Jerusalem, Hebron and Shechem

"How do you know that the prime minister is dividing Jerusalem?" one of the many interviewers with whom I have spoken over the past weeks asked me. "Just like the little boy knew that the emperor had no clothes - I simply open my eyes," I answered. "Just this morning I heard Housing Minister Ariel Atias explain that construction in Jerusalem has been frozen for half a year. So why are you still asking this question?"

Whoever does not see that Netanyahu is dividing Jerusalem - simply does not want to face the facts.

Slowly but surely, I am beginning to realize that the reason that we did not successfully convince the Likud Central Committee members that if they voted with Bibi, they would effectively be surrendering Jerusalem is because they have already begun to accept the division of our holy city as an unpleasant fact of life. Just like in the story of the emperor, it is infinitely more comfortable to march around, stripped of Jerusalem while decked out in illusory loyalty to it, than to actually stand up and fight for our capital.

Bogi Ya'alon and Benny Begin are members of Netanyahu's inner cabinet. They certainly knew about Bibi's promise to freeze construction in Jerusalem that was publicized by the US this week. But with their pledges of allegiance to Jerusalem, they helped Netanyahu soothe the consciences of the Likud Central Committee members so that they would vote with the prime minister.

In a clearly prescient observation, the Midrash in Breishit Rabba tells us that there are three pieces of property in Israel that the nations of the world cannot claim are stolen: The Cave of Machpelah in Hebron, the Temple Mount and the burial place of Joseph in Shechem. All of these places were bought by our ancestors. The purchases are clearly recorded in the Torah and Prophets. But the nations of the world have not read the Midrash and apparently not the Bible, either - and unabashedly claim that we have robbed these sites from their "rightful owners." As the Midrash predicted, it is specifically in Hebron, Shechem and the Temple Mount that the quintessential battle for the Land of Israel is being waged.

We cannot blame the nations of the world, though. It is we who surrendered Hebron and Shechem, bringing the battle to the gates of Jerusalem. And how have we begun to reclaim Hebron and Shechem?

My friend and veteran Hebronite Dovid Shirel told me that when the Jewish community in Hebron was starting out, it was extremely difficult to organize a quorum for prayer at the Cave of Machpelah. Except for the local Jews, the burial place of our Patriarchs and Matriarchs did not seem to interest anyone. People only began to wake up when it seemed that the government would surrender the Cave of Machpelah to the Arabs. And today? Today all the powers-that-be know that they cannot surrender the Cave of Machpelah because no fence or army can separate the Nation of Israel from its Forefathers.

Refreshing news from Joseph's Tomb in Shechem, as well. Who cared about the Tomb in the heart of an Arab refugee camp before it was taken away from us? Very few. But this week, on Joseph's day of the Counting of the Omer, thousands waited for the few buses that the IDF escorted into Joseph's Tomb. Soldiers emotionally joined the moving prayers at the Tomb. Some Jews regularly evade the army roadblocks and make their way to the Tomb, in the heart of Shechem, with no arms and no visible signs of logic. What happened in Hebron when the Jews felt that they were losing the Cave of Machpelah is happening now in Shechem.

Just wait to see what will happen when the Jews will understand that they are losing the Temple Mount. Just wait to see what will happen when the spark that has lit up Hebron and Shechem will ignite in Jerusalem and burn all that threatens the Jewish future of our eternal city.