Jews must settle every inch of Israel .... "We are here to stay"

Israel in red!

Maj. Gen. Gadi Shamni, a former head of the IDF Central Command, told Army Radio on Sunday that hiking in Judea and Samaria is unsafe. 

His statement ignored the reality in which we live, as dangers also lurk in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Galilee. Palestinian terrorists do not recognize the 1967 borders. They and their leaders, all disciples of Haj Amin al-Husseini and Yasser Arafat, have one clear goal -- to destroy the Zionist entity.

Only the naive among us still believe the Palestinians are willing to accept the existence of a Jewish state. We are fated to live by the sword, until a time comes when our enemies internalize our determination to defend our homes and realize that their attempts to intimidate us are futile. The Jews have come home to stay. 

We are not Crusaders in our historic homeland.

The citizens of Israel expect the Israel Defense Forces and other security forces to quickly move to do whatever is necessary to stop what appears to be a new Palestinian terror wave. 

Successful attacks encourage other terrorists to act. During our fasting days, we Jews do soul-searching. During their fasting days, on the other hand, our neighbors settle scores. In what has become a ritual, the days of the Ramadan fast see an increase in bloodshed, due to an environment of hatred and incitement.

The explanation that these attacks are carried out by "lone wolves" is baseless. 

It removes the burden of responsibility from the Palestinian religious and political leaders who promote the murder of Jews. And the claim that Palestinian terror stems from oppression is patently false. Older Israelis remember the terrorist attacks carried out against us before Israel took control of Judea and Samaria.

Palestinian terrorists have three main aims -- to kill Jews, to make life difficult for Israelis and to gain dignified status for themselves in their violent society. 

The best answer to this terrorism is for us to strengthen our grip on our homeland. Only if we settle every corner of our land will the terrorists realize that force will achieve nothing for them. 

Those who seek peace will find an outstretched hand from us. And those who seek war against us will be defeated.

by Dr. Haim Shine