Who is right?

Pro-Palestinians claim that Israel is an oppressor, occupying Palestinian land. Pro-Israelis claim that Israel was given the land by the UN, and that Jews are indigenous to the land.

The argument goes back and forth. Who is right?

And what about the issue of a Palestinian state? Some say that Israel should give away land so that the Palestinians can have their own state. Others say that October 7 proves that it’s dangerous to give away land. Who is right?

Regarding the first issue, who owns the land, the Lubavitcher Rebbe quoted the commentary Rashi, that the reason the Torah tells us that G-d created everything, is so that if the nations claim that the Jews are robbers who stole the land, the Torah informs us that G-d created and owns the world. He first gave the land of Israel to certain nations, and then He took it away from them and gave it to the Jews.

So it no longer matters who was there first, or what the UN or anyone else says. When it comes to ownership, the actual Owner gave it to the Jewish people.

Regarding the second issue, where some people feel that, for the sake of peace, Israel needs to give away land in order to make the Palestinians happy, while others say that it’s too dangerous, the Rebbe quoted the Shulchan Aruch (the Code of Jewish Law based on Torah). In Orach Chaim chapter 329, it says that when intruders approach a city on the border, even if the intruders only want some hay and straw, then we must mobilize against them even on Shabbat. The Talmud (Eiruvin 45a) states this, and the commentary Rashi explains the reason — because the intruders might capture it, and from there the land can be (opened up) before them and be conquered.

In other words, it’s too dangerous to give away land, because it can open up the entire country to be easily conquered.

Before October 7, many said that giving away Gaza was not a security issue, that Israel has a sophisticated and powerful and much larger army. Now everyone sees that the Rebbe was right.

So whose land is it? G-d, Who created everything, gave it to the Jewish people.

And should Israel give away land? The Torah answers, that because of the danger, we must not give away any land.

The good news is, that Israel’s government is against giving away any land.

As we watch Israel fight against terrorists, despite what other nations may say, we can feel optimistic and trust that G-d will protect us. And soon the entire world will see, that the Rebbe is right, and Israel is right.

And soon everyone will realize that G-d is watching over Israel. And that by wiping out evil, Israel is enabling the world to be peaceful. And very soon the entire world will see, that (Zechariah 14; 9) “G-d is One, and His Name is One.”