Following the Allies demand against a barbaric enemy in WWII, should Israel not insist on the same terms against the spiritual heir of the Nazis?

By Lennie Lurie

On the 14th of January 1943, almost two and a half years after the outbreak of World War II, an important meeting took place in Casablanca, Morocco.  The two Allied leaders, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, participated while the Soviet Premier, Joseph Stalin, was unable to attend as the Red Army was engaged in a major offensive against the German Army at that time.

This Conference took place in November 1942, just two months after the Allied forces had landed in French North Africa. For 10 days, Roosevelt and Churchill focused on their strategy against Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

They decided to concentrate their efforts in the Mediterranean by launching an invasion of Sicily, to be followed by the Italian mainland. The plan being to draw German forces away from the Eastern Front and to increase supplies to the Soviet Union, whilst strengthening their bombing campaigns of Germany. At the same time, to also begin concentrating forces in England for an eventual landing in France.

On the final day of the Conference, Roosevelt announced that he and Churchill had decided that postwar peace required a policy of unconditional surrender which would not entail the destruction of civilian populations but rather “the destruction of the philosophies in those countries which are based on conquest and the subjugation of other people.”

Roosevelt was determined to avoid a repeat of what took place after World War I when large segments of German society supported the Nazi party’s assertions that their country had been “stabbed in the back” by liberals, pacifists, socialists, communists and Jews.

Approaching the end of World War II, on the 4th of February, 1945, the three Allied leaders, Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin, met in Yalta, Crimea, to discuss and determine the final stages of the war and the postwar world. It became known as the Yalta Conference and its key points included:

• Unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany
• Germany would undergo demilitarization and denazification
• The prosecution of war crimes.

On the 8th May 1945, the unconditional surrender of the German armed forces was signed by General Alfred Jodl and Field Marshall Wilhelm Keitel. Walter Bedell Smith signed on behalf of the Supreme Commander of all Allied Forces, General Ivan Susloparov on behalf of the Soviet High Command and Major-General Francois Sevez as the official French witness.

The Israeli Government, in its present war against the Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip, has formulated four objectives of its justifiable military campaign which coincide very closely with the Allied declarations in demanding unconditional surrender from Germany in World War II:

• A resounding war victory resulting in the unconditional surrender of Hamas and the immediate return of all the captured hostages.

• The elimination, capture and trial of all Hamas leaders responsible for the Hamas attack on 7^th October, 2023, which involved the unprovoked rocket firing into Israeli civilian communities, the cold-blooded murder of over 1,200 innocent men, women and children, both Israeli and foreign nationals plus the kidnapping of over 240 civilians and soldiers into Gaza.

• The complete demilitarization of Gaza and eradication of any Gaza military potential threatening the security of Israel.

• The de-Hamasification of the Gazan population and eradication of any political policies relating to the destruction of Israel.

Nobody can criticize or condemn Israel for pursuing and implementing these goals upon the defeat of Hamas which follows the exact path taken by the victorious Allied forces after Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender.

About the writer:

A B.Sc. graduate in Economics and Geology from the University of Cape Town (UCT), Lennie may be the only volunteer from abroad who was granted permission to leave his group on kibbutz during the 1967 Six Day War to rejoin his paratroop brigade that he had served with years before following his matriculation in Cape Town. In Israel, Lennie has worked as an Export Manager for some of the country’s major food manufacturers and chemical companies as well as an independent consultant in Export Marketing guiding many small Israeli businesses to sell their products and services in the world-wide market. As a result of a work accident in 1995, Lennie made a career change and became an independent English teacher working mainly with hi-tech companies and associated with universities and colleges in the north of Israel.

While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

Rachel’s appeal: “Let’s let humanitarian aid get in and let’s let human beings get out”

By Jonathan Feldstein

January 14 will marked 100 days since the inhuman October 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1200 people in Israel and kidnapping of hundreds more, 136 of whom are still being held hostage in Gaza. They are citizens of some 20 nations: Jews, Christians, Moslems, Buddhists, and Hindus.

One of the hostages is 23-year-old Hersh Polin-Goldberg whose parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, have had their lives turned upside down, and are leaving no stone unturned to bring him and all the hostages home.

Like Hersh, a dual American-Israeli citizen, who loves travel and who had a two year trip to Asia planned for last month, Rachel has been traveling the world, not for fun but by necessity. She’s met presidents and prime ministers, senators, ambassadors, and even the Pope. As Rachel explains, she fervently believes that Hersh’s deliverance is in God’s hands and she has to “run to the ends of the earth to try to save him.”  She says, “I don’t know what stone we will turn over that’s going to be the lynchpin (to free Hersh). I’m a religious person. Prayer has given me tremendous strength and solace. I believe that (Hersh’s redemption) will come from above, from God. But I don’t know what the vessel will be, so I have to go everywhere. I don’t know what God’s plan is: is it the Pope or the nice young woman who came to my door with cookies.”

Hersh was kidnapped from the Nova music festival at which 367 people were slaughtered, women brutally raped, and from which dozens were abducted. Hersh was one of them, after having his left arm blown off by Hamas, and has not been heard from since. (Listen to the whole story on the Inspiration from Zion podcast.)

For Rachel and Jon, that was “another universe ago.” They are distraught from fear and trauma. They struggle for 18-20 hours a day, considering herself and their actions a failure, so far.

In many ways, she has lost faith in humanity.

Rachel shared how, in a private audience with Pope Francis, he shared something that’s been a comfort since: the Pope said what she’s experiencing is “terrorism,” and “terrorism is the absence of humanity.” 

Opposite Hamas’ inhumanity, and despite the horrors through which they have been forced to live for more than three months, Rachel displays a strong sense of moral clarity and abundant humanity. Citing the example of the ceasefire during which 105 hostages were released, along with vast humanitarian aid for Gazans, Rachel believes this should serve as “the model” for the release of all the remaining hostages. 

Unlike many of the other distressed families who anxiously watched whether their loved ones would be released in the Hamas orchestrated media event, Rachel had no expectations that Hersh would be among them, because it was only for women and children. This allowed her to celebrate the release of every single one of the hostages, especially as the families of the hostages have become an extended family themselves.

Rachel also would like to see more humanitarian aid going into Gaza, noting that hundreds of thousands of Gazans are also suffering, 85% of whom have been displaced. “Let’s let humanitarian aid get in and let’s let human beings get out.”

Rachel speaks of the need for action, not emotional support. She implores people to think outside the box. As a US citizen, she’s grateful for President Biden and others who she says do care. There are six living American hostages left, following the third biggest massacre of Americans since September 11. Despite US support, she urges daily action, noting, “Americans don’t like it when Americans are taken hostage against their will.” Americans should contact the White House every day with a simple message:

“There are 136 people including six American hostages held by Hamas. I am not OK with it.” 

(White House comment line: 202-456-1111; Email: president@whitehouse.gov)

Rachel notes candidly that she has seen no sign of the Red Cross’ willingness to actually be of material help, but tries to give them the benefit of the doubt. Their position – “We’re here on the border.  We want to go in. Hamas won’t let us in,” is a deflection. Rachel believes that “where there is a will there’s a way” and that more can and must be done. She wonders rhetorically why can they not, or won’t, do more and draw red lines for Hamas?

Rachel laments the world is turning a blind eye to the plight of the Israeli hostages. If this had been happening elsewhere in the world, people would display far more concern than they are showing for the Jewish/Israeli hostages. She lays the blame liberally. “I have failed. We have failed. World governments have failed.”

So frustrated, she constantly questions:

“How is it possible that we can’t get our people back?”

The world needs to know that the Israeli hostages came from 33 countries, aged 9 months to 87-years-old. Of the136 still in Hamas captivity, 23 are confirmed dead. She cites examples that had the hostages been kidnapped from anywhere else other than the Jewish state of Israel, the world would be up in arms.

The Genesis 123 Foundation has initiated a global petition campaign to free ALL the hostages.

Rachel is encouraged by the large Christian support noting that over 100,000 sent pictures of a place setting at their Christmas table with Hersh’s name on it.

On Sunday, January 14, Rachel appealed for people to participate in an urgent and simple humanitarian message by taking a piece of masking tape or a sticker with the number 100 and put it on their clothes above their heart. The goal is to enlist one million people of all religions to participate. 

Rachel Goldberg is one relative of just one of the 136 hostages.  In addition to the hostages who we need to pray for and advocate on behalf of, there are thousands of loved ones of all these hostages living a slow-motion trauma, sometimes feeling hopeless, whose lives have been turned upside down, and for whom even when their loved ones are released, their lives will never be the same again. 

Rachel takes comfort she saysfrom the Psalms – “it’s a real self-help book. I say psalms throughout the day” – and noted the ones that provided the most comfort and encouragement as 135, 121 and also Psalm 13 which in desperation asks of God:

“How long are You going to make me go through this?”

Click here to sign the petition to release ALL the hostages.

About the writer:

Jonathan Feldstein ­­­­- President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.

While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).

The writer’s father fought the Nazis 80 years ago, his great-grandchildren continue to do so today in the Middle East.

By Harris Zvi Green

January 5, 2024

My dearest friends,

The fighting on our borders continues. The death toll amongst our soldiers continues to rise. At times like this, we tend to focus on those who paid the ultimate price. We don’t always consider the injured. We haven’t even begun to think of those who will be hit by post-trauma stress disorder. So many lives have been affected and irreversibly changed.

Earlier in the week, I visited a bereaved mother who lost her 23-year-old son in battle. How does one comfort a grieving parent in such circumstances? Thousands of people visit bereaved families on each day of the traditional seven-day mourning period for a family member. It’s all so very sad.

On the family front, Omer’s infection is responding to treatment. Physically, he’s at home. Mentally, he’s with his soldiers in Gaza. We are so looking forward to his wedding this coming Thursday evening. We’re hoping some of his army buddies will be able to celebrate with him. Ori is doing his share. He’s been able to get home occasionally to spend time with his wife and children.

Israel’s military objectives in the south are focused on disabling and destroying the network of terror tunnels that crisscross the Gaza Strip as well as securing the release of the 129 hostages imprisoned in intolerable conditions since the October 7 massacre. Demilitarizing Gaza must be a pre-requisite to rebuilding the Gaza Strip.

The situation on our northern border is more complex. The last round of serious military engagement with Hezbollah in 2006 culminated with the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The resolution called for a complete cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon. The Israeli forces were to be replaced by Lebanese and UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) forces. Resolution 1701 stipulated the disarmament of armed groups in Lebanon including Hezbollah.

UNIFIL is responsible for enforcing compliance with this resolution but its presence contributes nothing. The Lebanese army is conspicuous by its absence.

Hezbollah is in constant violation of this resolution. Aided by Iran, Hezbollah has built a sophisticated military presence in South Lebanon, firing lethal anti-tank missiles at IDF positions along the border. Like so many other UN sponsored resolutions, UN Security Council Resolution 1701 was dead on arrival.

Close to 100,000 Israelis have been forced to evacuate their homes along Israel’s border with Lebanon. This is an untenable situation. It cannot continue. I don’t see any chance of a diplomatic solution allowing Israeli civilians to return to their homes in safety and security. In my humble opinion, a major military confrontation on our northern border is inevitable.

Earlier this week, a drone strike on a Hamas office in Beirut resulted in the elimination of Saleh-al-Arouri, a senior member of the Hamas politburo. He was a key figure in developing and strengthening Hamas ties with Iran and Syria. Elimination of the military and political leaderships of Hamas is crucial to cooling the conflict.

I was born and educated in South Africa. I left South Africa for Israel more than 53 years ago. I wasn’t forced to leave South Africa. I did so out of choice to play a role in rebuilding my ancestral homeland after 2,000 years of national exile. During my days as a student leader at the University of Cape Town, I was active in the struggle against apartheid. I have reason to believe the telephone in my parent’s home was tapped.

My late father volunteered to serve in the South African army in World War II. He saw action in East Africa, Abyssinia, Sudan, Somaliland, Egypt and Libya. He suffered severe injuries in the line of duty 11,000 kilometers from his home. He was a proud South African and a true patriot.

My father fought the Nazis more than 80 years ago. His great-grandchildren continue to do so today.

To this day, I have many friends and family members living in South Africa. I’m concerned for their well-being. I love the people of South Africa and remain captivated by her magnificent vistas and landscapes.

But South Africa has assumed the role of being the useful idiot by filing a complaint against Israel on behalf of Hamas at the International Court of Justice. The complaint accuses Israel of committing crimes of genocide in Gaza following the October 7 massacre perpetrated by Hamas. Filing this complaint makes South Africa an accomplice to the October 7 massacre.

This is the same South Africa who, in 2015, defied a call from the International Criminal Court to arrest former Sudan President Omar al-Bashir for alleged war crimes in Darfur, while attending a summit of the African Union held in Johannesburg.

South Africa’s government has normalized the murders and rapes perpetrated by her Jihadi friends. Your friends determine who you are. South Africa, you are headed in the wrong direction. It’s time to make new friends. Your current friends are corrupting your moral fiber. Wanton murder is savage. Rape is not resistance. It’s unacceptable. It’s immoral.

This is the same South Africa where, according to official sources, more than 27,000 people were murdered in 2023.

This is the same South Africa where, according to women’s groups, a woman is raped every 26 seconds.

I’m shattered. The country I once called home has chosen to become a strategic part of the evil axis that denies my people their inalienable right to self-determination.

My condolences to those mourning their nearest and dearest. My wishes to the injured for a complete and speedy recovery. May God protect our brave soldiers.

Wishing you all Shabbat Shalom and better times ahead.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Harris Zvi Green.

About the writer:

Harris Zvi Green was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Aged 77, he made Aliyah 53 years ago. An accountant by profession, he served as the Chief Financial Officer for a number of Israel based hi-tech companies. He is married to Phyllis. They have 3 married children ,13 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. Harris Zvi Green is a founder member of Truth be Told, an organization engaged in public diplomacy on behalf of Israel.

While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).