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| 28 April 2005 |
Irving Abella
Department of History
York University
2140 Vari Hall
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, ON M3J 1P3
Irving Abella:
The 28-Apr-2005 Canadian Jewish News at www.cjnews.com/viewarticle.asp?id=6193 quotes you as saying that "By denying the right to the Jews that is given to every other people on the face of the earth — that is a right to a homeland, a right to a state, one, therefore, is singling out the Jews and making a special exception for the Jews and being hypocritical."
But wouldn't this be like Bonnie and Clyde pleading that the law denies them the right — given to every other people on the face of the earth — to earn their bread by working?
It must be evident to all that Bonnie and Clyde did enjoy a right to work, so long as that work didn't involve robbing banks. And it must be evident to all that Jews do enjoy a right to acquire property, even contiguous property, even property that might eventually aspire to statehood, so long as that acquisition doesn't involve homicide.
The insight that Jewish leadership seems to have missed is that it is simpler to acquire property by paying its owners than by killing them. Had Jews elected to purchase rather than to plunder, they could have acquired legal title to all the land that they presently occupy in the Middle East at a fraction of what it has in fact cost to occupy it illegally. Lawfully purchasing the land at twice its market value would have been a steal in comparison, at five times its market value would still have been cheap, at ten times its market value would nevertheless have been a bargain. The fifteen million dollars that the United States sends Israel daily is money wasted in defending robbery, where it could be invested instead in purchasing real estate.
Your position would be more tenable if it began to respect law. Labor law does not defend the right to employment robbing banks, and would not view Bonnie and Clyde being stripped of their stolen cash as making them a "special exception." Similarly, real estate law does not defend property acquisition by murder, and would not view Israelis being stripped of their stolen land as making them a "special exception." The writings capable of producing contemporary miracles happen to be not religious writings but legal writings — acquiring property under the guidance of real estate texts produces the miracle of an amicable buyer and seller; acquiring property under the guidance of religious tomes produces piles of corpses.
All that is being asked is that you abandon biblical injunctions to acquire territory by slaughter and adopt modern norms of paying for the thing desired. If you want a country, come up with the cash. If you can't raise the asking price, then accept the fate of all mankind — of having to live without that which you cannot afford. But don't just start shooting whoever stands in your way while whining about being denied things you think should be yours without purchase.
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ACQUIRING REAL ESTATE WITHOUT PAYMENT REQUIRES CERTAIN DEEDS TO BE PERFORMED
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