Israelis or Jews?

From Arutz Sheva, IsraelNationalNews.com we get a fresh look at politics vs. religion in Israel. Israel is often described as a Jewish State, but it is not a religious state. This commentary by David Wilder is interesting.

My sister e-mailed me the article and wrote: This piece really struck me. To me Israelis and Jews are the same thing. I know all Jews are not religious, but I had never heard the difference as succinctly as is noted here spoken by Israelis themselves. Evidently they not only don't believe the New Testament, they don't believe the Old either

IDF reservists are petitioning a demand for answers. Why weren't they allowed to win? Why were the decision-makers indecisive? IDF officers have started confessing: "We are arrogant."

Blame is flying every which way and finger-pointing is at its peak. Yet, the real point has yet to be addressed.

A few days ago, following Ehud Olmert's statements that the next planned expulsion of some 100,00 Jews from Judea and Samaria is no longer on the top of his priority list, I received an email dealing with "convergence". In my words, the letter said, 'It's not enough to see expulsion dropped from 'number-one' priority. We have to make sure it is dead and buried, never again to be resurrected.'

Very true. How can we make sure that happens?

Why did we lose the Hizbullah war? Because the Israeli army, rather than prepare for battle with the enemy, prepared for war with its brethren. The government spent millions of dollars and immeasurable man-hours training the troops not how to win a guerilla war against terrorist-barbarians, but rather, how to expel men, women and children from their homes 'b'regishut - sensitively - but with nechishut - resolve.

The brainwashing involved was unparalleled. One example: Soldiers were told to close their eyes and imagine the most beautiful scene they could think of - where they would most like to be. That accomplished, they were then told to imagine that a wall now divides between their utopia and themselves. Following the imaging, with eyes wide open, they were then told: The dream is peace and the wall is the "settlers". The one must be removed in order to reach the other.

Who were those brainwashed? Not only the man on the street, the privates and the corporals. Rather, the cream of the crop, officers in the standing army and the reserves, of all ranks. They were forced to listen, breath and then implement the crime of all crimes: evicting brothers and sisters from their homes and then abandoning the land to the enemy - an act never ever done before by any people in the world.

From the moment Ariel Sharon, together with Olmert and later with the backing of Sha'ul Mofaz, decided to eradicate Gush Katif from the map, the IDF was transformed into a WMD - a weapon of mass destruction - or perhaps better put, a weapon of mass self-destruction. The physical and psychological demands upon the officers and soldiers, as well as the time lost preparing for a civil war rather than a real war, were major factors in the recent lack of victory.

How can we possibly expect the decision-makers who forced Gush Katif down the collective throat of the Israeli public to have the necessary intellect to reach the proper and necessary conclusions concerning authentic warfare, upon which the survival of the country may be at stake?

What is the guiding light of these decision-makers?

I recently heard a true, hair-raising story. A high-level delegation from Israel met with the French minister of war. The goal: to achieve French support for the "convergence-expulsion plan". The minister asked the group: How can a country perpetrate such an act against its own people? The answer: "We are Israelis. Those being expelled are Jews."

In other words, we are two peoples, two nations, two seemingly mutually exclusive sects: Israelis and Jews.

All well and good until it comes time for dying. When called upon to put your life on the line, it seems those lines get blurred. Then we are all... what? Jews? Israelis? What are we then? Who are the soldiers dying for - for Jews, for Israelis, for whom?

We lost the war in the north because we forgot who we are - what we are and why we are here, why we are fighting. The IDF - the Israeli Defense Forces - perhaps should change its name to the JDF - the Jewish Defense Forces - because that is the root of our legitimate right to wear uniforms, carry weapons and, if need be, die for our land and our country. We are Jews, fighting for our land and our people, not fighting against our land and against our people.

As we begin the month of Elul, with Rosh HaShanah just around the corner, it would be wise to do a little soul-searching in hopes of mending the tremendous rifts in our society. A good place to begin would be at our roots, at the source of our being, remembering that we are one people, in one land, under one G-d.