“Land for Peace?”

The Code of Jewish Law rules that if our enemies set out to besiege Jewish cities, then even if they come for a seemingly benign purpose such as “gathering straw and stubble,” they must be fought off, even at the cost of desecrating the Sabbath.

This applies even if they only express their intention to attack, because if they are not prevented from entering, it may leave the entire land vulnerable.

In 1967, Israel was facing a coalition of Arab armies mobilized at its borders. After a preemptive strike and miraculous victory, any talk of giving away captured territories is not only contrary to Jewish law, it is plain dangerous.