(Photo: Moshe Arens with Jospeh Gutnick in Hebron, 1989.
Credit: David Wilder.)
Credit: David Wilder.)
The Jewish community of Hebron mourns the loss of former Defense Minister
Moshe Arens. Born in Lithuania, his family escaped World War II by immigrating to the
United States where he joined the Betar movement and studied engineering in college.
Arens made aliyah to Israel where he served as a professor of aeronautics at the
Technion before entering political life.
Moshe Arens. Born in Lithuania, his family escaped World War II by immigrating to the
United States where he joined the Betar movement and studied engineering in college.
Arens made aliyah to Israel where he served as a professor of aeronautics at the
Technion before entering political life.
As Defense Minister in the 1980’s, Arens supported the revival of Hebron’s
Jewish community. An August 16, 1984 article in the Washington Post
quoted him as stating, “to me, the reestablishment of the Jewish quarter of Hebron is in
many ways symbolic of everything that Zionism stands for and everything that Israel
stands for, because after all, what is Zionism if not the proof that the acts of
destruction, the acts of expulsion, the pogroms that were carried out in the Land
of Israel over the years, over the centuries, will not remain the final verdict of
history?”
Jewish community. An August 16, 1984 article in the Washington Post
quoted him as stating, “to me, the reestablishment of the Jewish quarter of Hebron is in
many ways symbolic of everything that Zionism stands for and everything that Israel
stands for, because after all, what is Zionism if not the proof that the acts of
destruction, the acts of expulsion, the pogroms that were carried out in the Land
of Israel over the years, over the centuries, will not remain the final verdict of
history?”
He later opposed the Hebron Accords which divided the
city. A Globes article from October 18, 1998 quoting him as
saying, “if the Jewish settlement [in Hebron] had been allowed to grow, it would have
been possible to expect new residents to join it, willing to build a basis for
Jewish-Arab co-existence in the city. But the agreement, which halted the development of
the Jewish settlement, damaged the chances of improved relations between the two
populations.”
city. A Globes article from October 18, 1998 quoting him as
saying, “if the Jewish settlement [in Hebron] had been allowed to grow, it would have
been possible to expect new residents to join it, willing to build a basis for
Jewish-Arab co-existence in the city. But the agreement, which halted the development of
the Jewish settlement, damaged the chances of improved relations between the two
populations.”
In later years, Arens became a columnist for Haaretz
newspaper, known for it’s criticism of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
Nevertheless, Arens championed the Jewish settlers in its pages.
newspaper, known for it’s criticism of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.
Nevertheless, Arens championed the Jewish settlers in its pages.
In a 2008 article entitled The Real Issue in
Hebron he discussed the historic restrictions
on Jews in Hebron explaining, “Jews were denied entry to the Cave and were not
permitted to ascend beyond the seventh step on the stairs
leading to it. During the days of Jordanian occupation the city was closed to Jews
altogether. Only after the Six-Day War could Jews pray again at the Cave of the
Patriarchs, and the Jewish Quarter in Hebron was reestablished. Were it not for the
presence of Jewish settlers in the city, in the Jewish Quarter and in nearby Kiryat
Arba, access for Jews to the Cave would probably not have been possible in recent
years.”
Hebron he discussed the historic restrictions
on Jews in Hebron explaining, “Jews were denied entry to the Cave and were not
permitted to ascend beyond the seventh step on the stairs
leading to it. During the days of Jordanian occupation the city was closed to Jews
altogether. Only after the Six-Day War could Jews pray again at the Cave of the
Patriarchs, and the Jewish Quarter in Hebron was reestablished. Were it not for the
presence of Jewish settlers in the city, in the Jewish Quarter and in nearby Kiryat
Arba, access for Jews to the Cave would probably not have been possible in recent
years.”
In an 2011 article called Jews’
Connection to the Land Must Not Be Severed, Even in Hebron he
said, “Who are the people, including the editorial writers of this newspaper, who have
gone ballistic over the education minister’s announcement that students should be taken
on heritage trips to the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron? They seem to have forgotten
the very foundation of Zionism: that the Jewish State is located in the Land of Israel
just because it is the ancient homeland of the Jewish people, and that the Temple Mount
in Jerusalem, the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.”
Connection to the Land Must Not Be Severed, Even in Hebron he
said, “Who are the people, including the editorial writers of this newspaper, who have
gone ballistic over the education minister’s announcement that students should be taken
on heritage trips to the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron? They seem to have forgotten
the very foundation of Zionism: that the Jewish State is located in the Land of Israel
just because it is the ancient homeland of the Jewish people, and that the Temple Mount
in Jerusalem, the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron.”
The passion Moshe Arens showed for the revitalization of Jewish life is an
influence on contemporary and future Israeli leaders.
influence on contemporary and future Israeli leaders.
VISIT HEBRON TODAY!
United States contact info:
http://www.hebronfund.org
1760 Ocean Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-677-6886
info@hebronfund.org
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Israeli contact info:
http://en.hebron.org.il/
02-996-5333
office@hebron.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hebron.machpela
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hebronvideo
Israeli contact info:
http://en.hebron.org.il/
02-996-5333
office@hebron.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hebron.machpela
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/hebronvideo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jewishcommunityofhebron/
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