Fateful Triangle

Israel and Palestine: Historical Backgrounds278much admiration about the teachings of Rabbi Moshe Ben-ZionUshpizai of Ramat-Gan, who used biblical texts and traditionalcommentary to explain how Israel should deal with the Palestinians, “aplague already written in the Bible.” “With a sharp scalpel andconvincing logic” the Rabbi uses the writings of the “greatest sages” toelucidate the commandments, still binding today, as to how to “inheritthe land” that was promised by God to Abraham. We must follow thedoctrines of Joshua, he explains, referring to the genocidal texts thatappear in the book of Joshua and elsewhere. “The biblicalcommandment is to conquer the land of Israel in its detailed borders, totake possession of it and to settle it.” It is “forbidden” to “abandon it tostrangers” (Gentiles). “There is no place in this land for the people ofIsrael and for other nations alongside it. The practical meaning of [thecommandment to] possess the land is the expulsion of the peoples wholive in it” and who try to prevent the Jews of the world from “settling inour land.” It is “a holy war, commanded in the Bible,” and it must befought against Palestinians, Syrians, Egyptians “or any other people inthe world” who seek to block the divine commandment. There can be nocompromises, no peace treaties, no negotiations with “the peoples whoinhabit the land.” “You shall destroy them, you shall enter into nocovenant with them, you shall not pity them, you shall not intermarrywith them,” the divine law dictates. Whoever stands in our way must beannihilated, the Rabbi continues with his “convincing logic,” citingnumerous traditional authorities. All of this is reported quite seriously,and with much respect. 170After the Beirut massacres of September 1982 there was a renewedoutpouring of militant support for the war in religious circles. Theinfluential Gush Emunim group, which spearheads West Bank settlement,published a statement praising Begin, Sharon, and Chief of StaffRafael Eitan, describing the war as a “great act of sanctification of God’sClassics in Politics: The Fateful TriangleNoam Chomsky