Israel's Size Among Others

Nadene Goldfoot Hebron

Israel is one of the smallest nations on the face of the earth. It consists of 8,367 square miles. In comparison, Oregon, a state in the USA could hold 12 Israels. Oregon is 98,380 square miles in size. The Balfour Declaration had in mind that it would have been much larger, but we took what was finally offered. Every inch of Israel is precious. The rebirth of Israel meant 2,000 years of waiting. Such people as Nostradomas and Isaac Newton had prophesized its creation again, but most people paid no attention, except the very religious. This little state usually has more newspaper reporters stationed here than in any other place. Citizens must feel like "big brother" is watching them constantly for a slip-up of some sort.

Saudi Arabia could hold 90 Israels while Iran could hold 76. Yet the Muslim population, which makes up 25% of the population on earth, is demanding along with the Muslims in Gaza and Judea-Samaria and East Jerusalem, another Muslim state in these three places. Their state will have no Jews. Jews make up 0.2% of the world population, so we're outnumbered in our opinions, and the opinions of the world are not benefiting Israel.

We have 300,000 Jews living in Judea-Samaria and 200,000 Jews living in East Jerusalem, our capital which had been divided when Jordan held it before 1967. I feel the mistake the world made then was in not recognizing Jerusalem as our capital. They stood by and let all the Arab states attack little Israel and to all's surprise, Israel won the battle. That's when Jerusalem was opened to all religions and there was freedom. The city, the City of David, precious to Jews, finally came into our hands, and we're not about to let it go because the Palestinians covet it.

We still have Jews living in the town of Hebron in the hills of Judea, where Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried along with the rest of their family. It had become a town belonging to the tribe of Judah. What other towns or cities can claim a 4,000 year old period of living in it? Abraham lived here first and it is the oldest Jewish community.

Next door to Hebron is the Jewish community of Kiryat Arba which has 6,000 Jews. This was the original name of Hebron. Hebron's Jews suffered a slaughter in the riots of 1929, but have made a comeback since 1948.

Resource: http://www.lookisrael.com/files/justbig.php

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/hebron.html