Tears of Heaven

As a Jew, it distresses me to see the mess going on over the Peace House in Hebron. This house, from all I have read was legally purchased by Jews. The Israeli courts have ruled those living in the house need to be evicted until the matter is settled. The Jews who bought the house and most of the settlers have been labeled as extremists. I can sympathize with their anguish. They want to be able to live in a town were Jews have lived since the time of Avraham. They want to be close to were Sarah and Avraham are buried. Like Avraham, they purchased the house. Unlike Avraham, they didn't do it in the open so that there would be no dispute later on.

What I don't like is the level of violence they have shown. It would be nice if the Palestinians who live close to some of the most holiest sites for Jews would respect our rights to visit those places. It would be nice if Palestinians would not destroy those sites like was done with Joseph's Tomb and the ongoing work at the Temple Mount.

I read an interesting D'var Torah about Ishmael and Isaac. It stated that the reason Sarah wanted Hagar and Ishmael to be cast out was because Ishmael wouldn't be willing to share. I see this reflected in the ongoing violence in Israel. It started in the 1920's when those who were willing to work with Jews and wanted peace were assassinated. We saw that when Sadat was assassinated after the historic peace treaty with Israel. We see it today with the Iranian threats to 'wipe' Israel off the maps.

The country now known as Jordan was supposed to have been the Palestinian homeland. By default, with 90% of its population being Palestinian, it is. In 1947, the United Nations proposed a two state solution. Israel accepted even though the lines drawn up seemed more like a sick joke. The Palestinians and the Arab world were not willing to share.

Israel has benefited the Palestinians. Even with the weekly news articles about the supposed distress of those living in Gaza, those living in Gaza have a better quality of life than most in Egypt.

It bothers me more that Israelis seem to be turning on each other. Israeli peace activists seem more willing to stand with Palestinians than Israelis in Sderot. They do not seemed to be too concerned that those evicted from Gaza three years ago still await for the promises of the Israeli government.

I can sympathize with the bitterness of those in Hebron. They are being forced by their government to leave a house they purchased. They have the promises of the IDF that they will not allow the house to be occupied by Palestinians until the issue is resolved. Those that purchased the house see from the experience of those in Gaza that the Israeli government doesn't seem willing or able to keep its promises.

I do not like the images of Israelis fighting one another.