Settlement activist Moshe Zar eulogized Rabbi Raziel Shevach, who was murdered in a shooting attack near Gilad Farm (Havat Gilad).
One of the first pioneers to build his home in Samaria, Zar lost his son Gilad in a shooting attack, and Gilad Farm was established in his memory on land purchased by Moshe, a religious Zionist and long-time friend of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He has been buying land in Judea and Samaria from individual Arabs since 1979. A number of Arabs have taken him to court. After his son Gilad was killed, he vowed that he would establish six communities in his son′s memory, one for each Hebrew letter of his name.
"I knew Rabbi Shevach well, he was, among other things, the teacher of one of my grandchildren, Gilad Tzuri, a mischievous little boy named after his murdered uncle. They connected and loved each other. How do I explain to a 7-year-old that his teacher was wantonly murdered 300 meters from where his uncle Gilad was killed and 300 meters from his own house?"
Zar describes this as a difficult time for him, as someone who knows the pain of loss. "I was sitting next to Rabbi Moshe, Rabbi Raziel's father; we sat together brokenhearted. He is a bereaved father since yesterday, I am a bereaved father from long ago. I know what it means to be a bereaved father; one's heart tears and weeps.
"When Jews are in mourning it's customary to say, 'May G-d console you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem'. When we build a new community or a new home in our country, we say 'Blessed is He who ensconces the widow within her own borders'. There is no other consolation except for building. The Jews return from exile to the Land of Israel, which is called a widow, and builds it up. This is revenge. For every house built in the Land of Israel, it's as if we liquidated ten terrorists. When we build a settlement - it's as if we'd killed ten-thousand terrorists."
Havat Gilad does not need any favors, says Moshe Zar, explaining that his only request is to recognize the farm as a community in every respect, with an approved zoning plan. "I'm not looking to make requests or pleas, but just that they should decide today to make an entire city in Havat Gilad. There's enough space for a whole city and I know what I'm talking about.
"There are private lands there that were bought fairly and honestly, at full price, and there is also state land there; this is the greatest revenge. The people responsible should be so good as to establish this settlement; a large and amazingly beautiful town. This is our country and there is no other, and whoever doesn't agree can pack his bags and go wherever he pleases."