“Christmas in Bethlehem. The holiday atmosphere was palpable in every corner this week. The city is decorated to the gills, with Santa mannequins on the streets and lots and lots of tourists. The hotels reported full occupancy and the restaurants vigorously prepared for guests. Some of the finest Middle Eastern singers will be performing tonight and tomorrow in Bethlehem and Sahour, in an attempt to entertain the visitors from all over the world, Israel, and even Gaza.”"
“A group from Russia crowded into the Church of the Nativity to hear an explanation of the differences between the three churches in the compound: Roman Catholic, which is observing the holiday tonight; Greek Orthodox (of which the Russians are also members), which will only be celebrating Christmas on January 7th; and the Armenian Church. Abbot (Father) Spyridon sits in a corner of the Orthodox church. He was born in Bethlehem 60 years ago and has served in the church since 1970. “There’s a good feeling this year,” he says. “More stability and fewer problems. After all, Bethlehem is based on tourism.” Some Palestinian police officers are circling around among the tourists, but according to Abbot Spyridon, their job is not just to protect the visitors. “There are still quite a few problems here,” he explains. He speaks Russian, Greek, English, Arabic and a little Spanish, and has seen a thing or two throughout his life inside and outside the church. During Operation Defensive Shield he was home with his wife and seven children.”
Unfortunately, the Palestinian position during these 17 years has not moved one inch from its maximalist demands. Isn’t it time that the Palestinians are asked directly and openly if they are prepared to make any concessions? Are they prepared to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and the Jewish connection to the Western Wall and Temple Mount? Are they prepared to recognize that there are Jewish refugees in Arab states, and that Israel has very real security concerns?
While the world has unfortunately focused on settlement building, it has gone largely unnoticed that Palestinian leaders are retreating from previously accepted positions, especially the need for a two-states-for-two-peoples solution.
“Over the past four days, the State of Israel and its people have faced a great challenge, battling the largest wildfire in the nation’s history. The fire is now extinguished, but not before tragically claiming lives and land alike, killing 42 Israelis, burning more than 12,000 acres, millions of trees, and destroying thousands of homes.
“Throughout this tragedy, Israeli firefighters, police, EMS, and soldiers worked tirelessly to battle the flames. And though their efforts were great, Israel could not effectively combat this blaze without the help of our friends around the world. The international community was quick to act, sending planes, fire retardant chemicals, and firefighting equipment— for all of which Israel is deeply grateful.
“Beyond our diplomatic bonds, Jewish communities around the United States yet again were among the first to respond. Organizations like the Jewish National Fund, the Jewish Federations of North America, American Jewish Committee, and others immediately sent out calls, shoring up support. The State of Israel and its people know that the American Jewish community serves as a safeguard, standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel during times of crisis. This is what family does.
“Israel has faced many tests in its sixty-two years. With the support of our friends, we shall overcome this as well.” - Michael Oren, Israel’s Ambassador to the United States
Following the devastating forest fire which broke out in the Carmel, Israel’s friends in the international community have provided an amount of aid on a scale unprecedented in the history of the State of Israel. The overwhelming response has come from allies as close as Jordan and Turkey and as far as Russia and Azerbaijan. This is one of the moments in Israel’s history that we will never forget. The legacy of the Carmel fire, in addition to the tragic loss of life and the destruction of five million trees in Israel’s most beautiful oasis, is now about the generosity and goodwill of Israel’s friends around the world.
Plane dropping fire retardant over the fire on Mount Carmel
Israeli diplomatic missions in capitals around the world are continuing in their efforts to accelerate international assistance to enable the country to cope with the disaster. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established a situation room with representatives from the Israel Air Force, the National Emergency Authority, the firefighting services and other agencies.
The following is the current situation according to the data received in the MFA’s situation room:
Twenty one aircraft and helicopters have arrived in Israel. Of these, thirteen are actively engaged in extinguishing the blaze.
One of the most important contributions from Israel’s allies was the Boeing Evergreen 747 forest-fighting plane sent over by the United States. The Evergreen, the largest fire-fighting plane in the world, has a capacity of 24,000 gallons (94,850 liters) which was filled with water and fire retardant. On Sunday, the American plane made two passes, and was instrumental in helping stop the blaze.
In a ten-minute telephone call, U.S. President Barack Obama told Prime Minister Netanyahu that the United States would continue helping in any and every way until the last fire is out.
Breakdown by country:
Greece: 4 aircraft and an additional Hercules plane for equipment and cargo.
Cypress: 2 aircraft, 1 plane and 1 helicopter
Great Britain: 2 helicopters
Turkey: 2 planes
Russia: 4 planes, including 1 B-20, 1 YAK which brought in 10 experts and two Ilyushin-67s.
France: 1 cargo plane
Italy: 1 cargo plane
Bulgaria: Approximately 100 firefighters
Jordan: 3 firefighting vehicles and fire prevention materials
An additional thirteen planes landed in Israel last night, Saturday December 4th, 2010:
The United States: 2 Hercules planes originating from the US Air Force base in Germany, expected to land at approximately 1800 hours at Ben Gurion Airport. They are expected to carry fire prevention materials and other essential equipment.
Russia: 2 helicopters
France: 2 firefighting aircraft
Spain: 4 firefighting aircraft and an additional cargo plane
Azerbaijan: 2 helicopters
Switzerland: 1 helicopter
In adddition to the above, Israel’s own El Alhas also flown in fire prevention materials from Marseille.
Later today, Sunday December 5th, an additional 3 planes from the US and one from Canada are expected to arrive.
Said Prime Minister Netanyahu, “I have spoken with approximately 30 heads of state and government, presidents and prime ministers, in the past three days. I must tell you that their mobilization, the warmth of their remarks, their willingness, the desire to help immediately, sometimes even before we have managed to request it, must warm the heart of all Israelis. There is very great solidarity here and there is very great cooperation, of course in keeping with their abilities. People are bringing what they have. Governments are bringing what they have, as per the distances which are often considerable; but not even this is deterring people.”
Forty-two lives have been lost and five injured in a fire raging on the Carmel mountain range in northern Israel. A national disaster has been declared.
The Israel Foreign Ministry is in contact with almost all European countries, and with Middle Eastern states regarding assistance in extinguishing the blaze. A number of nations have sent fire-fighting aircraft as well as equipment and supplies to help control the flames.
In addition to the human casualties, the environmental damage is vast in Carmel, known to Israelis as “Little Switzerland”. Four million trees have been decimated in an area of 8,650 acres.
The international response has been overwhelming, with the United States, Greece, Cyprus, Britain, Turkey, Russia, Croatia, Azerbaijan, Spain, France, and Switzerland already sending forest fire-fighting planes and helicopters.
Bulgarian Firefighters in Israel
Bulgaria sent a contingency of 92 firefighters, and Israel’s close ally Jordan has sent firetrucks. The Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, called Israeli President Shimon Peres to express his condolences to the families, and offered Palestinian support in the form of fire trucks sent to Carmel.
A Boeing 747 loaded with the fire retardant chemical needed to stop the raging Carmel forest fires left the United States for Israel Thursday night, thanks to a kind offer from New York City Mayor Bloomberg.
Said Mayor Bloomberg, “New York, and the United States as a whole, share a special bond with Israel in good times and bad. On behalf of the millions of New Yorkers kindling Hanukah lights across our City tonight, I want to thank the US Forest Service and their partners across the US Government for their quick response to our friends and allies in need.”
President Barack Obama offered his “deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of all of those who’ve died as a result of the terrible forest fire in northern Israel” noting that he “launched an effort across the U.S. government to identify the firefighting assistance we have available and provide it to Israel as quickly as possible. Of course, that’s what friends do for each other.”
For Chanukah 5771, we could use the Maccabees with us once again. The story of Chanukah can be many things – the “Festival of Lights,” a day to celebrate miracles – but it is most importantly about the Jewish people solidifying their claim to the land of Israel in the face of revisionism. If it were not for the Maccabees, the Second Temple would be mentioned in our children’s books as “an ancient Greek temple.” Yes, just over 2100 years ago the Second Temple was filled not with Jews but with statues of Zeus and other Greek gods. This was only temporary of course, the real character of the Second Temple being restored when the Jews threw out the statues and rededicated the Temple in 165 B.C.E.
Today, in the face of Arab claims that the Western Wall is “Palestinian,” it is time for a second “dedication,” or “Chanukah”. While Judah Maccabee had to take up arms to protect the Jewish people, Israel’s battle for survival today is also fought on paper. The Palestinians wield an eraser, but one cannot simply erase what has been written in the ink of history. The Palestinians erroneously believe that the current peace process is with a Jewish People that only appeared on the scene in 1948, a fallacy that is as dangerous as it is ignorant.
In 161 B.C.E. Rome, one of the greatest powers in world history, did what the Palestinians can’t seem to wrap their heads around: they accepted the Jewish people. As history tells us, the Roman-Jewish Treaty was an agreement signed by Judah Maccabee and the Roman Republic, which states: “May all go well with the Romans and with the nation of the Jews at sea and on land forever, and may sword and enemy be far from them.”
The Palestinian narrative is solely based on the Jewish People as “outsiders,” an invading force that has no business being in what they see as their land. Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that this is an unfair and historically absurd claim, yet it is a claim that is taking hold and growing stronger every day.
Before the “peace process” began, Arab policy towards Israel was defined by what became known following the Khartoum Resolution as the “Three No’s:” “No peace with Israel,” “No negotiations with Israel,” and “No recognition of the Jewish State of Israel.” That was after the Six-Day War, over 40 years ago. To say that much has happened since then would be a gross understatement. The game changer came in 1979, when Egypt and Israel signed a monumental peace agreement. After living under (and fighting for) a policy of rejection, it took over a decade for one single Arab country to courageously buck the trend and say “yes” to peace.
During the Fatah Revolutionary Council’s fifth meeting in Ramallah this past weekend, the council decided on a not-so-original set of “no’s.” “No” to Israel as a Jewish State, and “no” to the so-called “land swaps.” Perhaps the Arab world wants to turn the clock back to the idyllic “Summer of ‘67”, but the world cannot stand idly by as a conscious effort is made to reverse decades of progress – progress that has benefited Israelis, Palestinians, and Arabs alike throughout the region.
The core problem behind the “no’s” of 1968 and the “no’s” of today is the same: Palestinian revisionism. With their attempts not only to block the peace process but to erase Jewish claims to the land, they exhibit a wish to send Jewish people back to 1947, a place in history not too dissimilar from the time of Judah Maccabee. If the Palestinians assert their claim to Israel based on centuries of Ottoman rule, perhaps the Jewish people should give them a history lesson on the Greco-Syrian Seleucid Empire in Judea. Because, after all, our ancestors were there then, celebrating the very first Chanukah.
Joel Lion is Consul for Media and Spokesperson at the Consulate General of Israel in New York
“Christmas in Bethlehem. The holiday atmosphere was palpable in every corner this week. The city is decorated to the gills, with Santa mannequins on the streets and lots and lots of tourists. The hotels reported full occupancy and the restaurants vigorously prepared for guests. Some of the finest Middle Eastern singers will be performing tonight and tomorrow in Bethlehem and Sahour, in an attempt to entertain the visitors from all over the world, Israel, and even Gaza.”"
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