Thank You Jewish Patriots, Shame on Haaretz

A neighbourhood in Ariel, Israel.

I found a recent Haaretz article that I read to be stupefying. It was headlined: “The settler behind shadowy purchases of Palestinian land in the West Bank.” Initially I though that Haaretz had discovered a significant scandal worthy of this dramatic headline. In reality however, the sad truth that the newspaper ‘exposed’ was about the work that needs to be conducted in order for Jews to purchase homes to live in, because Arabs won’t sell to them.  It is sad that Haaretz, a newspaper of the Jewish state, would proudly work to ‘expose’ these patriots. The real focus however should have been on the Arab’s refusal to sell property to someone because they are Jewish which is a racist practice by any standard.

Unfortunately, today Jews can’t use their real names to purchase homes in certain areas because Arabs will kill other Arabs who dare to sell real estate to the ‘Jewish infidel.’ The author of this article, Uri Blau (who was recently charged byIsrael’s Attorney General with unauthorized possession of classified documents, stolen from the Israel Defense Forces) proudly publicized for the first time a photo of a Jewish man who is engaged in this valiant work of ensuring that Jews are able to live in all areas of Israel. Bringing attention to this man who works privately to defeat racism might have won him an award in another country, but to Haaretz he is deemed “shadowy” and “mysterious”. What’s glossed over in the article is that every single activity that they mention is involvement in is completely legal.

The great Jewish leader, Hillel, one of the most important scholars in Jewish history said: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And when I am for myself, what am ‘I’? And if not now, when?” Reading the Haaretz article prompts me to thank  the brave men who work it condemns, among them, Benny Elon, Tzahi Mamo, Chaim Silberstein, Matti Dan, Shlomo Zwickler, and others who work to ensure that Israel will remain a Jewish nation and strive to fulfill the words of Hillel on a daily basis. These men act and work tirelessly on behalf of the people of Israel, and they do it with tremendous self-sacrifice, facing perpetual negative publicity and threats to their safety.

Why is it that the media has this sick obsession with Jewish “settlers” – or others who are simply working for the best interest of their people? I have yet to read full length features exposing an Arab who killed his fellow for being an Israeli collaborator – how come that article hasn’t been written? Why doesn’t Haaretz seek to publish the first photo of the proud Arab who made a better life for his family financially and sold a home to a Jew in the interest of mutual co-existence? Indeed, only 70 years following the Holocaust what could be more natural than Jews working to help the Jewish state?

A Jew can buy a home in Kiev or Paris, Chicago or Tokyo – What is the issue with Jews buying homes anywhere they choose in the Holy Land? Do we not speak of human rights and equality amongst people? why should the Jew be any different?

Shame on Haaretz and Uri Blau for putting the lives of those Jews and Arabs in danger. Securing the continuity of the Jewish state we have people like Elon, Mamo, Silberstein, Dan and Zwickler to thank – and in the diaspora as well, Jews should stand up and say: “Thank you to all the brave Jewish patriots who work to support and secure the land and people of Eretz Israel.”

Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, a PR agency, and is an active Jewish philanthropist.