By Rabbi Dow Marmur
JERUSALEM — Recent events have dramatic and often troubling implications for Israel. For example:
(1 The soldier charged with manslaughter for killing an already “neutralized” terrorist and the resulting manifestations of ultra-nationalism and indeed racism by his many uncritical supporters.
(2) The destruction of a Hamas tunnel on the Israeli side of the Gaza strip points to the potential range of the terror. Hopefully, as it has hinted, Israel will now deal with the problem.
(3) Monday’s explosion on a bus in Jerusalem that looks like an arson attack. It injured some twenty people; the most severely maimed may be the terrorist who at the time of writing hasn’t yet been identified. Israelis have been spared attacks on buses for years and we’re understandably alarmed.
But the event with most serious implications for Israel’s international standing may have to do with what happened at the Golan Heights the other day.
The Israeli armed forces have been very vigilant on Israel’s northern border during the civil war in Syria. In addition to making sure that no fighters cross into the Golan Heights, the territory held by Israel since the 1967 war (while a number of injured Syrians have been and are being treated in Israel), there have been raids against convoys carrying missiles from Iran intended for the terrorist organization Hezbollah in Lebanon to be used against Israel.
With the current negotiations that may lead to some kind of settlement in Syria, Israel has been concerned that claims may be made to return the Golan Heights, Prime Minister Netanyahu has publicly declared that they’re now part of Israel forever. To stress this, earlier this week he held a cabinet meeting in the area. Its purpose was more photo op than government business.
That’s also why Netanyahu is due to fly to Moscow later this week to meet with President Putin who has become an important player in the Syrian conflict. The hope is to persuade Russia’s strong man to allow the Golan to remain in Israel.
The international community – not only the UN but also the US – has reacted strongly against Israel. Perhaps the critics have also in mind the invitation from the leaders of the settlers on the West Bank for Netanyahu to hold a similar cabinet meeting in what they call Judea and Samaria, also captured in the 1967 war, to make the point that this territory is also part of Israel for all time.
Such a move would make it clear once and for all that the so-called two-state solution is dead and buried as far as Israel is concerned. Though only Palestinians who hope to throw the Israelis into the sea expect the Golan Heights to be part of their future state – and they don’t care much about Syrian sovereignty – the West Bank is, of course, essential to all their aspirations for a state.
Even if Israel’s prime minister would like to hold a symbolic cabinet meeting somewhere in Judea or Samaria, he’s not likely to accept the invitation. As much as he may wish to embarrass the Obama administration and show disdain for the United Nations, he’s not likely to want to exacerbate the conflict now. But this doesn’t mean that he won’t do it at some future date – particularly if the next US president is a Republican – as a prelude to declaring that the two-state solution is indeed dead.
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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. Now living in Israel, he may be contacted via dow.marmur@sdjewishworld.com. Comments intended for publication in the space below must be accompanied by the letter-writer’s first and last name and by his/ her city and state of residence (city and country for those outside the U.S.)