up a chunk the country's second biggest source of income. The residents of Gush Katif, one of the settlements that Israel plans to give to the Palestinian Arabs, sell millions of dollars of its produce inside the country and exports more than US$60 million in produce to other countries.
The Israeli economy is still reeling from the suicide attacks, and now the Israeli government plans to give those that sent the bombers, a part of their major money making interest.
I certainly don't think we should be giving the land away, not from a religious perspective or a spiritual perspective, or a safety perspective, and I am not minimizing the issue of the government giving away the homes or farms that were cultivated, or the businesses that were built up over the years. Some of those factors against giving away land can be disputed, but how can we ignore the financial aspect of this issue? Numbers don't lie.
Many years ago, Israel made a similar mistake. For political reasons, Israel gave Egypt the Sinai desert with oil fields that Israel developed. Oil is something that Israel needs. Why didn't Israel keep one pipeline flowing into the country? Why didn't they lock in a low price for oil to Israelis or a guarantee of supplies?
Even if there is merit to giving land away for peace, why must they lump the businesses in with the land deal? Maybe we shouldn't be negotiating on this developed land or maybe we should get money for the businesses. Why are we giving away a $60 million business, which will also mean that so many people will lose their jobs? The Israeli government has hurt its own economy in the past, and they seem to be doing the same now.
Another issue is, where will Israel get the money to replace all the lost business that is to be given away? If they cripple themselves financially, they'll need financial aid from outside countries. That help would most likely come from the U.S., which would no doubt use the need as an opportunity to dictate what Israel should do. As long as Israel is reliant on the U.S. financially, Israel will be bound to take U.S. "advice".
If the plan goes through, Israel will end up losing much more than money. They are giving away their economic empowerment. Without money, Israel lacks standing at the world round table. Without money, Israel has no negotiating power. In fact I can't remember a time that the U.S. or the U.N., or any other country for that matter, sat and negotiated with a nation that didn't have money or resources.
Shortly after Ariel Sharon was elected and appointed Binjamin Netanyahu finance minister, Netanyhu lectured in a Manhattan hotel about the financial future of Israel. Netanyahu said that there was a time that Israelis were admired for their brain and not their brawn. Jews were viewed as smart, but unable to defend themselves. Since 1948, Israel proved to the world that Jews can defend themselves. Somehow with that change in attitude, people forgot that Jews also have good brains and business acumen.
These days Israel has areas of booming agriculture, business growth and advanced technology. Each of us should take a moment to understand what harm the Israeli government is doing by giving away the land, and thereby try to influence world opinion. More importantly, let us challenge the Israeli government and ask them to keep the land, keep the businesses, and keep the Israeli economy alive.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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