Wars between peoples in ancient times were fought on battlefields, with swords and spears, and in later times with guns and cannons, tanks and airplanes.
But these days, new weapons have appeared on the scene, and we don't necessarily mean drones and precision missiles. The new weapons are the keyboard and the camera, in other words – the battle for consciousness.
We face old-fashioned threats, and security forces are preparing for them, but in the meantime we are in the midst of a war that we are not sufficiently prepared for. It is being waged in the global media, on campuses, in international institutions, and on social media.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
This is a war for justice and truth, against the evil and distortion that our enemies cultivate.
Full mobilization
One of the 'narratives' that serve as cornerstones in this battle is the lie that the Arabs instill, and many elements around the world follow them, according to which the Arabs have lived here forever, and suddenly the 'occupying' Jews appeared, expelled the poor inhabitants of the land, and took over their lands.
In this battle for consciousness, we find ourselves in full mobilization. The historical lie is being propagated by all the systems of our enemies - education, the media, academia, PA offices, mosques, etc. They have long since moved to an even more advanced stage - denying any Jewish connection to this land, to the point of denying the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem.
And what about us? Are we giving our children and students the tools to fight this war? Does a Jewish child in school know the facts? Has he been taught what our claim to the land is based on? It is unnecessary to ask what the position of the media, academia, art, and cultural institutions is on this question.
The result is that our enemies speak with confidence and determination, while at best we stutter, and at worst we agree with the claims of the 'occupation.' No wonder Israeli propaganda is so unsuccessful.
And the facts are absolutely clear. All historical sources prove that the country was almost deserted for centuries. It had an extremely sparse Arab population, and it too underwent changes.
In the early centuries of the Ottoman period, many areas - in the valleys, coastal plains, and Negev - were sparsely populated or uninhabited. The increase in the number of Arab residents began in the 19th century, due to immigration from neighboring countries.
Source of the right
The Arabs began to immigrate to the country at the same time as the Jews immigrated. They are not natives of the country, but descendants of immigrants from Egypt and Syria, Iraq and Algeria, etc. During the British rule, the number of Arabs doubled, due to the authorities' immigration policy.
And we returned to our land and homeland, where our ancestors lived some four thousand years ago; where David and Solomon reigned; where the First and Second Temples stood in Jerusalem for more than eight hundred years; the land where even when we were exiled from it, Jewish continuity was still preserved.
The source of our right is in the unique covenant that was made on the soil of this land, between the Creator of the world and the first Jew, our father Abraham.
In that covenant, which this week's Torah portion tells about, God, the Blessed One, said to Abraham: "To your seed I have given this land." By virtue of that covenant and that promise, we have returned to our land and we cling to its roots like children returning to their home.
