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04 November 2021

Shalom Pollack: WHO NEEDS YOU!

 

 Who Needs You!

George Shultz, secretary of state in the Reagan cabinet visited Israel  when he left government and politics. Now , as a private citizen he allowed himself to speak freely. Known as one of the most pro Israel secretaries of state, he visited  Israel as a private citizen and delivered  a speech. 


IN CONCLUSION, he offered Israel some personal advice:  ”Israel should not rely on any country for its security, not even the United States.“


"There was a time when Israel did not need that sound advice. She was the world model for self reliance and  independent decision making. This model began with its declaration of independence  against the stern warning of the USA and the subsequent victory against seven invading armies.


In 1967, Israel was told by her closest allies, France and the USA not to initiate hostilities even as the Arab noose tightened  around her neck as the world watched. Israel preempted the Arab /Soviet juggernaut and won the greatest victory in history, in six days.


This  spirit and success  of tiny Israel was a source of hope and admiration for the  entire world. Israel became the  model of good, standing up to evil and winning. It would seem that for this alone Israel was created. It was indeed a light unto the nations.


Ominously, in the victory parade after the war, a large banner read "Israel believes in the IDF'', a play on the well known Jewish saying, "Israel believes in G–d”. 


Instead of annexing the liberated lands of the bible and allowing the enemy population to leave as they wished to do, he did the opposite. Most glaringly, Dayan allowed the enemy continued control of our holiest site. This told the whole story and was to have dire consequences.


Moshe Dayan, the defense minister, basked in the credit . leaving  no place for God and the spirit that can come only from Him. This was a turning point. In place of faith and humility appeared arrogance.


The Entebbe rescue and the destruction of the nuclear reactor in Iraq took the breath away of the entire world. Once again against all odds and norms, little Israel of the prophets stood out as a beacon of hope for good.


 Alas, this spirit was not maintained.


The decision to defer to the USA and not preempt in the Yom Kippur war of 1973 almost ended in the destruction of the Jewish state.


In the  1970 the "war of attrition " over the Suez canal drew to a close. The armistice called for both sides to limit their forces on the banks of the canal. The Egyptians broke the agreement when they brought anti aircraft missiles to the  prohibited areas. This was a crucial moment in Israel's history and national psyche. 



US Secretary of state Rogers pressured Israel not to make an issue of the Egyptian infraction. Israel submitted.She  began to lose it's  independent spirit  and famous  confidence and began to rely on the USA to protect her. The US now  replaced the spirit that made Israel what it was.


On October 6, 1973  when Israel allowed the Arabs to strike first as the US (Kissinger) demanded, its air force was decimated by the same missiles that were ignored two years earlier. Shock  and desperation grabbed  the military leadership. They looked to the US to save Israel.


The US dragged its feet in resupplying Israel  and the Jewish state almost perished were it not for the superhuman fight its soldiers put up. After the Yom Kippur trauma, Israel has not been the same.


While other nations exist as nations, the people of Israel are a  reminder of God's involvement in history. The Jews are the lessons of what happens when right or wrong choices are made.


As a result of  the sins of arrogance and apostasy, depression and lack of confidence set in. Israel felt desperate for friends and protectors in the military and diplomatic realms.


Even as Israel prospered economically and advanced technologically and militarily, her confidence and spirit weakened.


The world  once thought there was a unique  model of hope  to follow but in the  end , Israel failed them. The Jewish state has become just another player on the board of politics ; of  greed, fear, and personal  opportunity, of playing the game.


Israel's growing desire  for acceptance  rather than being an independent and unique model for the world, sent it down the road of destruction  and despair. When Israel abruptly ended its war against the PLO that was established to destroy Israel and  invited Arafat to share the land of Israel, the Jews lost their claim to any of the land. All of a sudden everything was for sale. 


The world lost its respect. Israel hoped they would be seen as reasonable and moral in the eyes of the world .They earned only scorn and hatred as pressure mounted for Israel to give more and to not defend herself against the very terrorists she conceded her lands to.


Israel continued to grow in every material  field in exceptional ways but  her all important spirit kept shrinking. A great body without a soul can't stand.


Israel is fighting for that soul today. Some Israelis want to rekindle the spirit that made us who we were. Others want to snuff it out completely and erase the Jewish state. They strive for as  close a copy of a totally secular, materialistic  country as possible. They feel that by allowing anti-Israel Arab parties   into the government they can finally erase the Jewish nature of the country.


The paradox is that the world has no need for another copy of itself. 

In tiny, scruffy, confident Israel, the world saw hope for mankind.


Alas.


My book, "Jews, Israelis and Arabs" is available.


Shalom Pollack Tours

Jerusalem 99386

shalompollack613@gmail.com

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

With the bolshevik leaders from the start, it was a given they would align themselves with the nations, especially with the most powerful ones.
Ironically, it was Schultz who brought and mentored Bibi to become a leader in the SOI. This is why the state has been suffering with enemies from all sides from its beginning. Israel is a nation that dwells alone under the banner and guidance of our holy Torah given to us by G-D Almighty, Hashem! Only H' runs the world! Woe unto His children when we forsake our Commandments given to us by our Creator, Hashem Yisborach!

HDG, Yerushalayim, E"Y Shlemah said...

Today is my Hebrew birthday; so I want to bless you and all your readers with all good things, including: courage and a calm spirit, constant provision and parnassah, health, ways and opportunities to avoid all the evil and to do good, and many ways to spread the good to your family and those around you; and that you and yours will survive to greet Mashiah with all Israel.

Anonymous said...


This says it all. Israel has always viewed itself as the 51st state of America. Like the child who always tries to find favor with their parents.

Always trying to please the world, while acting like every other nation and forgetting this is Hashem's land and Hashem's people.

He is right, the world has lost respct for us long ago. We fool ourselves into believing that they envy us for our economy and technology.

Very sad, but hold on Mashiach is on the way!

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