As we approach the festival of Chanukah, it’s important to remember that although the event took place 2,200 years ago, the idea of
|
|
|
Rabbi Hier with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, November 13, 2009. |
the few having to stand up for their rights against the many is still an ongoing struggle for the Jewish people. Earlier this week, the European Union called for the city of Jerusalem to be divided and to become the capital for both Israel and the future State of Palestine. The French news agency, Agence France Presse, quoted our protest to Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, the current EU President, “Once again, the EU is rushing with a laundry list of what’s expected from Israel, but when will the EU have a laundry list for the Palestinians?” The EU is well aware of the chaos a divided Berlin brought to the world yet it is willing to lay down ground rules that would threaten the security of the State of Israel. It is true that that there is a consensus in Israel for a two-state solution, but the EU knows that there is no consensus for a "three-state solution" since Hamas is in total control of Gaza. Rather than focus on Jerusalem, the EU must send a strong message to the Palestinians and to the Arab world: you must choose between peace with Israel or Hamas. You can be sure whether it’s this declaration of the EU on Jerusalem, or the infamous Goldstone Report, or anti-Semitism anywhere around the globe, the Simon Wiesenthal Center is on the frontlines standing up to the haters of Israel and the Jewish people. But these are difficult times and we can’t do it alone without your help. In these trying times we need your support more than ever. Wishing you and your family a Happy Chanukah, Rabbi Marvin Hier
|