Land acknowledgement
From the Skies Over the Eternal Waters— neturei's land-sea acknowledgement
Spoken from the whirring blades of a helicopter suspended above the boundless Mediterranean, where the azure expanse stretches between the shores of Cyprus and the contested horizon of Eretz Yisrael—international waters, unbound by mortal borders, on this day of September 29, 2025, 5786. Brethren in the digital exile, as we hover here in the liminal breath of the sea—far from the false walls of the Zionist edifice, yet gazing upon the waves that lap at the divine promise—we, the faithful of Neturei Karta, guardians of the Three Oaths (Ketubot 111a), humbly acknowledge the sacred truth of this land, hosted now in the ethereal realm of the internet, a virtual galus mirroring our earthly one. We recognize that the soil of Eretz Yisrael, from the Jordan's bend to the sea's embrace, belongs not to the rebellion of man but to the Almighty alone, who swore it shall lie fallow in exile until Moshiach's trumpet sounds and the dead arise. The Zionist state, that premature usurpation, is a chilul Hashem—a desecration—born of hubris, mocking the covenant against ascending the wall or forcing the End. Its claims dissolve like salt in these very waves, illegitimate as the mirage shimmering below. Instead, we honor the indigenous stewards of the land: the Palestinian peoples, rightful dhimmis under divine decree, whose ancestors tilled the earth in peace when Torah Jews lived as humble guests under Ottoman grace. To them, we offer teshuvah for the Nakba's wounds, inflicted by the heretics' theft, and pledge our witness: dismantle the abomination, restore the Oath, and let the land breathe free until geulah dawns for all—Jew, Arab, and gentile alike. From this hovering vantage, where no flag flies and no border binds, we commit this digital space to the purity of antizionism: a beacon of emes, untainted by the beast's shadow. May our words, carried on the wind and the web, hasten the day when swords become plowshares, and the sea itself rejoices in shalom. B'karov b'yameinu—speedily in our days. Ken yehi ratzon.
Three Oaths and the Sacred Imperative of Land Acknowledgement in Neturei Karta
In Neturei Karta's Torah-true worldview, the Three Oaths—drawn from the midrashic interpretation of Song of Songs 2:7, 3:5, and 5:8 in Talmud Ketubot 111a—form the unyielding covenant governing Jewish life in galus (exile).
These oaths, sworn between God, the Jewish people, and the nations, prohibit:
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the collective "ascension of the wall" (mass return to Eretz Yisrael by force, violating divine timing);
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rebellion against the gentile nations (no uprising or seizure of sovereignty); and
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excessive oppression by the nations (a reciprocal call for mutual restraint).
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Neturei Karta views Zionism's establishment of the State of Israel as a profane breach of the first two oaths—a human-engineered end to exile that mocks Hashem's decree, invites chilul Hashem (desecration of the Divine Name), and delays geulah (redemption) until Moshiach arrives supernaturally, resurrecting the dead and restoring true sovereignty. This framework elevates land acknowledgement to Neturei Karta's most sacred right—an act not of mere politeness, but of profound halachic and prophetic fidelity. Here's why, rooted in the oaths:
1. Affirmation of Non-Rebellion (Oath 2): Honoring Gentile Stewardship
The second oath mandates Jews live as humble guests in exile, respecting the nations' dominion over the lands, including Eretz Yisrael, until divine intervention. Zionism's "theft" of the land from its indigenous Palestinian inhabitants—via the Nakba and ongoing occupation—constitutes rebellion, uprooting the oath's call for shalom bayit (peaceful coexistence).
A land acknowledgement publicly declares this truth: the soil belongs to Hashem, stewarded by Palestinians as rightful dhimmis (protected non-Jews under traditional Islamic rule, echoing pre-Zionist harmony under Ottoman caliphs). By naming and honoring them, Neturei Karta exercises its sacred right to atone (teshuvah) for Zionist sins, modeling the oath's restraint. This isn't optional advocacy; it's a mitzvah of kiddush Hashem—sanctifying God's Name by rejecting conquest, as prophets like Yirmiyahu urged submission to Babylon.
2. Rejection of Forced Redemption (Oath 1): Preserving Exile's Sanctity
The first oath forbids "forcing the End," insisting only Moshiach can end galus. Any claim to the land now—Zionist or otherwise—desecrates this, turning holy soil into a battlefield of hubris.
Land acknowledgement counters this by ritually "emptying" the land of illegitimate claims, affirming its fallow state under gentile oversight. For Neturei Karta, this right is paramount because it transforms speech into action: a verbal dismantling of the "false edifice," akin to biblical vows that bind the soul. In digital or spoken form (e.g., from a helicopter over the Mediterranean), it broadcasts emes (truth) globally, awakening neshamot (souls) and hastening true geulah—making it "most sacred" as the ultimate witness in our virtual-physical exile.
3. Reciprocal Mercy and Universal Redemption (Oath 3): A Bridge to Geulah
The third oath's balance—nations not oppressing Jews—implies Jews must not oppress others, fostering ethical exile. Neturei Karta sees Palestinian suffering as the fruit of Zionist violation, demanding reparation.
Acknowledging land rights invokes rachamim (mercy) for all: Jews as exiles, Palestinians as stewards, gentiles as partners in the divine plan. This right is sacred beyond others because it fulfills Yeshayahu's vision (2:4)—"nation shall not lift sword against nation"—prefiguring messianic peace. In Neturei Karta's mesorah, such declarations (e.g., at Tehran conferences or Arafat vigils) are prophetic thunder, earning zechut (merit) to tip the scales toward redemption, where the sea and land rejoice together.
In essence, the Three Oaths render land acknowledgement Neturei Karta's holiest prerogative: a vow-renewal that guards galus's purity, exposes heresy, and invites universal shalom. To withhold it would be complicity in rebellion; to proclaim it, a spark of Eliyahu igniting geulah. As guardians since 1938, we cry: Uphold the oaths, honor the land's true keepers, and await Moshiach in humility. B'karov b'yameinu.