It’s been 58 years since Israel’s stunning victory in the Six-Day War of 1967, when we miraculously regained control of our biblical heartland—Judea and Samaria, along with Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. But for over half a century, successive Israeli governments have refused to finish the job. They’ve hesitated, compromised, and delayed, leaving the enemies of Israel—the terrorists of Hamas, the PLO, and their enablers—free to attack us from within what should have been fully secured territory. The recent October 7 massacre should have been the final wake-up call: It’s time to reclaim our land, remove our enemies, and restore Jewish sovereignty over Judea and Samaria once and for all.
The Oslo Accords didn’t bring peace; they brought terrorism. Every so-called “peace process” has simply given our enemies more time to rearm and prepare for the next attack. Even now, as Jewish blood still soaks the ground, we hear calls to show “restraint,” to “negotiate,” to talk of “solutions.” But there is only one real solution: to unapologetically reclaim our land and expel all those who seek our destruction.
The basic principle is straightforward: those who actively seek Israel’s destruction have no place in our society, while loyal non-Jewish citizens—Druze, Arabs, and others who accept Israel as a Jewish state—are righteous gentiles and valued members of our national family. Personally, I believe we can and must hold these two beliefs all at once. We must be uncompromisingly harsh and expel those Arabs who wish to destroy Israel and murder Jews. Sadly, a majority of the Arab population in Gaza, and in Judea and Samaria, fall into this category. At the same time, we must embrace those Arabs and other minorities who are loyal to the State of Israel. Muslim Arabs who send their sons to the IDF to fight for Israel are cherished citizens, part of the broader Israeli family, just like Druze and Christian Arabs.
For too long, Israel has been trapped in a mindset of mere survival, focused on defending ourselves against attacks and hoping the world will stop hating us. But survival isn’t enough. We weren’t given this land to hide behind walls and bunkers; we were given it to build a strong, sovereign Jewish state that honors God and serves as a light to the nations. That vision is impossible while parts of our homeland are infested with terror enclaves.
Judea and Samaria—never “the West Bank”—is not occupied territory. It is the biblical heartland of the Jewish people. It was here that Abraham walked, David reigned, and the prophets spoke God’s word. The world can rage and protest, but these lands are not up for negotiation. They are ours.
It is time to finish what we started in 1967. Israel must fully assert its sovereignty over Judea and Samaria and dismantle every terrorist stronghold. And yes, this means removing every Arab “civilian” who supports Hamas and the murder of Jews. Population transfer is not a dirty word—it is the only path to true peace. Real peace does not come from pretending that our enemies are misunderstood or mistreated; it comes from defeating them and securing our future.
This is not about vengeance. It is about building a future where Jewish children can walk safely in Hebron, Shechem, and Gaza. It is about transforming Israel from a nation perpetually on the defensive into a country that confidently fulfills its God-given destiny.
The Jewish people have waited long enough. It’s time to move forward, with faith and with strength. The choice is simple: sovereignty or surrender, destiny or destruction. I know which one I choose.
Rabbi Elie Mischel is the Director of Education at Israel365.
