Speak Up for Israel
- The Jewish people are the indigenous people of Israel, Judea/Samaria and Jerusalem. The word “Jew” comes from “Judea” – where the Jewish people lived for over 3,000 years. The Jewish kingdoms existed for hundreds of years. There was always a Jewish presence in Israel.
- Jerusalem is the eternal, indivisible capital of Israel and the Jewish people. The 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act stated: “In 1996, the State of Israel [] celebrate[d] the 3,000th anniversary of the Jewish presence in Jerusalem since King David’s entry.” Jews always lived in Jerusalem, and were the largest religious group in Jerusalem since the first census in 1840.
- Jerusalem is the Jewish people’s holiest city and site of the first and second Jewish Temples – the holiest Jewish site. Jewish holy books mention Jerusalem 700 times. The Koran never mentions Jerusalem. Throughout the millennia, Jews always pray for Jerusalem and pray facing Jerusalem. Muslims pray facing Mecca, and have no prayers for Jerusalem.
- International legally binding treaties, including the San Remo Resolution, the Anglo-American Treaty (a U.S. treaty obligation), Feisal-Weitzman Treaty, and League of Nations Mandate to Britain, designated Israel, Jerusalem and Judea/Samaria for the Jewish homeland. Israel is not an “occupier” because these areas are no other nation’s sovereign land.
- Jewish “settlements” (communities) are legal under binding international law. These communities
- In 1937, 1947, 2000 and 2008, Palestinian Arabs rejected extremely generous offers to give them a state on land legally designated for the Jewish homeland. Why? Because the Palestinian-Arabs refused to recognize Israel within any borders – no matter how small. The Arabs wanted to maintain their genocidal goal of destroying and replacing all of Israel.
- There is no legal requirement to give Palestinian-Arabs a state. The Oslo Accords never mention statehood. Then-Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin stated that Oslo envisioned a Palestinian entity that is “less than a state.” A Palestinian-Arab state would be an Iranian-proxy Hamas-Fatah-PFLP terror state, dedicated to Israel’s destruction.
- There was never a Palestinian Arab state in Israel, Jerusalem or Judea/Samaria. Ever.
- Arab “Palestinians” are not indigenous to Israel. Most immigrated into Israel from Arab nations (Egypt, Syria, etc.) and from northern Africa (Algeria, etc.) after waves of Jewish communities started rebuilding Israel in the mid-to-late 1800s through mid-1900s. “Palestinian” Arab last names reveal their origin in Egypt, North Africa and elsewhere.
- The term “Palestine” is from the Roman term “Philistina” – a name given to the area by the Romans to de-Judaize it. If this was Arab land, why does it not have an Arab name?
- In 1948, six Arab nations invaded Israel, killing 1% of Israel’s Jewish population. The Arab High Command created the “Palestinian refugees” by telling Israel’s Arabs to leave, to give the invading Arab armies a clear path for murdering Jews. About 360,000 Arabs left. Israel urged the Arabs to stay. Many did, and became Israeli citizens with full civil rights. Arabs serve as Supreme Court judges, Knesset members and in every walk of life in Israel.
- In the 1948 Arab war to annihilate Israel, Jordan captured and illegally occupied the eastern portion of Jerusalem (the “Old City” including the Jewish quarter) and Judea/Samaria (which Jordan renamed “the West Bank”) for 19 years. In 1967, Israel recaptured these areas in a defensive war after Jordan attacked Israel again. In 1988, Jordan relinquished claims to the areas Israel recaptured in 1967. “Palestinian” Arabs never sought or established a state in eastern Jerusalem or Judea/Samaria when Jordan illegally occupied these areas for 19 years.
- During Jordan’s 19-year illegal occupation of Jerusalem and Judea/Samaria, Jordan blew up 58 centuries-old Jewish synagogues; killed or expelled the Jews; pillaged tombstones from the 3000-years-old Jewish cemetery to line latrines; had Arab snipers shoot Jews in western Jerusalem; denied Jews access to their holiest religious sites; and discriminated against Christians. Jordan prohibited Christians and churches from buying land, required Christian schools to teach the Koran, and disallowed Christian holidays. Arab leaders did not even bother visiting Jerusalem. Jordan let eastern Jerusalem to fall into disrepair.
- Today, 98% of Palestinian-Arabs in Judea/Samaria are ruled bytheirown government - the Palestinian Authority (PA), and have their own parliament, schools, media and institutions.
- The PA incites terror and hatred against Jews and Christians, in schools, media, PA-controlled mosques, etc. PA President Mahmoud Abbas repeatedly called on Palestinian-Arabs to “spill blood” to prevent Jews’ and Christians’ “filthy feet” from “defiling” Jerusalem. The PA pays Arab terrorists over
- Israel’s security barrier was built to stop Palestinian terror attacks/Intifadas. During the Second Intifada (2000-2005), Palestinian-Arabs murdered and maimed approximately 10,000 Jews, in bombings of pizza stores and Passover Seders, shootings, stoning and stabbings.
- In 2005, Israel withdrew from every inch of Gaza in 2005, uprooting 21 Jewish communities. Hamas took control and launched over 20,000 rockets into Israel. Israel gives truckloads of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Hamas sabotages Israel’s help, including by burning gas lines, and destroying crossings. Israel’s lawful blockade only prevents more arms from reaching Hamas.
From The Zionist Organization of America [email protected] | website: zoa.org