Land for Peace (Part 2)

This series is sponsored anonymously in the merit of an aliyat neshama for Matisyahu ben Yisrael, Aharon ben Menachem Lev, and Eliana bat Yaakov.

• In Part 1, we looked at some of the underlying halachic and hashkafic issues concerning the question of giving away land in Eretz Yisrael for peace.
• We saw two initial significant issues:
• (i) Whether there is an ongoing mitzva to conquer and settle in Eretz Yisrael and, if so, whether this is breached by giving away land for peace.
• (ii) Whether pikuach nefesh is an overriding factor in the mitzva to conquer and settle the Land.
• (iii) The halachic prohibition of selling land in Eretz Yisrael to non-Jews in order to avoid weakening the Yishuv.
• Also central to the halachic debate is the political and security reality. Will Jewish lives be saved or risked through such a move and who are the people trusted to make that assessment!?