The residents of Gush Etzion are uniting to show their resilience in the face of terror with an initiative created in part by Israeli media mind Ari Abramowitz, ‘One Flag.”

Gush Etzion residents are blanketing their loose-knit cluster of communities with Israeli flags to show of solidarity with the families of the three Israeli teens who were kidnapped and murdered there June 12 by Hamas terrorists.

“Rather than calling for hatred and revenge, since the very beginning of this nightmare each of the three bereaved families have been calling for national unity,” Abramowitz explained. “They have unified us, now it is our chance to stand united with them.

Each resident receives a message with their flag: “We, the Gush Etzion family are hanging flags from our windows. We are raising the flag in solidarity with the Sha’ar, Frenkel and Yifrach families who are mourning the murder of their beloved sons. Our nation was united in tears, prayer, and hope for their sons safe return. And now, as we mourn them, they continue to unite us.”

Gush Etzion resident Jeremy Gimpel, the other organizer of the campaign, added that Israelis, especially the youth in Gush Etzion, needed a positive way to harness both the grief of these devastating murders and the feelings of love, empathy, and support they all feel for the victims’ families.

“Jews have always made meaning out of pain and brought light out of the darkness of anti-Semitism and hatred. This united initiative is a truer reflection of the settlers. It’s peaceful, powerful, and regal. By the end of the Shloshim (30 day mourning period), it wouldn’t surprise me if this becomes a national campaign,” he said.

“The irony of this incredible campaign is that we were initially concerned with how the youth were dealing with the trauma of the murder in their neighborhood. As soon as we got the ball rolling, it was pushed forward almost entirely by the youth here who are mobilizing with impressive efficiency to distribute flags throughout their communities,” Abramowitz added.

Yitchak Nesh, a 17 year old activist, also noted, “We thought it was important to launch this campaign here in the Gush, where our friends were abducted. “Our enemies need to understand that while they have succeeded in murdering three innocent boys, they have failed at their greater goal of trying to scare us and weaken us.”

“So many people are confused by the violence and accusations in the media,” explained Mottle Wolfe of Tekoa. “Now is not the time for rifts and divisions, it is the time for healing and unity. That is what this ‘One Flag’ campaign is all about.”

The campaign has also engendered widespread support from the local community leadership and from mayor Davidi Perel, who strongly encouraged the initiative. The region’s “Orly Print,” agreed to print all materials at cost.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke this morning with Hussein Abu Khdeir, the father of 16 year old Muhammad Abu Khdeir, whose burned body was found last week in the Jerusalem forest.

The prime minister promised the grieving Arab father that his son’s murderers would face the ‘full weight of the law’ – a clear difference between the behavior of Israeli leaders and those of the Palestinian Authority, who name public squares after terrorists who murder Jews.

“I would like to express my outrage and that of the citizens of Israel over the reprehensible murder of your son,” said Netanyahu. “We acted immediately to apprehend the murderers,” he pointed out.

“We will bring them to trial and they will be dealt with to the fullest extend of the law,” he promised.

“We denounce all brutal behavior; the murder of your son is abhorrent and cannot be countenanced by any human being.”

The prime minister’s behavior was in stark contrast to that of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who took days to condemn the kidnapping of three Israeli teens in the same age group by terrorists from his own population, members of Hamas.

Eyal Yifrach, 19, Naftali Frenkel, 16 and Gilad Sha’ar, 16, were kidnapped and brutally murdered on June 12 in Judea by a group of Hamas terrorists as they were hitchhiking home from their yeshiva in Gush Etzion. A recording of the murder was made because Gilad called the police in desperation from his cellphone to say that the boys were being kidnapped. As the terrorists realized the call had been made, the phone was dropped and the boys were beaten and then shot to death – the entire event, meanwhile, was heard by police and recorded by the central dispatcher’s office.

Nevertheless, Palestinian Authority police have done little – if anything – to track down the killers of the three Israeli teens, whereas Israel has already caught those responsible for the murder of Muhammad Abu Khdeir, a Jerusalem Arab.

The difference makes crystal clear which of the two parties is a “partner for peace” and which obviously is not, regardless of attitudes abroad.

Just to clarify and calm the nerves on all you liberal or pro Palestine readers.

I want to make something very clear, the person or persons who were responsible for the murder of Muhammad Abu Khdeir are murderers of the worst kind and should be dealt with just like we SHOULD be dealing with Islamic terrorism.

That being said, there is a huge and very fundamental difference between what happened to the three Israeli teens that were abducted and murdered and the young Arab teen that was abducted and murdered. The difference lies on three different levels.

1. National backing of terrorists activity
2. World Reaction
3. Nation’s Reaction

NATIONAL BACKING FOR TERRORISM

Fatah, Hamas and every other Arab organization that exists in the PA territories has one time or another called for the destruction of the State of Israel. The original PLO charter clearly calls for the violent dismantling of the JEWISH STATE (no not Zionist but Jewish).

The school system under Fatah promotes martyrdom and murder through curriculum and even through the names of their educational institutions. As clearly demonstrated by Palestinian Media Watch

The most common school name PMW has found is the name Al Khansa – with at least 8 schools given her name. Al Khansa is the honored mother of Islamic tradition because she expressed joy over the Shahada (Martyrdom) deaths of her four children.
A PA schoolbook for Grade 8, explains her importance this way:

“Al-Khansa witnessed the Battle of Al-Qadisiyah with her four sons. She urged them to fight… They fought until all of them fell as Shahids. When the news reached her she said, ‘Praise be to Allah who has honored me by theirShahada.’”  [Reading and Texts Part II, Grade 8, p. 13]

Al-Khansa’s celebration of her four sons’ deaths makes her a perfect role model for Palestinian girls, as Palestinian society has chosen to teach that death is a greater value than life.One example of this teaching is in Palestinian Authority schoolbook for 13 year-olds that teach children: “Your enemies seek life while you seek death.”  [Reading and Texts Part II, Grade 8, p. 16]”

Streets in Fatah controlled areas are named after Islamic terrorists of the worst kind.

Abu Mazen the “Moderate” has never been shy to tell it like it is and often honors mass murderers and arch Islamic terrorists sitting in Israeli jail.

While the Israeli murderers of the Arab teen will be jailed, ousted and stained for life like they deserve, Arab terrorists are honored, revered and even featured on the most popular talk shows.

Here’s how an official PA government member reacted to the kidnapping of the three Israeli teens!

How does it work in Israel?

Even before any evidence was collected, many from the government already condemned the murder is the most clear tones possible. After the details were publicized, there was not a siingle Israeli leader who did not condemn this horrific murder!

The difference?

We didn’t wait for facts to speak of our disgust, we did it right away with no excuses, because MURDER IS MURDER!

2. World Reaction

I have absolutely no expectations from the world and certainly not from the White House at this time.

I am not complaining or expecting change, I am simply pointing out the horrific level of hypocrisy.On June 12, 2014, three Jewish Israeli teens, Naftali Frenkel (16,), Gilad Shaer (16), and Eyal Yifrah (19), were abducted as they were on their way home from school.

Naftali Frenkel happen to hold dual citizenship and was a citizen of the United States of America. There was complete silence from Obama, the world and the UN and only on June 18th (a week later!) did the State department release a statement where they stated their concerned about the Israeli operation and demanded Israel exercise restraint.

What was even more unbelievable was the US State department would not even confirm that it was talking about a kidnapping and when asked about the American citizen involved, they did NOT even have his name!

Watch and be disgusted!  (You can watch the whole thing but the embarrassment starts at 1:40)

The UN? The 3 mothers went to the UN to beg for their help.

The UN reaction?

Go ahead, Google UN reaction to kidnapped Israeli teens.

Let me know if you find anything! Hamas Condemned? No! Palestinian incitement condemned? No! Anything? NO!

When it came to the murder of Muhammad Abu Khdeir it took both Obama and his sidekick Kerry under 2 hours to make a statement, charge and indict Israel. It took them over a week to say boo about the 3 Israeli boys and when they did say something they said they were concerned with Israel’s reaction!

Read Kerry’s statement HEREI am not even going to begin talking about the press coverage of both murders. I had to constantly update my friends overseas since not a single major news network was covering (more than a couple of seconds) the Israeli kidnapped boys.

When it came to Muhammad Abu Khdeir, front page and feature story on EVERY single media outlet. I guess Muslim killing Jew is no story but it’s not every day you see a Jew do what you usually see a fanatic Muslim do.

3. Nation’s Reaction

Naftali, Eyal and Gil-Ad were missing for two weeks and while the army was out searching for their killers and figuring out what happened, the civilians of Israel were busy comforting the families and praying.

Now let’s take a look at our neighbors; the fanatic Muslims. When news spread of the kidnapping of Muhammad Abu Khdeir, there were no prayer groups or singing, this was the reaction:All videos were seen originally in Israel Video Network

If you want to keep in touch with Israel you definitely want to joinIsrael Video Network!

Attempted Lynching

Shooting firecrackers at police

Fire bombing random Jewish homes in the middle of the night

The Jerusalem light rail that runs through the Arab neighborhood was completely destroyed and millions of dollars of damage was caused by Muslim fanatics.

The Arabs actually worked for hours to rip up the tracks while trashing the train stops in their own neighborhoods.

So yes, both are horrific acts of murder and the victims families and friends will feel the pain, but NEVER compare the terrorism of individual Jews who are ousted, villainized and jailed by their country, to the fanatic Islamic and Arab terrorists who are backed, honored and encouraged by their religious and national leaders!

When it comes to track records, check the world’s most wanted terrorist lists, count the fanatic Muslims, then count the Jews.

Let me know what you come up with!

One more small detail that most of you probably forgot, we found and arrested the murderers of Muhammad Abu Khdeir in less than a week, we are still waiting for the terrorists who kidnapped and murdered Naftali, Eyal and Gil-Ad. Perhaps Abu Mazen wants to find an empty street to name after them before handing them over to the Israeli authorities.

The murderer of Shelly Dadon, 20 years old, was captured, the police announced today.

On May 1st, Hassin Yousef Hassin Khalifah, a 34 years old Arab taxi driver, picked up Dadon, a resident of Afulah, who was on her way to a work interview.

Khalifa is a resident of the village of Iblin in the Galilee.

Several hours later her body was found in a parking lot in Migdal Ha’Emek by a police patrol.

Northern Command Police Chief Moshe Cohen stated at the time that her body was discovered with ‘signs of violence’.

The murder weapon, a knife, was recovered.

The murderer told the police that after the attack he washed his car and cleaned out the blood stains.

The murderer has reconstructed the murder with the police.

It is believed that the attack was a terror attack, and not criminally motivated.

A few days ago Chief of Police Yochanan Danino personally updated the family on the developments.

A 60 year old Jewish woman was found murdered in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Pisgat Ze’ev, with signs of violence on her body. She was found in the parking lot of a building. Police say they they are investigating the reason for the murder.

Residents near the neighborhood’s shopping center made numerous calls to police last night, alerting them to Arab riots in the neighborhood near the shopping center, along with the cries to “kill the Jews”. The police informed the residents that they are aware of the riots and are dealing with them.

Residents locked themselves in their homes for their own safety.

Ayala Hasson, political commentator for Channel 1 said at 10 AM, that a high level source informed her that unlike the impression they are trying to give, the police actually have no clue or direction as to who kidnapped and murdered 17 year old Mohammed Abu Khdeir from Shuafat.

In the wake of our tremendous pain over the murder of the three innocent teens, a desire has arisen within the Nation to understand why this has happened. The Admor of Satmar, who dwells in the Exile, claims that it is a punishment for the teens learning in the “Settlements” and blames the parents for sending them to learn there.

We fear that assigning such blame may violate the prohibition of “Ona’at Devarim” (distressing others). As the Gemara in Baba Metzia (58b) says, one may not speak to one who is suffering affliction or illness, or whose children have died, the way Iyov’s friends spoke to him: “Surely your fear was your foolishness, your hope and the sincerity of your ways” (Iyov 4:6). And we can add that the Rishonim on this Gemara write that the problem is not only causing distress to another person but also arrogance in thinking that we can know the ways of Hashem.

This recalls the reciprocal placing of blame that occurred following the horrors of the Holocaust: Some said that it happened on account of Zionism, others said it was because there was not Zionism. Still others blamed it on the Enlightenment. Each group’s explanation came from its own biased outlook, with no regard for the idea: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts and My ways are not your ways” (Yeshayahu 55:8).

As is known, the uncle of the Admor of Satmar, Ha-Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, wrote a book “Va-Yoel Moshe” which is based on the idea that the murder of the holy one during the Holocaust was because of Zionism and the Return to Tzion.

But the great Rabbis of Israel have already answered that if the main transgression was Jews making Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael in an organized fashion, then the first Jews to make Aliyah should have been murdered. Yet those who came to Eretz Yisrael and “violated” the Three Oaths (according to the Satmar Rebbe’s opinion) were saved, and those who did not make Aliyah were the ones who were murdered! (See the book “Alo Naale” – Response to Va-Yoel Moshe #43).

The number of Jews murdered in Auschwitz alone was, in fact, higher than that of all of the Jews murdered in all of the wars and terror attacks since the beginning of the Return to Tzion. Today – with the kindnesses of Hashem upon us – there are almost half a million Jews who live in Yesha. Therefore the Admor of Satmar’s claim is not valid.

Regarding the question itself, whether learning in Yesha is permissible: this was already asked of Ha-Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein, Rabbi of “Ramat Elchanan” (neighborhood in Bnei Brak).

A student was learning in a Yeshiva in Yesha and his parents were opposed on account of the danger. Ha-Rav Zilberstein proves that “a frequent damage” (Pesachim 8b. See Mesilat Yesharim, end of Chapter 9) is five percent. Baruch Hashem, 5% of the residents in Yesha are not murdered! And Ha-Rav Yitzchak Isaac Herzog in Shut Heichal Yitzchak proved based on Shut Rabbi Akiva Eiger (#60) that a frequent danger is not five percent, but one in a thousand (Shut Ha-Rav Herzog Vol. 1, p. 269).

Baruch Hashem, one in a thousand Jews is not murdered in “Yeshe”.

The basic halachah is therefore that there is nothing to fear. Obviously, nothing is 100% certain, but nowhere in this world is 100% safe, not Yerushalayim and not Tel Aviv, and it is all based on the definition of “a frequent damage”.

We agree with the Admor of Satmar that there are many Arab murderers in Eretz Yisrael, but we must see things in proportion. We have already been living in Yesha for 40 years and the number of murders that occur there is extremely low. The same is true in all of Eretz Yisrael. We must remember that according to a report of the WHO, World Health Organization, 8 out of 100,000 Israeli citizens are murdered each year. That’s compared with 15 out of 100,000 citizens in France, and 25 out of 100,000 Americans. Therefore, it is more dangerous for the Admor of Satmar, may he live a long and good life, Amen!, to live in America than to live in the “Settlements”! We must thank Hashem, and his loyal agents – Tzahal, the police, the Mossad, the Shabak and the rest of the security establishment – day and night for the peace and quiet we merit in our Land.

In the Gemara in Chullin (63b), Rabbi Abayu asks: Why is there a bird called “Ra’ah” (the one who saw)? He answers: Because he sits in Bavel and sees a carcass in Eretz Yisrael. The great Rabbis explain that this is a parable to someone who dwells outside of Eretz Yisrael and see the deficiencies in Eretz Yisrael and speaks Lashon Ha-Ra against it…

This obviously in no way detracts from the incredible merits of the Admor of Satmar in strengthening Torah and fear of Hashem in America, and we pray regarding them: “May our eyes behold Your return to Tzion in compassion”.

Prepared and translated by Rabbi Mordechai Tzion