To all too many Muslims
and Jews throughout the world, to all too many Israelis and Palestinians
(of whatever ideology), the notion of a Jew attending this conference,
or of a Jew speaking at this conference would seem bizarre.
The novelty would be accentuated to them given that
we are clearly Orthodox Jews, and the media are very fond of telling
us, that it is the Orthodox, who are the most insensitive to the
plight of the Palestinian people.
These simplistic and utterly false notions are nothing more than
a testimony, to the near absolute domination of all major media
in America by the forces of Zionism.
Let us state certain elementary truths.
We, Torah believing Jews, have been waging the struggle against
Zionism and Zionists, long before the arrival of this ill conceived
movement in the Holy Land . Before shots were fired, before land
was taken over, before any of the Zionist crimes against the Palestinian
people had been committed, we were locked in a titanic battle with
this heretical movement across the length of Europe .
Torah leaders, learned rabbis and pious layman understood, that
Zionism was a utter rejection of Judaism. They saw it as denying,
the Jewish faith in Divine redemption, and of the reward and punishment
of our people. They saw it as conceived by irreligious Jews, and
leading to a loss of Jewish faith by the vast majority who adopted
its doctrines.
Torah leaders issued proclamations and authored books, exposing
Zionism for what it really was. All this, I say, took place before
the movement's arrival in and eventual take over, of the Holy land
.
In Palestine itself, many of the Orthodox Jews remained firm in
their opposition to the movement and refused to recognize the state
or accept any government monies from it.
But our concern today is not our Torah struggle against the Zionists.
It is our wish to express to the Palestinian people our sympathy
for their plight and support for their cause.
We did not commit the crimes of the Israeli state against the Palestinians.
We have opposed these horrors every step of the way.
These crimes were done by Jews much estranged from their faith.
Yet, the crimes have been done by Jews.
Therefore, we have come here today with a simple message. We of
Neturei Karta are not powerful but whatever power we have is pledged
to right the wrongs of Zionism.
We wish to state unequivocally our support for the Palestinian
right of return with full reparations.
We wish to state our support for Palestinian self determination
and sovereignty over all of Palestine . We would be pleased if this
future Palestinian government would allow a certain number of Jews
to continue to live there, as loyal citizens in their state but
that is their decision.
Sadly this position is not shared by the Israeli state.
Thus it is our task to tell the world that the state does not represent
the Torah or the Torah true Jewish people.
We desire peace between. Muslim and Jew.
The quarrel today is not between Judaism and Islam. It is not between
believers of two different, but in many areas, similar faiths.
It is between the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and
the cruel Zionist regime.
For believing Jews, schooled in morality and fairness, the choice
is not a difficult one.
May the Creator o the world grant that the state of Israel be peacefully
dismantled and Muslims and Jews live together, forever in peace.
A salam aleikhim
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