Fwd: Dismayed by Nathan Diament's op-ed

bs"d

Dear OU Executives and Rabbis and activist list, amv'sh

This letter and the letter that follows by Sara Lehman, is in response to what we read recently in Arutz7 by Hillel Fendel

Strong Orthodox Opposition to Palestinian State
and I quote:

"This week, however, a slight crack in this strong Orthodox policy alliance against a Palestinian state was opened, even if not very noticeably. It occurred in an op-ed written by Nathan Diament, the Public Policy Director of the OU, for the New York Daily News, entitled, "Jerusalem Must Remain Undivided." 

While making a solidly compelling case for keeping Jerusalem wholly under Israeli sovereignty, Diament allowed that the OU actually supports the two-state solution. "While we support a two-state solution that guarantees Israel's security and Jewish character," he wrote, "the choices required to bring us to that point must be grounded in reality." Contacted by Israel National News, Diament responded that the OU "hasn't changed its position," that a "passing phrase in my op-ed is not a reversal or change in that position," and that it was just "an unfortunate articulation." He did not offer to retract it, however."

To a sensitive being like myself having lived in Hebron this "unfortunate articulation" is equivalent in nature to the following statement

"While we support a two husband solution that guarantees the wife's security and recognition that she is already married, the choices required to bring us to that point must be grounded in reality"

Now how can Nathan Diament as director of public policy for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. even suggest that they support the "two state solution".

 I hear your argument "well, Netanyahu also  publicly declared  that he supports a "two state solution" and he's the Prime Minister of Israel!

Let me then add that I am not defending Netanyahu and indeed he too has no right to publicly support an illegitimate relationship with the PA for the Land of Israel.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Many believe as I do that the increase of deligitimization of Israel throughout  the world  is a direct effect of the government of Israel doing deligitimizing to itself by not denouncing Oslo, the Roadmap and the Two State Solution. 

Again, I hear some of you rationalize and say that Netanyahu's  support "in principle" is merely lip service  knowing that the Palestinians themselves would never agree.  However I am reminded of the story of the author of the Nesaneh Tokef who judged himself harshly for merely having said that he needed 3 days to consider converting and how he bitterly regretted having even suggesting it.

Yes, this is not a new story unfortunately  Please read letters written  to the OU in 2008. 

fwd: OU Dissent from JCPA Resln - Menachem Kovacs,Buddy Macy, Asher Eder to OU

and go on my blog shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com and search for "ou jcpa" and it will link you to other letters.

Please read an opinion piece I wrote in June 2008 regarding OU hypocrisy.

5768.09.16 Israel the Land of My Possession - P' Shlach Meraglim, Action Alerts.

The OU represents a thousand or so shuls in USA.  They are the ultimate symbol in Kashrut worldwide.  Surely this statement is not reflective of the will of the members of the OU just like Netanyahus public declarations in support of a "Two State Solution"  is not reflective of the will of the Nation of Israel.

Apparently, Nathan Diamant and colleagues who publicly declare that they "support a two state solution" given the proper conditions, have yet to internalize the sanctity of  G-d's relationship with the Land of Israel and the People of Israel.  Such a relationship is exclusive and Holy just like in a marriage. The end result of such a holy union of sanctity between the Jewish People and the Land of Israel  is peace and prosperity for mankind.

So how Kosher is the 2 husband solution?

(I tried to comment on the IPA blog regarding this piece but my comments and I imagine others are still under review) --- On Sun, 11/28/10, Sara Lehmann <saralehmann21@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Sara Lehmann <saralehmann21@yahoo.com> Subject: Dismayed by Nathan Diament's op-ed To: rabbiweil@ou.org, execthw@ou.org, burg@ou.org, shlomoschwartz@ou.org, frankeld@ou.org, besslerl@ou.org, davido@ou.org, davidovics@ou.org, steiners@ou.org, rabbidave@ou.org, ipadc@ou.org, aberman@ouisrael.org, posners@ou.org, rakalinsky@ou.org Date: Sunday, November 28, 2010, 7:10 PM Dear Executives and Members of the OU,   As a past supporter of the Orthodox Union, I was appalled by Nathan Diament's November 21st op-ed, in which he declared OU support for a Palestinian state. Despite his qualification that such a solution "guarantees Israel's security and Jewish character", the creation of such a state would, G-d forbid, immediately endanger the State of Israel and defy our historic claim to our Jewish homeland.   All Jews pray for peace, but there can be no justification for any Jew to extend an olive branch to those who continue to wish for our destruction, especially following the lessons of the Gaza Disengagement. Is Mr. Diament suggesting we give away our land to the "moderate" Abbas, with Fatah even now refusing to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and continuing to spew Jew-hating indoctrination? Does he wish for an inevitable terrorist state as Israel's neighbor?   Israel now finds itself in a dangerous era of delegitimization. What Israel needs is the unyielding support and encouragement of her friends to withstand pressure from making perilous concessions to both so-called friends and enemies alike. One need not be an Orthodox Jew to recognize the threat a Palestinian state would present to Israel, World Jewry, America and the entire Middle East region. Yet, as an Orthodox Jew, Mr. Diament cannot have it both ways. He cannot pander to the political correctness of our day and commit an Orthodox Jewish organization to notions that have been proven false and which have plagued many of our non-Orthodox brothers into pressuring Israel to make suicidal sacrifices.   When so many of Israel's friends have turned away, it is beyond disillusioning to watch the OU join in the abandonment. Et tu, Brute?   Sincerely,   Sara Lehmann

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Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
This email  is L'Ilui Nishmat  Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan)  a great activist and lover of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichrono Baruch.