“Mr. Prime Minister – will you be wavering on both sides of the fence this week in Washington or will you stand decisively on the side that dances only to music that will protect Jewish sovereignty and security in the Land of Israel?”

By Mrs. Tamar Adelstein – coordinator of Crown Heights Women for the Safety and Integrity of Israel

“Eliyahu HaNavi, Elijah the Prophet, asked: ‘How long will you dance on both sides of the fence? Decide once and for all!  Decide that the Land of Israel is not like every other land. For not only is it a land where Jews dwell but also it must be an identifiably Jewish land for this is  the Torah of Israel and this is the inheritance of the Children of Israel.’” (The Lubavitcher Rebbe in conversation with Haifa Mayor Aryeh Goral on June 26, 1988)

Mr. Prime Minister – will you be wavering on both sides of the fence this week in Washington or will you stand decisively on the side that dances only to music that will protect Jewish sovereignty and security in the Land of Israel? 

Jews everywhere share your deep admiration for and thanks to President Trump for going up against the status quo in launching military strikes against Iran’s key nuclear facilities during Operation Rising Lion.

But as much as HaKores HaTov, gratitude, is a cornerstone of good character in Judaism, falling into the trap of feeling forever beholden will lead to backing down when decisions must be made that one’s benefactor may not like.

If reports prior to takeoff and since are true, then the Government of Israel is poised to repeat the same egregious mistake made in 2005 when it unilaterally “disengaged” from Gaza and shamelessly expelled the 80,000 Jews who had lived there for decades. 

Ariel Sharon’s Disengagement was bulldozed into law with the help of bought and paid for politicos, ideologues and sham heads in the IDF who averred, with a straight face, that withdrawing from Gaza would remove the high human and economic toll of continued conflict with the Palestinians.  Quitting the area, they claimed, would improve Israel’s international standing and the chances for peace in the region. 

Not even close.  

Instead, their empty promises brought us more terrorism, more war, more disruption, injury, trauma, loss, grieving.  Israel wasted millions of taxpayers’ money looking the other way for a few interludes of quiet!  And then came October 7th  – and along with it a straight line to the uptick in anti-Semitism around the world.

Whose tune are you dancing to?

“As of July 4, 2025, the IDF controls over 65% of Gaza (some say 80%) and nearly all of Hamas’ senior commanders have been taken out by Israel’s armed forces.” (Stav Levaton reporting for The Times of Israel’s liveblog) 

Yet, Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to be making no secret of what he has in mind for the Big Day After once Hamas has been brought to its knees in surrender, met some kind of justice and its resident population of supporters possibly resettled elsewhere:  GAZA WILL BE HANDED OVER TO AN ADMINISTRATION CONTROLLED BY EGYPT, THE UAE AND PALESTINIAN ARABS somehow UNAFFILIATED WITH THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND HAMAS, ALONG WITH SOME KIND OF AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT.

A story comes to mind: “There was once a child who learned in cheder. In first grade he was taught the story about how Yosef’s brothers tricked him, threw him into a pit and sold him, leading to his landing in Egypt. The little boy was aghast. In second grade the teacher taught the same story but the boy was no longer appalled, explaining: His brothers already sold him last year, so this year he should have known what was in store for him! He was taken in by their scheming a second time and you want me to feel bad for him?!” (The Lubavitcher Rebbe in a public address on Yud Gimmel Tammuz 1969)

If the Prime Minister and his Political/Security Cabinet want to jump into the pit all over again, because they cannot handle the pressure, then let them resign as the Rebbe suggested after hearing that Yitzchak Shamir would attend the Madrid Talks in 1991 where surrendering parts of the Land of Israel was up for discussion. 

“Discussing and actually signing off on abandoning parts of the Land of Israel, particularly by Jews who believe in HaShem, is a desecration of His Name, Chillul HaShem.” (The Lubavitcher Rebbe in conversation with then Transportation Minister for Israel, Moshe Katzav on January 15, 1992)

Not Yours to Give Away!

“In Gaza absolute security and full control [Israeli sovereignty] must be maintained without any form of capitulation. The Hebrew meaning of Gaza implies taking a strong, courageous stance. (The Lubavitcher Rebbe in conversation with activists involved in developing Jewish communities in Gaza, 25 Tammuz 1991)

Neither the Prime Minister nor his Political/Security Cabinet have authority under Halacha, Jewish law, to give away Gaza or any part of the Land of Israel to non-Jews because it endangers Jewish lives. 

Every single time Israeli leaders have capitulated to US and other foreign or homegrown pressures to concede on matters of security, the Jewish community suffers an increase in terrorism, loss of lives, injury and trauma, r”l.

[Moreover], “ceding even an inch of the Land of Israel infringes on every other single Jew’s right to their eternal ownership over the Land.

“Note well: it is sufficient for just one single Jew to state his objection to put a stop to giving away the Land. This ruling in Jewish Law additionally stands true in the laws of inheritance: Should just one inheritor object to the handling by others of his joint inheritance, all agreements reached by others become retroactively void and all agreements must be re-examined afresh.” (The Rebbe in a public address on Motzei Shabbos Parshas Vayetze 1979)

ReJEWvenating Gaza: An Opportunity for Lasting Peace and Security

What Prime Minister Netanyahu and his team must do before they leave Washington is present President Trump with the Tzedek L’OTEF Plan and Map that was drafted by representatives from the Gaza Periphery and former Gush Katif communities and is fully supported by the residents of the Negev and Coastal surrounding areas. 

Tzedek L’OTEF is further endorsed by a majority of Members of Knesset and by various community builders like Nachala, Women in Green, and the highly regarded Regavim organization.  The vast majority of Israelis and the Jewish community around the world understand the absolute necessity for the State of Israel to assert its full control over Gaza.

The Tzedek L”OTEF plan begins with establishing a network of security zones, closely followed by bringing back Jewish-owned agriculture and industry to help feed the country and stimulate the economy in the Negev region. 

Mr. Trump’s idea for a “riviera” along the sparkling waters of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea can indeed be actualized, albeit in a distinctively Jewish spirit, and offer an array of attractions with great kosher restaurants, boutique hotels, advanced academic institutions and centers for the Arts.

Last but not least, a Memorial Forest will be planted in memory of the thousands who died al Kiddush HaShem on October 7th and who fell in battle fighting to defeat Hamas and ensure our Jewish destiny in the Land of Israel.  The forest will offer a serene sanctuary for all who have endured captivity, loss and trauma.  Our loved ones shall not have died in vain.

Expanding the Abraham Accords and inviting investors from Tony Blair’s Great Trust/Gaza Economic Blueprint/10 Mega Projects may have a place in Gaza’s future, but only under terms that unconditionally respect Israeli sovereignty and do no harm to the Jewish People.

In conclusion, we encourage everyone to follow JEM’s (Jewish Educational Media) Enduring Peace video series (enduringpeace.org) that bring the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s message for true and lasting peace.  

VIDEO: The Lubavitcher Rebbe in conversation with Haifa Mayor Aryeh Goral on June 26, 1988.