Thousands of people gathered in Hebron for the annual Chayei Sarah Torah reading. The chapter commemorates Abraham’s purchase of Maarat Hamachpelah as a burial site. Shrewd Abraham didn’t accept the place as a gift but insisted on paying for it. The Torah relates that Jews inherited all the property of Abraham. Nevertheless, the Israeli government gave the Cave of the Patriarchs to Muslims, who now control the place.
Pilgrims slept all over Kiryat Arba and the Jewish Quarter of Hebron in tents. Horrendous settlers, many of them pushed in cribs by their parents, chatted with soldiers. This is no exaggeration: Jewish soldiers, looking futuristic with their new Tavor guns, played with kids and babies. Though the leftist media would repeat its official lie about strained relations, the reality is different: there has been great camaraderie between pilgrims and soldiers. Coffee and food was passed to soldiers; smiles and greetings passed both ways. Some soldiers loudly advocated politically incorrect measures, and the crowd chanted Amen. Both religious and atheist soldiers shared the festive mood.
Here and there, a leftist or two tried to incite the soldiers, who only wearily wished they would bug off. Unlike peaceniks, soldiers deal with real Arabs, and prefer them dead. Peaceniks would be more successful with Arabs; if not for their incitement, strong Jews and Arabs respectful of strength could get along.
There was a massive army presence in Hebron—something like fifty soldiers the first evening. On the second day police added a few dozen officers despite the total calm. Unsatisfied, the police arrested several youngsters for no apparent reason. Police later claimed the youths had tried to enter the Judenrein Arab zone (how come 1.5 million Arabs live in Israel?) and/or attacked the police. In truth, the policemen walked them to the car in a reasonably friendly manner with no indication of clashes whatsoever. Police just have to arrest someone if there is a mass event in Hebron.
Curious Arab kids greeted the Jewish crowd.
Many foreign Jews, alone and in groups, descended on Hebron. Teens were seen on the streets deep into the night. Seemingly no one was concerned with the danger from the Arabs: in the middle of the night, Jews happily walked the deserted streets, which still bear signs in Arabic.
Propaganda efforts failed miserably. Many American kids, brought in all-expenses-paid groups, wondered at the archeology and tough settlers, but no guide risked his job by explaining to them the realities of the Peace Now threat, incurable Arab terrorism, and the practical and religious need to annex the land without its natives.
