Hours before the advertised meeting time to embark toward Homesh from the Samaria town of Shavei Shomron, the IDF declared the entire region a closed military zone and set up roadblocks preventing Jewish vehicular traffic.
Motorists left their vehicles and headed toward Shavei Shomron on foot – a four mile hike.
Earlier, however, several groups had already set out toward Homesh on foot, going through Arab villages and along ancient paths through the hills of Samaria. Those groups traveled up to twenty miles to circumvent IDF positions and reach Homesh.
Even as the first roadblocks were set up, word spread that the first groups had reached the destroyed communities and were preparing large menorahs for lighting.
Meanwhile, as the crowd grew in Shavei Shomron, Yassam riot police were deployed to block the road from Shavei Shomron north to Homesh. But while groups of women and children scuffled with the riot police, including the infamous mounted police used in Amona, still more groups embarked from Shavei Shomron, leaving from various directions while the police forces were engaged.
Limor Har-Melech, the firebrand Homesh expellee who is spearheading much of the return movement, took a leading role in the diversions, together with Women in Green’s Nadia Matar.
Violence was used by the riot police when civilian demonstrators outnumbered the police and tried to walk toward Homesh. One woman was knocked over by a horse, but escaped trampling by throwing sand in the horse’s face.
Rabbi Shimon Ben-Zion, who led another group that successfully reached Homesh, said that what drove him and his group to make the long trek was the desire for justice. “The expulsion was so completely unjust. We are here to correct that injustice.”
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union-NRP), who also led one of the groups, said that he is sure that Homesh and the other three destroyed towns in northern Samaria will indeed be rebuilt. “At the end of the day, governments are made up of human beings, and human beings make mistakes,” he said. “We came here today to rectify a mistake that the government made.”
Homesh residents say that they will continue to make pilgrimages to Homesh and will begin to build there in the very near future. They have formed a core-group of 25 families already, but say they welcome all those who wish to join in the resettlement and rebuilding.
A poster at Jerusalem's Gilo Junction hitchhiking post announces the return to Homesh
A senior officer displays the map attached to the order declaring the region a closed military zone to Jews
Motorists left their vehicles and headed toward Shavei Shomron on foot – a four mile hike.
Some of the hundreds of hikers heading north - the woman in the rear is holding sufganiyot, donuts for Chanukah
Earlier, however, several groups had already set out toward Homesh on foot, going through Arab villages and along ancient paths through the hills of Samaria. Those groups traveled up to twenty miles to circumvent IDF positions and reach Homesh.
Even as the first roadblocks were set up, word spread that the first groups had reached the destroyed communities and were preparing large menorahs for lighting.
Meanwhile, as the crowd grew in Shavei Shomron, Yassam riot police were deployed to block the road from Shavei Shomron north to Homesh. But while groups of women and children scuffled with the riot police, including the infamous mounted police used in Amona, still more groups embarked from Shavei Shomron, leaving from various directions while the police forces were engaged.
A group in Shavei Shomron marches through a nearby army base, heading toward a gap in the recently built wall surrounding the community. The move succeeds in diverting security forces from other groups
The end of the wall built along Shavei Shomron's northern side is quickly supplemented by security forces
Limor Har-Melech, the firebrand Homesh expellee who is spearheading much of the return movement, took a leading role in the diversions, together with Women in Green’s Nadia Matar.
Violence was used by the riot police when civilian demonstrators outnumbered the police and tried to walk toward Homesh. One woman was knocked over by a horse, but escaped trampling by throwing sand in the horse’s face.
A former resident of Homesh is blocked by Yassam riot police wearing the black uniforms used during the Disengagement
Rabbi Shimon Ben-Zion, who led another group that successfully reached Homesh, said that what drove him and his group to make the long trek was the desire for justice. “The expulsion was so completely unjust. We are here to correct that injustice.”
MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union-NRP), who also led one of the groups, said that he is sure that Homesh and the other three destroyed towns in northern Samaria will indeed be rebuilt. “At the end of the day, governments are made up of human beings, and human beings make mistakes,” he said. “We came here today to rectify a mistake that the government made.”
A boy holds a flag reading "The Land of Israel to the Nation of Israel"
Homesh residents say that they will continue to make pilgrimages to Homesh and will begin to build there in the very near future. They have formed a core-group of 25 families already, but say they welcome all those who wish to join in the resettlement and rebuilding.