(IsraelNN.com) Shdemah, an IDF base until two years ago, is targeted to become the beginnings of a new Palestinian Authority city, according to government plans.  But when Land of Israel activists heard the proposal, they set out to stop it - and decided to act precisely during U.S. President George Bush's visit to Israel.

Though the army set up roadblocks to prevent Jews from reaching the site - a five-minute drive from the south-eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa - some 150 adults anticipated this move and arrived at Shdemah beforehand.  As of noon (Thursday), they are still there, having painted the three large buildings and erected a Jewish star, and promising to turn the site into a Jewish town.

Nadia Matar, co-chairperson of Women in Green, spoke to Arutz-7 from the site:

"The Shdemah army base was abandoned two years ago by the IDF.  About two months ago, we heard a rumor that the government was planning to give it away to the Palestinian Authority enemy and turn it into an Arab neighborhood.  The government denied it, but MK Uri Ariel submitted an official Knesset inquiry on the topic - and soon received confirmation from Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai that in fact, a former IDF army base was to be turned into a hospital and neighborhood for the PA.

"We immediately realized that we could not let this happen and that we must take action. Could this be Zionism - to build cities for the enemy?!   It's clear that the majority of the Jewish people oppose such a thing."

Shdemah is located in what the Oslo Accords have termed Area C - that is, area under total Israeli control (as opposed to Area A, which is under total Palestinian Authority control, and Area B, which is under Israeli military control and PA administrative control). Asked what could be the basis for unilaterally changing the status of Area C, Nadia said, "You're asking me?! How could they unilaterally give away Gush Katif!?  But this is what we have to deal with..." 

She then continued her story: "We organized ourselves, and decided to time our move with the visit to Israel of Bush and the other dignitaries.  We also took out a full-page ad in the Jerusalem Post, telling Bush that the majority of the Jewish people, just like the majority of Americans, are patriotic and love their land - not like the government members he meets who are defeatist and wish only to retreat and find favor in others' eyes.  We invited him to come to Shdemah and see the real Jews - those who are loyal to the Land and believe, as he does, in the Bible that promises it to us.  Who knows, perhaps he'll come - though it doesn't look like it...

"We came before the army set up their roadblocks, and others managed to bypass them, and now the entire base here has been spray-painted, and we have put up a giant Jewish Star (Magen David), and have hung Israeli flags all over.  At the moment, Atty. Elyakim Haetzni is giving a lecture.

"We also had a foundation stone laying ceremony today, during which we buried an urn containing a scroll on which we inscribed our loyalty to the Land deep inside the earth as an eternal sign of our bonds with Eretz Yisrael."

Asked about the army's plans, Nadia said, "It appears that they are gathering large forces down below, so we'll see... It does appear that they will try to remove us, but our message is that no matter how many times they remove us, we'll be back - and in fact, tomorrow another large group - this time, it will be youth - plans to come back."

MK Eldad on His Way
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union), currently on his way to the site, said, "With Ashkelon under fire, and while the government of Israel leaves its citizens helpless and tries to reach a surrender agreement with Hamas, the people of Gush Etzion have given the proper Zionist response: The laying of a foundation stone for a new Jewish town."

"This is also a message to President Bush, that the policy he is leading together with Olmert is liable to bring a catastrophe upon us - unless the Jews do what is good for the Jews."