Special to the JTA Hebron Jewish-arab Ties Could Be Mideast Model, Rabbi Claims

An American-born rabbi who has become a leader and spokesman for the Jewish community in Hebron believes that its relations with local Arabs can be a model of peaceful coexistence between Jews and Arabs in Israel and between Israel and the Arab world.

According to Rabbi Yechiel Leiter, director of development for the Hebron Renewal Commission, the relationship also provides a viable alternative between the extreme left and the extreme right, which he denotes as the Peace Now movement and Rabbi Meir Kahane’s Kach Party, respectively. “They are both born out of weakness of character — differing only in their operative approach: One will throw out the Arabs and the other the Jews,” Leiter said in a recent interview here. Leiter, who left his native Pennsylvania to settle in Israel, said the families who comprise the Jewish community in Hebron have for the most part dignified, respectable relations with their Arab neighbors. But for this to become the norm, they believe the Israel government must first crack down on terrorists.

They want stiffer penalties for terrorist acts, including expulsions and selective use of the death penalty, permanent closure of terrorism-advocating newspapers and colleges sponsored by the Palestine Liberation Organization, and recognition of stone-throwing and fire-bombings as terrorist acts, Leiter said.

“Once this takes place, the majority of Arabs will not feel threatened by their own violent minority for recognizing Israel’s sovereignty and Jews will not feel their security has been abandoned and will not turn to partisan solutions,” Leiter said.

HAS ROLE FOR GOVERNMENT

But “for this to be accomplished, the Israeli government itself must recognize its sovereignty over Judaea, Samaria and Gaza and create incentives for massive, permanent Jewish settlement. The Arab neighbors will then recognize that it is ‘for keeps’ and will in turn have no fear of denouncing Arab terror and living peacefully with guaranteed individual rights,” according to Leiter.

“Those who at this point would not recognize Israel’s sovereignty and would not denounce terror would have to choose to live elsewhere,” the rabbi said.

If Hebron is a model for coexistence between Jews and Arabs in the Jewish State, “there is no reason why that in turn cannot serve as a model for the entire Middle East,” Leiter said.

As examples of coexistence in Hebron, he cited helping each other in daily matters such as starting a stalled car, discussing sewage problems over tea, utilizing commercial ties or joining in efforts to improve the quality of local services.

Leiter explained that the Jewish families and rabbinical students living in Hebron occupy buildings which were “re-purchased” from Arabs who had taken over Jewish property after the 1929 Arab uprising drove Jews out of Hebron.