Open Letter - David Rosenblatt, Sarigim, Israel

Dear neighbor,

My name is David and I live in Israel, thirty minutes (or one minute
rocket time) from you, in a beautiful house by the woods. I hope
someday to have you over for a cup of tea. We have a lovely view from
the balcony. On a clear day we can see our jets bombing your
neighborhood.

I think it's time we had a heart to heart. It's time you knew the
truth. After all, what are neighbors for? You might have wondered why
both you and your parents were born in a refugee camp. Why is it that
even though we live only 30 minutes apart, I live in prosperity and
you live in poverty and filth? Why you live in despair and hatred
while we live in hope and love.

Here is the truth, neighbor:

There really was a Holocaust. I realize you've been taught
otherwise. I know, that ever since you were a small child you've been
told that the Holocaust is something the Jews fabricated to justify
taking your land. Well, dear citizen of Gaza, it really happened. Not
very long ago. It happened. And guess what? It's NEVER going to happen
again. The time in history when Jews were led to slaughter,
persecuted, raped and pillaged is over and will never recur. Never.
Now we have our own country. Now we have the bombs. We will never
forget what was done to our people and you better not either.

We don't hate you. We don't hate anyone. Jews are a peaceful people.
We do not want your land. We don't want oil. We don't want to rape
your women or murder your children. We never tried to force our
religion on anyone. Our eternal capital, Jerusalem, is open to all
faiths to love and to worship. We treat your Arab brothers who live
among us as equals. Our hand has been extended to peace with our
neighbors since day one. We have proven this time and time again
through numerous negotiations and extensive compromise.

We ask only for one thing. Leave us in peace. That's right. We have
no other demands. Just leave us in peace. It's as simple as that. If
you don't, we will fight back ferociously and mercilessly. We will
destroy your homes and your cities. We will make your miserable lives
even more miserable. If you don't want this to happen anymore, leave
us in peace.

Our soldiers are not motivated by hate but by determination. We
embrace life and will do anything to preserve it. However, we will
kill and die to protect our land and our way of life. That's what they
should be teaching in your schools instead of useless lies.

A terrorist is a terrorist. Sorry to be the one to break the news,
but it's about time somebody told you that a terrorist is nothing more
than a coward. Not a hero. Not a Shahid. There is nothing heroic in
blowing yourself up amongst a crowd of woman and children. Anybody can
do it. Anybody can hide inside a school or a mosque and blindly fire
rockets into cities, hoping to kill as many babies as possible. There
is nothing courageous or admirable in these acts of cruelty. To take
pride in an act of terror is pitiful and pathetic. I know you've been
raised to believe the contrary, but it is a lie. I have seen how your
children are taught to commit suicide. How your suicide bombers are
glorified. This is tragically sad. A real hero faces his enemy and
doesn't hide in schools and hospitals. A real hero protects his people
and will die for them but not among them.

Israel exists and it belongs to the Jewish People. I've seen your
school books. I know that Israel has been omitted from your maps.
Contrary to what you've been told, the State of Israel really does
exist. Look outside your window. We are here and we are not going
anywhere. Dear Palestinian neighbor, it's time to deal with the facts.
We love our beautiful little country. We will protect it with our
lives. You are not getting it. This was explained to you in 1948. You
got your country and we got ours. Your arrogant and stupid leaders
promised you that you will get the whole thing. Thousands of lives
have been lost for nothing. It's NEVER going to happen! While you have
been foolishly drooling over our land instead of nurturing your own,
we have built one of the most beautiful and successful countries on
Earth. We have done it not to spite our greedy neighbors, but rather
in spite of them. We've planted forests and quenched the desert. We've
drained wetlands and cultivated fields. We built universities, opera
houses, superhighways, hospitals, skyscrapers and stadiums. We have
millions of refugees, but no refugee camps.

You could do the same. Focus on what you have and not on what you
will never have. It takes love, hard work and determination. We can
help. We have experts and scientists helping developing nations across
the globe. Accept the facts, lay down your weapons and join us in
making this great region of the planet even greater.

Remember, we're neighbors.

David Rosenblatt, Sarigim, Israel - Jan. 9th, 2009