Activists work at Netzer
Activists work at NetzerIsrael news photo: Women in Green

The Women in Green organization on Friday warned that the IDF Civil Administration plans to uproot Jewish plantings in Netzer.

The plantings are intended to ensure Arab farmers from Palestinian Authority enclaves do not encroach onto lands owned by the State of Israel.

"We have gone so far as to sign a legal waiver saying we make no claim to the land and only make these plantings to presrve the land for the state," Women in Green co-founder Nadia Matar told Arutz Sheva.

"We are talking about hundreds and hundreds of trees here," she added. "There is no reason for it, but the message we are getting is very clear. Its going to happen after Shavuot."

The organization has enlisted the aid Gush Etzion's regional rabbi Gideon Perl, who invoked the Torah commandment of Ba'al Tash'chit – which forbids unnecessary agricultural destruction – to rally their supporters against the move.

"Calling our brothers, the residents of Gush Etzion – Ba'al Tash'chit! 'Thou shalt not uproot and destroy!'" the rabbi wrote.

"We have recently been informed that the Civil Administration has directed the IDF to uproot all treets that have been planted throughout the last few years in 'Netzer,' located between Alon Shvut and Elazar.

"This directive is due to be carried out after the Shavuot holiday.

"We view this directive to be purely destructive for destruction's sake, without any real reason or grounds, giving in to the pressure of international organizations, left-wing activists, and the Arabs.

"It is publicly known that we do not lay claim to private ownership of these lands. The trees were planted in order to preserve and protect state lands from being taken over by the Arabs.

Rabbi Perl adds, "Our response: continued planting!"

Women in Green co-founders Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katsover have called for the public to join them for plantings in Netzer on Monday, May 28 – the day after Shavuot – at 6:30pm. Those who wish to join the fight for Netzer can join them at the pergola at bottom of the hill.

Transportation can be found in Jerusalem at 5:30pm; Kiryat Arba Hevron at 5:45pm; and Tzomet Hagush at 6:10pm. More details are available from Women in Green co-founders Yehudit Katsover (050-716-1818) and Nadia Matar (050-550-0834).

Women in Green co-founders Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katsover have called for the public to join them for plantings in Netzer on Monday, May 28 – the day after Shavuot – at 6:30pm. Those who wish to join the fight for Netzer can join them at the pergola at bottom of the hill.

Transportation can be found in Jerusalem at 5:30pm; Kiryat Arba Hevron at 5:45pm; and Tzomet Hagush at 6:10pm. More details are available from Women in Green co-founders Yehudit Katsover (050-716-1818) and Nadia Matar (050-550-0834).

They also ask concerned members of the public to lobby senior officials and lawmakers in the ruling coalition who live in Judea and Samaria in the hopes they can be persuaded to intervene. Of note are Minister Yuli Edelstein, Minister Avigdor Lieberman, MK Zeev Elkin, and MK Dudu Rotem.

Those who wish to protest can address phone calls and faxes to Civil Administration head Motti Almoz at (T) 02-997-7007/8 or 02-970-3881, (f) 02-970-3884.

The following video was made at Netzer on Israel's 64th Independence Day: