Page 34 - Jewish News_August-2020

34 August 2020 COMMENTARY

Hezbollah – its problems and its threat to Israel

By Rabbi Howard A. Simon By Rabbi Jonathan R. Katz, Community Chaplain
t took far too many years, but in Lebanese economy leaves much to be Nasrallah, wants to engage in another
early May of this year, Germany at desired as half of the population lives war with the Jewish state. Hezbollah
Ilast banned all activities of the Leb- in poverty. Hezbollah also lost some has established a presence in southern
anese terrorist group Hezbollah. Ger- 2,000 fighters while engaged in battle Syria near the Israel-controlled Golan
man Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on behalf of Syria’s president, Bashar Heights. With the weaponry they have er in Lebanon. Thus, does Hezbollah
stated the following: “Hezbollah’s al-Assad. on hand, they seem to be preparing for continue to talk war, but desist from
activities violate criminal In the face of all these a major confrontation. In response to attacking Israel, or does it risk every-
law, and the organization negatives facing Hezbol- this movement, Israel continues pre- thing in the hope of a decisive victory?
opposes the concept of in- lah and its leadership, paring to carry out strikes aimed at Israel waits, watches and prepares
ternational understanding.” Israel still considers this stopping Iranian arms shipments of for any and all possibilities. The Mid-
Germany now adds its terrorist group to be its missiles for Hezbollah and has kept dle East also watches and waits while
name to the United States, strongest and most im- the IDF on full alert as it faces Leba- at the same time pondering the results
Canada, the Netherlands, mediate threat. Hezbollah non’s border. that could emanate from a war that no
the United Kingdom and is both the most power- As Hezbollah determines its next one really wants, but could become
the Arab League, all of ful military and political move, it has to realize that it faces the a reality for both adversaries that no
which have banned Hez- group in Lebanon. Con- problem of the Coronavirus, plunging doubt would have a major effect on the
bollah and labeled it “a ter- trol of the state means they oil prices and U.S. sanctions, coupled entire area.
rorist organization.” Rabbi Howard A. Simon can do all they wish re- with Lebanon’s domestic problems. Rabbi Howard A. Simon is the found-
Add to this the fact that Hezbol- garding Israel. Hezbollah has amassed Were Hezbollah to attack Israel, ing chair of the Robert and Esther
lah’s finances are at an all-time low be- 130,000 rockets and missiles that can thus starting a war, it would face the Heller Community Relations Commit-
cause of the U.S. sanctions imposed on strike communities throughout all of strong opposition that Israel’s forces tee, formerly known as the Heller IAI.
Iran, which means Iran cannot support Israel. The question is whether Hezbol- represent. A defeat in this struggle
Hezbollah as it has done for years. The lah’s leader, Secretary General Hassan could mean the loss of political pow-

A July 4 letter to my Jerusalem friend
th

By Harold M. Halpern
ear Stu, forced to leave their homes. an election has not given its consent to After all, there is no magic to that date.
My best wishes to you and Netanyahu’s plan was met with proceed, without which Israel will not Maybe the situation is, as Netanyahu
DJane for a Happy 4 ! We are strong opposition both within and out- go forward. stated, that they are still working with
th
living in a society divided all around side of Israel. The opponents feared And other analysts say unilateral the U.S. on maps and the necessary de-
the world. May we find our way to that the action would lead to a return action by Israel was purely an election tails before starting the process of in-
unite and aspire to the high ideals of of terrorism against Israel, undo the campaign issue to secure Netanyahu’s corporation.
the American and Israeli Declarations Peace Treaties with Jordan and Egypt, base. Now that he is Prime Minister, Regardless of whether Netanyahu
of Independence. end the two-state solution and incur the he doesn’t need it and his actions have goes forward, the ultimate need of
In my last column in The Jewish wrath of European countries with pos- always been more cautious than his Israel and the Palestinians requires
News, I wrote about Prime Minister sible sanctions. rhetoric. a peace agreement. The Palestinians
Benjamin Netan- Netanyahu dismissed the objec- When challenged by those sup- have rejected every opportunity for
yahu’s repeatedly tions and fears out of hand as unrealis- porters who eagerly want incorpora- an independent country; they turned it
expressed intent tic concerns and continued to promise tion, Netanyahu will find a justification down in the UN partition of 1947; at-
to begin the pro- he would proceed. His arguments were for not proceeding by blaming others tacked Israel with Arab nations in the
cess on July 1 that the Palestinians had refused all of- for stopping him from acting. Possibly 1948 War of Independence and again
of incorporating fers for more than 25 years, the time the U.S. is giving him cover withhold- in the wars of 1967 and 1973; rejected
the Jordan Val- had come for Israel to act and 70 per- ing a green light until Benny Gantz, offers in negotiations; and engaged in
ley and Israeli cent of the West Bank would still be alternate Prime Minister, who is some- acts of terrorism, all calculated to de-
settlements into available for a Palestinian state if they what ambivalent, gives his approval. stroy Israel.
Harold M. Halpern Israel. Netanyahu would sit down and negotiate. Netanyahu can then blame Gantz for The time has come for the Pales-
was encouraged to take this action by The promised date of July 1 came the failure to proceed. tinians to come to the negotiating table.
President Donald Trump’s proposed and was greeted by thundering silence. Right now, the polls in Israel indi- Stu, stay well and safe. Let’s see
Peace Plan. I set forth both the reasons What happened? cate that Netanyahu’s Likud party and how this plays out.
advanced to support that process and We don’t know. We can only spec- the Right coalition could win an elec- Harold
the objections. ulate. There has been chatter that the tion and form a government without Harold Halpern is a retired attorney
In short, Netanyahu argued that initial incorporation will be limited to Gantz and his Blue-White party. Might in Lakewood Ranch. He is a board
permanent control of the Jordan Val- the settlements near the 1967 demarca- Netanyahu blame Gantz, find a way member of the American Association
ley is necessary for security to prevent tion lines and that the balance of settle- to dissolve the Knesset and have new of Lawyers and Judges and of the West
terrorists from infiltrating Israel and ments and Jordan Valley will come in elections? Coast Chapter of the American Jewish
for the 450,000 settlers to be secure in later stages. Stu, we just don’t know. Possibly Committee. He also is a columnist with
the knowledge that they will never be Other chatter is that the U.S. facing we are reading too much into Netan- the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
yahu’s failure to proceed on July 1.

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