Americans For a Safe Israel/AFSI joins the civilized world in condemning the bestial terrorist attack Tuesday, May 8, against Ya’akov Mandel and Yosef Ishran, two fourteen-year-olds from Tekoa, a community just southeast of Bethlehem. The boys had been hiking near the Haritoun Cave, only a short distance from their homes, when they were viciously attacked, stoned and knifed to death.

Helen Freedman, Executive Director of Americans For a Safe Israel/AFSI declares, “Sharon’s call to the Arabs to ’stop their anti-Israel violence and incitement’ is pathetic in light of the horrific nature of the PA war that is being waged against Israel. There isn’t a day when we don’t learn of another murder, a bomb exploding or miraculously being disabled before going off, the PA arms build-up, the shelling of Psagot, or Gilo, or the communities in Gaza. It is clear that calls for cessation of violence are seen as signs of weakness on the part of Israel. With the seizure of the San Torini, an Arab ship on its way from Lebanon to Gaza on its third arms smuggling run, we learn that there has been a steady flow of weapons to the Arabs. The ship carried $10 million worth of arms, including rockets, anti-aircraft missiles, mortars, mortar bombs, Kalishnikov rifles and ammunition, hand grenades, and Katyusha rockets. We read that they have been smuggled into the Arab settlements in Judea and Samaria from where missiles can be launched that will reach Ben Gurion airport. We’ve learned that a directive has been given to civilian pilots to maintain an altitude of 2100 meters when flying over Judea and Samaria lest they be in range of the S-7 missiles now known to be in the hands of the Arabs.”

Helen Freedman continued, “To pretend that all of the above, and the 2900 incidents of violence that have occurred in Judea and Samaria since September 2000 are simply “violations” of “peace” accords is to immerse oneself in the Orwellian world of total absurdity. There is a war going on, and it is up to the Sharon government to fight the battle with actions, not words. MK Michael Kleiner’s suggestion that the Israelis enter Arab Areas A, impose a curfew, go from door to door collecting all weapons, thereby literally disarming the enemy, must be a first step in the battle. The rest of the needed military strategy we leave to General Sharon who is an expert on the subject. As for world opinion, our advice is for Israel to live up to its name — to stand straight and tall for HaShem. Jews have learned the bitter lesson of trying to placate their enemies. Those efforts must fail. Peace through a strong, proud Israel is the only possible path.”

For those in the New York area who wish to protest the brutal killing of American citizen Ya’akov Mandell and his classmate Yosef Ishran, there will be a demonstration today, Wednesday, May 9, at the PLO UN Mission, 65th Street & Park Ave., NYC, at 5 P.M. Please make every effort to attend.

This entry was posted on Sunday, May 13th, 2001 and is filed under opinion.