The Land of My Fathers

The sole claim that Klal Yisroel has to the Land of Israel is based on the fact that Hashem gave it to our forefathers to be passed on to their descendents. But to listen to Israeli spokespersons and officials, one would think that the Land of Israel was discovered by them in much the same way that Columbus discovered America.

In his comments explaining the ceasefire that he had reached with Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said:

From the day the State of Israel was established, it has had to deal with complex challenges in the Middle East, and we can all see that these challenges have increased in complexity in the last few years. Under these conditions we are required to navigate this ship, the State of Israel, wisely and responsibly while taking into account all considerations – military and political alike.

We have had to deal with complex challenges in the Middle East since the time of the Avos, but for Bibi it seems that the clock starts from the day the State of Israel was established.

He then went on to thank everyone and his uncle for the great success that he was claiming for the State of Israel:

I would like to thank my colleagues, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman. We worked together as a team, in full agreement. I also thank the Nine-Member Ministerial Forum, the Cabinet and the Government, for working – each in its field of responsibility – for the citizens of Israel. I also appreciate the factions of the Opposition and the factions in Knesset for standing with us and proclaiming their support. I thank the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz, the Chief of Shin Bet, Yoram Cohen, the Director of the Mossad, Tamir Pardo, and all of their people for their exceptional efforts in reaching our accomplishments in Pillar of Defense. On behalf of the people of Israel, I thank the IDF commanders and soldiers, the pilots, the Iron Dome operators and developers, the members of the intelligence services, and to the reservists, who left their families.

With one exception, he pretty much got everyone in.  By the way, did anyone see Hashem at the news conference?

He must have been in Florida.

Bibi then closed with:

…and above all – I salute you, the citizens of Israel. We have a strong army; we have a strong people.  I am proud to be your Prime Minister.

Personally I’m ashamed, but at least it’s clear why Hashem didn’t rate so much as an honorable mention in his remarks.  It seems that we have a strong army.

It would have been a very big Kiddush Hashem for Bibi to have stated that this is the Land of my Fathers and to acknowledge Who gave it to them.

He didn’t.

But, as they say, Nature abhors a vacuum so someone else said it instead:

Palestine, from the river to the sea, from the north to the south, it is my land. And the land of my fathers and grandfathers, inhabited by the Palestinians from a long time ago. This is my land, my right,” said Khaled Mashaal, the Numero Uno of Hamas in his comments as to the ceasefire.

I don’t know what’s worse. The fact that Bibi didn’t say it or that no one challenged Khaled Mashaal when he did.