While the world focuses on Jewish construction in Jerusalem, some proactive Jews work to ensure Jewish continuity in Judea and Samaria.
Residents of Gush Etzion are making sure to struggle over “every piece of land,” while the Yibaneh (It Shall be Built) organization is working on collecting funds to rebuild destroyed neighborhoods.
One site of activity is Netzer, on Patriarchs Path between Alon Shvut and N’veh Daniel. Jewish activists were able to stop Arabs from taking over the land, but “the battle is far from won,” the former say. “With international funding, the Arabs are accelerating their expropriation of State lands not only at Netzer, but throughout Judea and Samaria.”
'Growing Arab confidence'
An umbrella group of organizations has issued an announcement, stating, “Today there is a struggle over every piece of land. Jewish hands are tied by the ‘Freeze,’ while the Arabs are building a Palestinian State undisturbed. There are Arab trucks full of building supplies, accelerated Arab construction and Arabs planting up to the fences around Jewish communities – and all this right outside our windows. The newest wave of Arab stone-throwing is also an indication of their growing self-confidence.”
The organizations – Women for Israel’s Tomorrow (Women in Green), Judea Action Committees, The Yibaneh Fund, The Committee for a Jewish Shdema, and Garin Netzer (Netzer Core Group) – assert that the Jewish silence in response to these developments is harmful: “A dangerous situation has been created, in which we have settled in our own communities – and have stopped being active on behalf of the land of Israel. It’s as though there were no destructive political process threatening the entire settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria! Everyone is busy consolidating our communities – in education, Torah, hi-tech and tourism. That’s fine for normal times. But these are fateful days. Our silence conveys a message of resignation, and our Prime Minister cannot even claim that there is opposition from within.”
The group proposes that action be taken on different levels: “On the ground, advocacy, on the political level, and educationally.” In addition, it has issued a short video clip (above), depicting the stories of several families who have seen their homes destroyed by Israeli forces – yet are willing to persevere and rebuild. Public support is needed, however.
This coming Sunday, the minor holiday of Lag BaOmer, a Jewish planting ceremony will be held at Netzer, between Alon Shvut and Elazar. The stated goals: To preserve State lands and to end our dangerous silence.
For details and registration, click here.