In a first-ever visit to Hebron, foreign parliamentarians stand strong with the Jewish state.
By ANAV SILVERMANForeign parliamentarians at the Cave of the Patriarchs(photo credit: AVI HAYUN)
It is not every day that foreign members of parliaments from around the world dance with religious Jews in the Cave of the Patriarchs. Given the UNESCO resolution that was recently passed disregarding any Jewish connection with Jerusalem’s holy sites like the Temple Mount and Western Wall, the scene of haredi (ultra-Orthodox) men clapping and dancing in a circle with the foreign lawmakers might have seemed something out of a fantasy.But on October 19, Christian parliamentarians from Africa, Latin America and Europe toured Hebron in a historic visit. For the 15 MPs, who hailed from Slovakia, Uruguay, South Africa, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland, among other countries, this was their first ever visit to Hebron.The lawmakers were in Israel as part of the fifth annual Israel Allies Foundation Jerusalem Chairman’s Conference, held every Succot and co-sponsored by the World Jewish Congress and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.This year’s conference focused on the 50th anniversary of the liberation and unification of Jerusalem.“They are excited to be here. This is the first official trip ever organized for parliament members to Hebron and the Cave of the Patriarchs,” said Josh Reinstein, the executive vice president of the Israel Allies Foundation and the director of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus since it was founded in 2004.Sponsored by the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria, the delegation’s visit to the Jewish areas of Hebron included stops to the Tel Rumeida lookout point and the Cave of the Patriarchs, with the Hebron Jewish community spokesman, Noam Arnon, together with the city’s international spokesman, Yishai Fleisher, guiding the tour. “We chose to bring them to Hebron because of its biblical and modern- day importance. Our forefathers are buried here,” explained Reinstein.MP Rev. Malani Mtonga from Malawi told In Jerusalem that it was his first time visiting Hebron. “It is a special experience to be in Hebron and especially to be in the Cave of the Patriarchs – I’ve preached sermons about this cave for years,” said Mtonga, after he and several other MPs danced with Jewish worshipers at the tomb celebrating Succot.MP Rev. Malani Mtonga of Malawi (left) speaks with a Succot celebrant in Hebron (photo credit: AVI HAYUN)Mtonga also believes that the recent UNESCO resolution, which described the Cave of the Patriarchs as “a Palestinian site,” has no basis in reality. “The UNESCO resolution denies the Christian ties to holy sites in Israel as well,” he said. “The resolution needs to change. It is unrealistic.”Others, like South African MP Kenneth Meshoe, the president of the African Christian Democratic Party, said he was very disappointed with UNESCO. “It’s shocking that a body like UNESCO can deny the facts the way they do. They are acting like children [and are] simply lying about history.”
Meshoe is no stranger to Israel. While the South African legislator has visited the Jewish state at least 14 times, it was his first visit to Hebron. “I’m very happy to be here, to be able to see the roots of history at the Cave of the Patriarchs” said Meshoe.“To be able to visit the site of the final resting place of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebekah and Leah is exciting.” His wife, Lydia, agreed, adding that, “we are always strengthened by our visits to Israel, where we learn something new about history and archeology each time.”Meshoe faced heavy pressure not to visit, as the Palestinian government and the Palestinian Liberation Organization condemned Meshoe’s visit to Israel. Saeb Erekat, the PLO secretary-general and PA member, sent a letter to the South African government condemning Meshoe’s visit to the “illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied State of Palestine as part of an upcoming conference organized by the Israel Allies Foundation.”South African media reported that Erekat asked the South African government, which voted in favor of the UNESCO resolution, to “remind any members of parliament who are planning to participate in this conference, including the settlement visit, of your government’s positions and commitments with respect to Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory.”“There are times when it is lonely to be an Israel supporter in the South African parliament,” admitted Meshoe, “but it’s an honor to defend the truth and to love the truth.”“That’s the kind of legacy I want to leave for my grandchildren,” said Meshoe. “I want my grandchildren to know me as someone who did not do what was popular at the time but as someone who acted with honesty and principle in regards to Israel.”One of the younger MPs on the trip was Danish MP Jeppe Jakobsen. “As decision makers, we have to hear all sides to a story,” he told IJ. “In Denmark, we only get the Palestinian side, so this is a real opportunity for me to see another perspective.”“The Danish media are more interested in showing Israel as suppressors and occupiers. The Israeli side is really not presented as much,” Jakobsen elaborated.“There are definitely pro-Israel politicians in Denmark but most politicians are indifferent to the conflict here; they really couldn’t care one way or another.”Jakobsen represents the socially conservative Danish People’s Party, the second largest political party in Denmark and one that Jakobsen says “values the Jewish state.”“It’s shocking how many people have opinions about Israel but have never actually visited the country,” the Danish MP told IJ.Following the visit to Hebron, the lawmakers continued to Gush Etzion where they sat and had lunch in a succa.The head of the Efrat local council, Oded Revivi, spoke to the group about hosting Palestinians in his succa and developing positive relations between Palestinian and Jewish residents. (In an unfortunate twist, four of the 30 Palestinians who visited were later arrested by the PA for the “offense”; they were released after a few days.) “If people think that peace will come from a UNESCO resolution or a Security Council resolution or from a president who has seen the region mostly from a satellite [picture] but doesn’t realize its complexity, then there is no hope of peace,” Revivi told the group.European Parliament member Bas Belder, from the Netherlands also spoke at the succa and said that following this visit to Israel, the MPs had to be even more vocal in their home parliaments about Israel’s rights to the land. “We must raise our voices in European parliaments to say the truth,” said Belder.Commenting on UNESCO, he said that the cultural arm of the United Nations denies any Jewish past presence or connection to the Land of Israel. “They want to see a land without Jews,” said Belder. “As a historian, this is very disturbing.”The Dutch politician said he enjoys visiting the Jewish state. “I like to be in Israel because of the open society here, a society based on principles,” he said.Other parliamentarians on the Hebron visit included MP Antero Laukkanen of Finland, MP Inga Bite of Latvia, MP Peter Östman of Finland, MP Marek Krajci of Slovakia, MP Kees van der Staaij of the Netherlands, MP Pablo Casado of Spain, MP Alfred Heer of Switzerland, Congressman Gerardo Amarilla of Uruguay, Minister Ruperto Long of Uruguay and Congresswoman Karla Prendas of Costa Rica.The group of parliamentarians also signed the first international declaration against UNESCO’s resolution during the Israel Allies Foundation Jerusalem Chairman’s Conference, and presented the declaration to Deputy Minister Michael Oren of the Kulanu party.The Israel Allies Foundation was founded by former minister Rabbi Benny Elon in 2006 to promote stronger ties between Israel and pro-Israel Christian legislators and parliamentarians. The IAF coordinates efforts as a supporting partner of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus and serves as the umbrella for 35 caucuses across the US, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. With more than 1,000 members, the lawmakers and parliamentarians of the IAF have worked tirelessly this past year to prevent funding of BDS organizations, prohibit Holocaust denial and strengthen Israel’s right to exist.“We see that politicians who put values and beliefs before politics will stand with Israel,” commented Reinstein. “The parliamentarians visiting Hebron are men and women of faith. People with only a political agenda in mind will not support the Jewish state. That’s why faith-based diplomacy is so critical.”