Rav Shlomo Aviner on the Trump Plan

The following is an English translation of a recent interview by Rabbi Mordekhai Tzion with Rav Shlomo Aviner (Rosh Yeshivat Ateret Kohanim):

Question: Some say we should accept [US President Donald Trump’s] “Deal of the Century” because it’s the best deal we have ever received, and we won’t get a better one, and if we try for too much we’ll end up with nothing.

Answer: Of course we’ll receive better offers! The reason why this proposal is less terrible than the others is not because the Americans suddenly fell in love with us. It is because, with G-D’s help, our diplomatic standing in the world has become much stronger – militarily, economically, and in terms of our international relations. And all of a sudden we see that the Arab nations around us would like normalization with us. And so our position is improving all the time.

In any event, we don’t make any deals with the land of our life’s blood.

Q: Some say that politics is just talk anyway, and therefore we can agree to this deal, because for sure the Arabs will refuse, and then we’ll come out the good guys and we’ll reap the benefits.

A: Regarding the Land of Israel, even just talk of betrayal is a terrible sin. It would be like a man who says that he agrees to lend his wife to his neighbor a few days a week, in the knowledge that his neighbor won’t agree; this is also betrayal. We all remember the Rosh HaShana story of Rav Amnon who, under pressure from the king to convert to Christianity, finally said that he would “think about it.” When he realized that he had actually given the impression that he might consider converting, he had terrible regrets, repented of his sin – and died with great suffering.

Incidentally, there is no guarantee that the Arabs will not agree. There were cases in the past when they agreed. When it comes to our very existence and national soul, we don’t gamble. After all, the ties between the Nation of Israel and the Land of Israel are not those of a peddler and his wares; they are rather like man and wife, a bond of life.

Q: But we know that [Israel’s] redemption comes kim’a kim’a (slowly slowly). Why should we say “all or nothing”? Just like [David Ben-Gurion] accepted the [United Nations] Partition Plan 73 years ago, and this advanced us; here too, this plan is progress.

A: On the contrary; this plan represents a retreat. It calls for us to leave 70% of Judea and Samaria and retain only 30%. But at present, we have 100%! True, this is not recognized by the Gentiles – but what do we care? The main thing is that practically speaking, the area is in our control. Our army rules, our citizens pay taxes, receive government funding, take part in national elections and go the army, and there is water and electricity. It is in our hands. This is exactly what we are commanded: “not to abandon the land into the hands of others,” meaning [we cannot allow any of our land to be] under foreign rule.

Q: So everything’s great?!

A: No. We have to bring additional millions of Jews to live there, in hundreds of new communities, and thousands of parcels of land must be cultivated. We are happy with what we have, but we’re not settling for what we have. But even according to the kim’a kim’a approach, we may not go backwards! The current plan also calls for the strangling of some Jewish communities! That’s a distortion of the concept of kim’a kim’a!

Q: So what should our position be regarding the Trump Plan?

A: A friend of mine told me that he once went on a vacation with some friends to go fishing in a desolate part of Alaska. When the plane that dropped them off was about to leave, he asked the pilot jokingly, “What should we do if a bear comes?” Everyone smiled, but the pilot didn’t. He just said, “Look at him calmly but firmly and say, “Hey bear, this is my place.'” They smiled again – but after they had been fishing for a while, they suddenly saw a ten-foot-tall bear appear behind them. They knew they couldn’t outrun him, and they were overcome with fear. But the first guy recovered quickly and said in a firm even voice, “Hey bear, this is my place.” The bear then turned around and walked away.

And so what we must say, in the name of all Israel, to the Arab states, to the Palestinians and to the president of the United States: “Hey bear, this is my place. You have your own places, and we don’t intervene, so please, don’t intervene with what we do in our land, the land that belongs solely to us, from the beginning of history and forever.”