Rabin privately backed Jewish communities, warning Hamas would fill any vacuum Israel left in Judea.
Rabbi Yoel Ben-Nun, one of the founders of Yeshivat Har Etzion and a central ideological figure in the settlement movement, has revealed remarkable details about his personal relationship with the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin — details that sharply contradict the myth that Rabin opposed Jewish life in Judea and Samaria.
Speaking on Israel National News–Arutz Sheva’s podcast with Dvir Amr, Rabbi Ben-Nun explained that during the turbulent Oslo years, while mass demonstrations erupted across the country, he chose a different strategy. Instead of rallies, he wrote handwritten, personal letters directly to Rabin — not demanding answers, only requesting that Rabin read them.
“I wrote by hand and asked nothing in return. Only that he read — and he agreed,” Rabbi Ben-Nun said.
Over time he sent nearly 200 letters to the Prime Minister. Although Rabin formally replied only three times, Rabbi Ben-Nun became convinced that Rabin read every word. The proof? Senior officers began visiting him to explain or even apologize for specific decisions — reactions triggered only after Rabin forwarded Ben-Nun’s letters internally.
One of the most consequential outcomes of their dialogue was the Ramallah bypass road, a project Rabbi Ben-Nun and Binyamin Regional Council head Pinchas Wallerstein initiated. Rabin immediately approved the idea, and Finance Minister Avraham “Beiga” Shochat expedited the funding.
“That’s how the settlement enterprise was saved,” Rabbi Ben-Nun recalled.
He also emphasized that Rabin opposed dismantling Jewish communities, including in Gaza.
According to Rabbi Ben-Nun:
“He told me regarding Gush Katif: If we’re not there, Hamas terror will be there.”
Rabin’s private warnings proved prophetic. After Israel’s 2005 withdrawal, Hamas overran Gaza, turning it into a terror stronghold—exactly as Rabin predicted.
Rabbi Ben-Nun’s testimony reveals a striking historical truth:
Rabin saw Jewish presence in strategic areas not as an obstacle to peace, but as a critical shield against Palestinian terror.
In the interview’s closing moments, Rabbi Ben-Nun addressed today’s political rifts, calling for national unity rather than partisan warfare.
“Those who hate Bibi are no less guilty than Bibi himself — maybe more. Both sides must climb down from their high horses,” he urged.
His message, echoing Rabin’s unseen pragmatism and realism, is clear: Israel’s internal battles must never overshadow the external threats that Rabin himself warned would emerge if Israel retreats in the face of terror.
