To the Prime Minister of the State of israel
MK Benjamin Netanyahu
Honorable Sir,
Re: Stating our Rights to the Land of Israel in Your Address
In the context of your mission abroad as the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, there is a brief and challenging opportunity to bring the words of the State of Israel, the words of the Jewish People, before the entire world.
At this point in time, between your speech to the members of AIPAC last night and your address to the two Houses of Congress today, I wish to bring to your attention the fact that there was a glaring omission in your to speech to AIPAC in that there was no mention of our Biblical and historical rights to our land.
In the two thousand years of exile from our land, we became accustomed to a defensive approach, stressing our security needs, when addressing the tyrants who oppressed us.
But from the time we left the ghetto behind, returned to Zion and established ourselves as a free people in its own state, with the help of God, it is incumbent upon us to state with pride the real reason we are in the land of Israel, that which justifies our demand that the nations of the world recognize our rights to that land.
These basic claims are a chain linking all of Jewish history and are found in the Zionist movement’s writings, where your family served as a cornerstone. You expressed words in this spirit in your writings, your father Professor Ben-Zion Netanyahu, may he be granted long life, lectured and educated towards that goal; your brother Yoni, may his blood be avenged, Israel’s hero, dreamed and fought for this idea. Clearly stated words to this effect were part and parcel of the speeches and lectures of your late grandfather Rabbi Millikovsky-Netanyahu in his appearances all over the United States 90 years ago.
In response to claims based purely on security, the President of the United States offers opposing security claims. In response to claims that we have a right to this land there are no acceptable claims.
That is why it seems incumbent upon you to make this just and simple claim your first point when addressing the United States Congress: that the entire land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel by the strength of God’s promise in the Bible. Most of your audience in Congress (and in AIPAC) understand this much better than they do security issues, which, important as they are, are secondary and significant only as an adjunct to our claim that the land is ours by right. Jerusalem, Shiloh, Beit El, Hevron, the names of our cities, are familiar to American ears from the Bible, and numerous towns in the USA are named for them.
As promised in the Pentateuch and the books of the Prophets, the people of Israel will remain in their land forever.
The historic speeches of Israel’s leaders will be studied in the future. Those that note the basic fact that the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel are the ones that future generations of our people will remember and repeat with pride.
Best wishes for success in your mission to guard our rights to the land of Israel.
With great respect,
MK Yaacov Katz
National Union Party Head
