Hashalom February 2017 Established 1923 Volume 21. No 4 March 2014 █ HASHALOM 1 Editorial 02 EDITORIAL Out of Perspective 03 Mishna Impossible 04 OBAMA’S BETRAYAL Israel 05 Prof Antony Arkin ANC’s hateful attacks on Israel show bias and disrespect 05 its own legacy of dialogue President Obama’s refusal to veto UN Security Council Resolution 2334 Fly and feed: Tens of thousands of cranes winter, 05 against Israel on Christmas Eve was an act of betrayal. The Jewish and eat, in Israel’s North human rights organization Simon Wiesenthal Centre ranked it as the Why the sudden hatred of Israel? 06 most anti-semitic, anti-Israel incident in 2016. The resolution calls the Israel vote was an affront to all New Zealanders 07 settlements a “flagrant violation of international law” and demands an immediate halt to all “settlement” construction beyond the 1949 4 Killed as terrorist plows truck into troops in Jerusalem 08 ceasefire lines. These green lines have been called the “Auschwitz Jewish World 10 borders” because they leave Israel militarily indefensible against its enemies. Resolution 2334 rewrites the cornerstone Resolution 242 Ethiopian Judaism nearly identical to that practiced 10 of 1967 that Israel has the right to live in peace within “secure and during Second Temple Period recognized boundaries” that will include territorial adjustment. Leonardo DiCaprio showcases Israeli solar thermal plant 11 on Instagram Resolution 2334 states that any changes from the green line would not UN vote tops Wiesenthal list of top10 antisemitic, 12 be recognized without mutual agreement. This means the Kotel, the anti-Israel cases in 2016 prayer plaza at the Western Wall, the access roads to Hebrew University and Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus, and the Jewish Quarter of Community News 13 Jerusalem are now all illegally occupied. This is of course a non-starter Bubkes 13 for both Israelis and the whole Jewish world. “We are outraged over Past Tense 14 the US failure to veto this biased and unconstructive UNSC resolution” Union of Jewish Women 15 argued the Anti-Defamation League. The Progressive movements’ KwaZulu Natal Zionist Council 16 Central Conference of American Rabbi’s statement expressed “strong Wotsup Wizo 18 disagreement” with the UNSC resolution saying that the US abstention SAJBD 19 “leaves us dismayed, disappointed and angry”. Letters to Editor 20 Young Israel Centre 21 Prof Alan Dershowitz in the Gatestone Institute argued that these Talmud Torah 21 territories are not illegally occupied but rather liberated. Jordan captured Durban United Hebrew Congregation 22 these historically Jewish areas in 1948, when all the surrounding Limmud 23 Arab countries attacked the reborn Jewish nation in an attempt to Durban Holocaust Centre 24 destroy it. Jordan’s illegal occupation and ethnic cleansing of Jews Divote 25 was accompanied by the destruction of synagogues, cemeteries and Beth Shalom 26 schools, and the bringing in or Arab settlers to move into the Jewish Eden College 27 homes. When Jordan attacked Israel again in 1967, Israel recaptured Umhlanga Jewish Centre 28 these Jewish areas and allowed Jews to return to them. Akiva College 29 Durban Progressive Jewish Congregation 30 By failing to distinguish between settlement expansions deep within the Above Board 31 West Bank and reclaiming historical Jewish areas in Jerusalem, Resolution 2334 has alienated the vast majority of the Israeli population and political Cooking with Judy and Linda 31 parties. The Jewish neighbourhoods of eastern Jerusalem, such as Gilo, Social and Personal 32 built on JNF land, and the large settlement blocs such as Gush Etzion have Diary of Events 32 for years been considered part of the Israeli consensus. Isaac Herzog, The views expressed in the pages of Hashalom are not necessarily those of the leader of the opposition argued Resolution 2334 caused “severe damage”. Editorial Board or any other organisation or religious body unless otherwise Tzipi Livni argued it “harms the interests of Israel”, Yair Lapid, chair of the Yesh Atid opposition party called it “dangerous, unfair, and an act of individual. hypocrisy”. However by their equating Jewish Jerusalem with Amona and other Jewish settlements the hard right parties of the current government Hashalom Editorial Board: have been equally irresponsible. Editor: Prof Antony Arkin Sub Editor: Mr Colin Plen The idea that the settlements are the greatest obstacle to peace is Editorial Board: Mrs Mikki Norton, Mrs Michelle Shapira ludicrous. There were no settlements before 1967, yet the Arab war of Commitee: Dr Issy Fisher, Ms Diane McColl, Mrs Lauren Shapiro extermination against Israel had already gone on for decades. The existing Production Manager: Mrs Robyn Bradley settlements, even if expanded, do not pose any danger to the two-state Notice to Organisations/Contributors: solution, if the Palestinians really want their own state more than they do All material to be submitted by email to not want a Jewish state. A contiguous Palestinian state is certainly possible [email protected] even if all the existing settlements were to remain. Settlement expansion DEADLINE FOR THE MARCH ISSUE: 6 February 2017 is the consequence of Palestinian refusal to accept repeated offers from Israeli governments to end the occupation in exchange for peace. Advertisements Contact: Robyn Bradley P.O. Box 10797 Marine Parade 4056 Resolution 2334 clearly makes a negotiated settlement between Tel: (031) 335 4451 Fax: (031) 337 9600 Email: [email protected] Israel and the Palestinians very much more difficult. The Palestinians will now have no incentive to negotiate the boundaries of a future Hashalom is issued under the auspices of the SAJBD KZN Council, Palestinian state. The primary barrier to peace remains the Palestinian KwaZulu-Natal Zionist Council and the Durban Jewish Club. unwillingness to accept the UN resolution of 1947 calling for two Typesetting Supplied. states for two peoples, the Jewish people and the Arab people. This Designed by RBG Studios, email: [email protected] means explicit recognition by Palestinians to accept Israel as the nation Printed by Fishwick Printers state of the Jewish people. President Obama’s betrayal has made the Visit our website: www.hashalom.co.za prospect of peace far more distant. 2 HASHALOM February 2017 OUT OF PERSPECTIVE The Winter Tour David Arkin After checking my archives, I found that I have written an article in interested or too keen to zone land for ready-mix plants. Everyone March 2013 entitled The Build-Up Nation and tall building stories. It was is interested in developing an office park or mall, as it brings in about touring around with the CEO inspecting the company’s assets many people, and no doubt has a multiplier effect on the entire local (ready-mix plants, quarries and asphalt plants). I’ve just finished the economy. A concrete plant may hire 5-6 people max, congests small latest tour (in mid-winter from end-December to mid-January) and local roads with material delivery trucks and mixers, and take up a these are my latest rambling thoughts on the state of affairs in Israeli relatively large space. Not to mention the environmental impact. The society and economy. municipal taxes that could be charged are limited to one business, instead of potentially numerous ones. I wouldn’t want one in my Firstly, crisscrossing the country in such a short time does reinforce back-yard, but they are a necessity to build new offices and houses! the perspective that resources and wealth are firmly split between Fourth, dealing with local governments legitimately, lawfully and with the centre and the periphery. The centre being a loose definition from full compliance is painstakingly slow, and takes some creativity. The anywhere situated north in Hadera to south in Gedera. This disparity news has been full of mayors who have been accused or convicted of includes the quality of education and medical care, and the credit limit corruption: Ramat Gan, Ramat Hasharon, Bat Yam and Ashkelon are of customers. The same may be said for the quality of radio. Picking a handful that spring to mind. Our new flag-ship ready-mix plant was up Galei Tzahal, Army Radio, the premier news and talk station with just opened at Ramla. It took years to approve as a competitor paid off the country’s top journalists and A-list presenters, is a challenge in the local businesses to object, and then when objections were dismissed, north and south. Instead, I had to be content with Radio Darom and went on appeal. The plant was finally opened amidst much fanfare at endless adverts for the Yes Planet cinema complex in Beersheva, and the end of last year. And apparently the Hapoel Ramla soccer team the breakfast show hosts repeatedly trying to call Haim Yavin. He is has been awarded a new generous sponsorship recently. a veteran News presenter and documentary-writer (known locally as “Mr. Television”) who has recently been accused of sexual misconduct. Fifth, deceased politicians and even defunct political parties may He declined to comment each time. Radio Tzafon 104.5 was actually continue to influence traffic-flow in Israeli cities due to security broadcasting on 101.55 in my car, which confused me, as it did a guest concerns. When the late Ariel Sharon set up his Kadima party end they interviewed: a man who had not spoken to his wife in twenty of 2005, the party’s HQ was located in Petah Tikvah, down the road years. Apparently they do live together, and now he had started from our plant in the Kiryat Ariyeh industrial zone. The Shabak duly saying “boker tov” to her. I wasn’t sure if this was jest or a major news ordered a small side road leading past the plant and past the HQ to be item, as I drove one morning from Hazor with the sun rising over the closed, citing security reasons.