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Rabbi Dov Avraham Ben-Shorr , originally from Cleveland, Ohio, lives with his family in a small community in the Hebron Hills. He is the founder and dean of Beith David Yeshiva. He also a writer, shohet (ritual slaughterer), mohel (circumcision), and Sofer Stam (Scribe).
www.beithdavid.org
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By Rabbi Dov Avraham Ben-Shorr
August 5, 2005
Leave it to the Yesha Council. Only they could take the collective strength, initiative and power of the entire settler movement and diffuse it, gently destroying it. Not unlike their promises, it becomes little more than hot air dissipating into the atmosphere.
I am not a big fan of "conspiracy theories." When I read reports of such worldwide collaborations, I immediately become suspicious of their conclusions. Albeit oftentimes the facts and insights they bring into the mechanisms of a particular event seem most perceptive and accurate, I am stricken with a healthy dose of skepticism every time they try and link these individual acts to some larger, worldwide conspiracy of evil. I have often found that, on the whole, evil is far more benign and petty, and far too self-centered to consolidate into far-reaching coordination of world events.
Yet, clearly with the Yesha Council, something is amiss, particularly in the current struggle with the government over "Disengagement." If they aren't directly working for the government of Israel, if they aren't on its payroll, then they ought to be.
It is a known rule amongst dictatorial regimes, that it is far easier to organize, direct and guide an opposition than suppress it. While "fringe" groups and "extremists" will be eliminated through arrest or other means, such regimes use or create opposition groups to give a focus and outlet for people's frustrations. This is why even in many of the most dictatorial of regimes, there is some opposition party, that while not tolerated officially, is never completely harassed into non-existence. A known opponent is better than an unknown enemy.
This method has also been employed by non-dictatorial nations as well. It is now documented that America's FBI has used this method by either infiltrating or creating "underground" opposition groups such as in the 60's. Israel too, has been known to use such methods, sometimes to its own detriment, in dealing with the local Arab population; the creation of Hamas, an Israeli invention, comes to mind.
Israel has also used this method in dealing with its religious population, as with the creation of Eyal, the Jewish "terror organization" created by Shabak, to act as a magnet for "Jewish extremists."
I do not know that the "leaders" of the Yesha Council are working for the government, and I am hesitant to accuse anyone of actively torpedoing the struggle for the Land of Israel, but, even if it is through their innocence, Sharon hasn't any better allies than these "representatives," and their political advocates like Effie Eitam, and some of their rabbis.
Last week, the current battle, if not the total struggle for the Land of Israel could have been won. I pray that it was not lost.
Last week, had the tens of thousands of demonstrators simply continued forward, despite the thick cordon of soldiers and police, had they simply left the confines of Kfar Maimon, the battle would have been won. Non-violent struggle does not mean non-confrontational. In all successful civil disobedience protests, the demonstrators became the victims of the frustrated state's use of violent suppression. That's how the struggle was won; by pushing the limits of the state's patience, not by hailing them and calling them "brothers." We may not want to view the Jews who wear the uniforms of the state as enemies, but, today, they are clearly our opponents, and we must act as such.
In the final analysis, it doesn't really matter if the Yesha representatives are working with Sharon or not, for the Yesha Council has become his greatest ally. I suspect further that Sharon knows this, and is exploiting and manipulating this fact, with or without their cooperation.
For these representatives of the settler movement, in their zealousness to be the "leaders," have either marginalized would-be allies (with labels such as extremist or provocateur), or co-opted effective civil disobedience actions and reduced them to their symbolic, ineffective level (such as reducing effective roadblocking to "road-waving,") or obfuscating the issues, till no one really understands what to do (such as advocating "don't refuse orders, just tell them that you are unable.")
In a democracy, an individual is powerless. Only by banding together do citizens gain voice. When that voice is usurped by ineffective (or worse) leadership, the people remain mute.
It is time for new leadership that will remind us that this struggle, this battle, is only one front in the war (yes, war) for the character of the state, be it Jewish or Western. A leader is needed who isn't campaigning to be liked by the opposition, but voices the true aspiration of those he represents. At the same time he must help his constituents understand the nature of the struggle, its opponents and themselves. He needs to unite the disparate factions towards a common goal, and diligently engage the opponents of those goals, be they brother or foe.
The battle for the integrity of the Land of Israel has been engaged, I pray it was not lost at Kfar Maimon, but in any event it is only one battle in a much larger war that requires the removal of poor, weak leadership as well as the misguided philosophies that guide them.
It is a war we dare not lose. May HaShem send us a true leader, and open our eyes so that when he arrives, we will be able to recognize him.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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