Should we have embraced the Palestinians after the Six Day War? Some people thought so. In fact one very famous individual is on record as saying so. Here is an exact quote:
After the Six Day War, I was one of the first people to walk into the Old City and I walked up to every Arab and kissed them, our cousins. I went to the top people in Israel, and I said, “If we want to live in peace with the Arabs, as much as we need an army to make war, we need an army to make peace.”
The man who said this is a Jewish icon of the 20th century. There are very few people who don’t know his name. In fact he is more popular today than when he made that statement. And his popularity crosses all boundaries in the Jewish world both political and religious.
In light of the current attitude by many toward our Arab cousins, is there anyone who agrees with this statement even remotely? Even considering when he said it? Was his advice foolish or was it wise? If foolish - is it possible to consider a man with these views an icon that is venerated by tens of thousands of Jews world-wide? Yet that is indeed the case. Increasingly so and with good reason.
You may be surprised to find out who said these words. Stay tuned.
Update:
It's time for the big 'reveal'.
The author of this statement is Shlomo Carlebach. It was taken from an iterview with him by 'New Age' Rabbi Michael Lerner, publisher of Tikkun Magazine. The interview was conducted one year before Rabbi Carlebach's death in 1994 and is available here.
Updated: 1/30/08 3:41 PM CST
