Thank you Edith,

This week an event took place, which is, though not of imminent practical importance - a lesson of - "what works and what not." For the first time the Security Council of the UN did not rubber stamp an anti-Israel decree. It called for a solution of the Israel-Arab problem based on logic and justice. And what was the reason for this turnaround? Not wishy-washy pussyfooting and nice talks, but strength. The only language evildoers understand.

President Bush has shown the strength. He not only explicated bad as bad, but more important, he declared to fight for "right" with all force, if necessary, even with nuclear. Such language is understood. You can bet on it. Thugs give no respect to their chosen victims, if they are weak, or so honest, that out of decency they are not expected to respond to brutal attacks in kind. Saddam Hussein dared to send his Scuds against Israel - knowing that Israel would not nuke him. Arafat dared to "intifade," Israel - knowing - that Israel would not unleash its might upon him. But eventually, the time comes when even the mild-mannered victims stand up. We saw it from Pharaoh till Hitler.

Might is understood and respected. But to use it in time is of importance. From Pharaoh to Hitler, there where always long negotiations prior to the catastrophe. As longer the negotiations took, the more were the victims later. It makes sense to negotiate with someone who basically wants peace. Yet, if someone is only out for destruction, it is the right of the defender to defend itself with all might. In the Torah it is written: "Haba lehargecha, hashkem ve'harog. "If someone comes to kill you, stand up and kill him first." This is not only the law, but also common sense. How many innocent people could have been saved at WW II, if Churchill had his way, instead of Chambarlain? How many lives could have been saved by Israel, and I mean Jews as well as Arabs, had Israel reacted to the Intifada right at its beginning. Yes, war is not pretty, but war is war. If during WW II, the Allied had prevented collateral damage, as it was and is requested from Israel - the world would be ruled today by Nazism. Against war, there was never another solution but war.

Of course, for Israel, the world expects different rules. When Scuds fall, just put on your gas mask, Jew. When a suicide bomber explodes in the midst of Jews, just call on Mr. Arafat and ask please to "do more." Beg this Yasser Arafat, who has more blood on his hands than Bin Laden.

And now General Zinny arrived for another round dance of this bloody vicious cycle. The Arabs will blame the Jews for all the mess they put themselves into. They will come up with a thousand accusations and requests: First - Israel has to withdraw all its troops. First - all the settlements have to be eliminated, first, first, first. And for the event that all their demands are granted and Israel would sit at the same spot it used to be, when attacked at the beginning, they will come up with one, only one, tiny incy vincy request. Just to bring in 4 million more Arabs into Israel. And without this all the previous agreement would be null and void.

Accusations, can be hundreds, but there is only one fact. Lies can be thousands, but there is only one truth. War can be fought in a million ways, but there is only one peace. And this is Israel's sole request.

As long as the Arabs are encouraged and given hope to achieve their deadly goals, they will not stop attacking and there will be no peace. Two qualified rumors we heard lately, which hold some hope regarding loss of motivation by suicide-bombers. One information says, that their heaven runs out of virgins. The other report claims that the situation is not so bad, that there are still enough virgins left but they are ugly.

We should not rely on this. Just let us rely on our own strength and so will help us God.

I am Shlomo Fleischmann

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