Chukat: Give Us Back The Occupied Territories Now!

This past week saw the economic component of Trump’s “Deal of the Century,”unveiled in Bahrain. Jared Kushner presented the administration’s ideas on how to “economically rehabilitate” the “Palestinians,” nothing new there. The political component, the part that presumably will deal with borders, sovereignty, etc. is being held off until after Israeli elections in September.

What are the occupied territories, really?

The Palestinian Authority refused to participate as anticipated and squawked about the meeting, give us back the occupied territories now!

Its a common refrain of the “Palestinians,” and in parts of the world today; but truth be told, it goes all the way back to the beginning of the Jewish people.

This week’s Torah reading is Chukat, and at its end, we find the story of Israel’s conquest of the East Bank of the Jordan river. The nation had skirted Edom and Moab, then requested from Sihon and then Og, Amorite kings, permission to peaceably pass through their territory.

Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites: “Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”

They refused and decided to go out to war against Israel.

A country attacked may defend itself

Moses, as any good Jewish leader would, ordered the IDF of the time, to counter-attack full force and, “Israel put him [Sihon] to the sword, and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok…Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding towns. Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon.” (Numbers 21:21-26)

Actually, quite similar to modern Israel’s peace overtures to Egypt and Jordan after the 1948 war, being ultimately met with the 1967 war thrust upon Israel. Unplanned, Israel’s victory then led to possession of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. Part of the Jew’s ancient homeland, which Israel then began to repopulate.

Give us back the occupied territories now!

We then find in the Haftarah reading, Judges Chapter 11, three hundred years after the Torah story above, the king of Ammon making war against Israel, on behalf of his kinsmen Moab, in an attempt to reclaim the lost territory. The elders of Gilead appoint Yiftach¹ to lead the military resistance.

Yiftach sent messengers to the Ammonite king with the question: “What do you have against me that you have attacked my country?” The king of the Ammonites answered Yiftach’s messengers: “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, all the way to the Jordan. Now give it back peaceably.” (Judges 11:12-13)

By the way, what took them three hundred years to try and reclaim it?

A real leader answers claims about occupied territories

Unlike Peres, Rabin, Barak, Sharon, Olmert, and Netanyahu, how did a real Jewish leader respond to claims of returning so-called “occupied territory?”

Yiftach sent back messengers to the Ammonite king, saying…Israel did not take the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites.

He then recounted all the history from leaving Egypt, to asking permission to cross territory, and being attacked,

Then the Lord, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and his whole army into Israel’s hands, and they defeated them. Israel took over all the land of the Amorites who lived in that country, capturing all of it from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the desert to the Jordan.

But, Yiftach doesn’t make a historical claim, or say that Israel’s right to the land comes from capturing it after being attacked. He ends with absolute faith in the God of Israel and clearly states Israel has no right to give it away,

The God of Israel is the Strongest

Now since the Lord, the God of Israel, has driven the Amorites out before his people Israel, what right have you to take it over? Will you not take what your god Chemosh gives you? Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess.

(Judges 11:14-15, 21-24)

End of discussion…

Maybe if Israeli leaders today, would deal with the Arab world and “Palestinians” the same way, they would get the same results as Yiftach’s leadership achieved, “And Ammon was subdued before the Children of Israel.” (Judges 11:33)

Give us back the occupied territories now!

Yes indeed, Sinai, Trans-Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, etc. are all parts of the Promised Land of Israel! (Deuteronomy 11:24)

Biography

Ariel Natan Pasko, an independent analyst and consultant, has a Master’s Degree specializing in International Relations, Political Economy & Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites and in newspapers. His latest articles can also be read on his archive: The Think Tank by Ariel Natan Pasko.

© 2019/5779 Pasko

1 In English, this name most commonly transliterates as Jephthah. – Ed.

About the image

This map of Israel shows the so-called occupied territories as hatched regions. Map courtesy U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.