GONE IS THE BULLDOZER – WILL MORE FOLLOW HIM?

All those who spoke about Sharon’s “ideological revolution” explained in fiery speeches how he had changed his positions, betrayed his past, and brought untold pain and suffering to the settlers. Some of them reasoned that he did it just to avoid criminal investigation, while others honestly believed that he had undergone a transformation of conscience. But none of the pundits thought to ask: What is the legacy of Ariel Sharon? Does his final policy initiative serve as a flashing yellow light warning future prime ministers to keep away from further withdrawals?

1.

Exactly ten years ago last week in an interview with HaAretz, then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced that “by the end of 2005 there will be no Jews in Gush Katif.” How fitting and symbolic it is that exactly ten years later, the former champion of the settler community was laid to rest. During the funeral, terrorist missiles were fired toward the cities of southern Eretz Yisroel – from the Gush Katif region he had destroyed.

This is not just a case of incredible irony. This is an accurate picture of the prevailing situation as the world said goodbye to the man who built and destroyed it all – the bulldozing general. Last week, the media dealt with virtually every aspect of Ariel Sharon and his mythical leadership, from the Battles of Latrun to his treachery against the settler movement. One question remained unanswered: Has anyone internalized the message of colossal failure represented by the disengagement from Gaza? All those who spoke about Sharon’s “ideological revolution” explained in fiery speeches how he had changed his positions, betrayed his past, and brought untold pain and suffering to the settlers. Some of them reasoned that he wanted to avoid criminal investigation while others honestly believed (or deceived themselves into believing) that he had undergone a transformation of conscience. However, no one bothered to ask the most pressing question: What is the legacy of Ariel Sharon? Does his final policy initiative serve as a flashing yellow light to warn future prime ministers to keep away from further withdrawals?

It’s not just that no one mentioned the thousands of missiles that rained down over Israel’s southern cities since this unspeakably painful evacuation. No one even tried to shirk responsibility for the totally fallacious line of thinking that giving away Gush Katif would guarantee security for the rest of the Jewish settlements. The same Sharon who followed this path of destruction constantly spoke about how “we had a dream – we wanted [it] very much, yet we discovered that it was impossible.” He explained that the uprooting of the Gush Katif settlements would save those in Yehuda and Shomron. However, after the cruel expulsion, he was already talking about more withdrawals, emphasizing that additional expulsions would be carried out, albeit of a different character than what transpired in Gush Katif.

This perhaps represents the true legacy of Ariel Sharon. Sharon’s real legacy is when the current chairman of the Bayit Yehudi Party—which is supposed to embody the nationalist forces in the Knesset—declares in a policy speech that “we will not agree to a return to the 1967 borders and a division of Yerushalayim,” yet he has no problem with negotiations on further territorial concessions. Even Sharon explained that he was only taking this most painful step in order to save Yehuda and Shomron. However, he concluded his political career with a desire to carry out his own concessions, as he began to plan out the next withdrawals - in Yehuda and Shomron.

2.

Sharon often spoke about his personal meetings with the Rebbe. On one occasion he recalled his first meeting, when the Rebbe instructed him to strengthen his connection to Jewish traditions by performing mitzvos. The Rebbe explained that while Jewish youth feel a connection and an attachment to Am Yisroel, this feeling will not be transmitted to the next generation without practical mitzvah observance. He made it clear to Mr. Sharon that his connection to Jewish identity must be accompanied by actual mitzvos, such as keeping Shabbos and putting on t’fillin.

This message was persistently repeated whenever the Rebbe and Sharon met. The Rebbe was relentless in his demand not to settle merely for nationalist declarations. It was imperative for him to connect with authentic Judaism through doing mitzvos. 

During one such private discussion, the Rebbe explained to Mr. Sharon that he must fulfill the mitzvos of the Torah. He added that he shouldn’t waste valuable energy on Gentiles, instead investing his efforts in strengthening his connection with his own people. The Rebbe said that while public relations were quite important, priority must go to his relations with other Jews – his real partners. These comments were made in connection with Mr. Sharon’s speaking engagements before Jewish student audiences at American universities. Together with this message, the Rebbe guided Sharon on how he should act. Instead of groveling before the Gentiles, he should work with his fellow Jews and pay no attention to the negative opinions of the outside world towards us. However, this firm stance of proper action on behalf of the Jewish People, the Rebbe told him, also requires a true connection to Judaism – through Torah and mitzvos. 

3.

Today, when we see the results of the substandard education provided by the present leadership in Eretz Yisroel we can understand clearly the Rebbe’s words to Mr. Sharon. The current generation has been raised with a vague sense of Jewish awareness and no sense of obligation to Torah and mitzvos. This leaves them with zero self-respect and with the feeling that they must kowtow to the world at-large.

Regrettably, in the years that have passed since then, there have been no leaders in Eretz Yisroel who have adopted the Rebbe’s simple and logical approach. Instead of strengthening their connection with world Jewry and conducting themselves with a sense of Jewish pride, the country’s political leaders invest all their energies in futile PR offensives toward the international community – nations who don’t help us in any case and don’t accept our presence here as being legitimate.

The consequences of keeping one’s distance from Torah are not merely felt in our conduct on the world scene. When the head of the “Jewish Home” Party demands that the prime minister “conduct stubborn negotiations,” this means he too has given a green light on partitioning Eretz Yisroel and placing it on the trading block – stubbornly, of course. So, what’s the difference today between Ms. Livni, Mr. Bennett, and Mr. Netanyahu? They each claim that they oppose a return to the 1967 borders and agree that Yerushalayim must forever remain the capital of the Jewish People. Yet, if you listen carefully, the three of them are also conveying another message: no to a return to the 1967 borders, yes to (stubborn) negotiations and ch’’v more withdrawals.

4.

Indeed, this may be the most correct depiction of Ariel Sharon, the bulldozing general. He had been a legend in the Israel Defense Forces, an image of fighting power and self-sacrifice for the salvation of the Jewish People. He built the fabulous settlement community, yet in his final active years, he turned his back on the settlers and dismantled twenty-five flourishing yishuvim. Their residents were evicted from their homes, and most of them have failed to rebuild their lives to this very day.

During every meeting and in every correspondence, the Rebbe demanded from Sharon that he shouldn’t settle merely for patriotic platitudes and that he must be more stringent in his mitzvah observance, thereby fortifying his own inheritance of our time-honored Jewish traditions. The Rebbe also explained to him that physical possession of the Land of Israel is not enough if we are cut off from our Jewish roots. Our only truly legitimate claim to Eretz Yisroel comes from the holy Torah.

Sharon loved to come to Kfar Chabad, sitting at farbrengens with the Chassidim and singing Chassidic niggunim – “melodies of the forest” he called them. When he spoke about his meetings with the Rebbe, he also knew that the Rebbe was always right. This was not just because of his absolute support for settling all parts of Eretz HaKodesh and his complete opposition to giving away land. It also stemmed from the Rebbe’s clear instructions to Sharon on strengthening his personal life through greater adherence to Jewish traditions.

If Sharon would have been more connected to his Jewish roots, including mitzvah observance as the Rebbe had requested, it stands to reason that he would have understood that Judaism is not just some interesting folklore to use only when it’s convenient, ignoring those sections we consider offensive. This leads to the realization that Eretz Yisroel, every inch of it, belongs to the Jewish People as an everlasting gift from Alm-ghty G-d, and therefore, there can be no compromise on its territorial integrity. The Land of Israel is not for sale!