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Jerusalem Cloakroom #193“Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” by Yoram Ettinger August 1, 2006 In 1770, Patrick Henry spoke in the tradition of the Maccabees. In 2006, 24 year old Captain Uri Lavie of Israel’s Golani Brigade sustained that tradition, addressing his 19-20 year old soldiers a few minutes before assaulting Hizbullah terrorists, a mutual threat to the US and to Israel (i.e. the 1983 murder of 300 US Marines and the 2006 role model for IEDs in Iraq): For two thousand years we waited for the establishment of the Jewish state, and we are not going to roll back because a bunch of terrorists assume that they can scare us. He who cannot defend Liberty does not deserve Liberty. If we will not be able to fight until our last drop of blood, in order to secure the Liberty of our People on its own soil, our People will not enjoy Liberty. Our duty is to serve as a defense force of the Jewish people, and to secure the peace of mind of the civilians in northern Israel. If we shall not fulfill our mission we shall forfeit the right to exist. We shall not lose this war, which we did not start. If we shall not do it, no one will do it in our place. There is time to talk and there is time to act. At this time, when missiles and Katyushas afflict the North all the way to Haifa, it is time to fight and not to talk. We are the force, which has been chosen to fight, and we shall perform most effectively. I will be the first one to enter the battle and the last one to come out, and will do everything in my power to get you out alive and well. On Friday, with G-D’s help, we will rejoin our families. However, I cannot do it alone. Once we cross the northern border, you should exercise full alert and full responsibility toward your fellow soldier (Ha'aretz, July 27, 2006). |
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