Efforts to prevent the dismantling and uprooting of populated outposts are underway on several fronts. A Likud activist from Haifa, Aviad Visuly, has petitioned the Supreme Court with a demand that the residents first be given a hearing. He says that this is required by a previous Court ruling, which stipulates that manned outposts may not be uprooted before a hearing for their residents is held.
Visuly also claims that uprooting the outposts must be the result of a Cabinet decision. He explains that Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who gave the order to remove the Jewish locations, is "a politician using the outposts as a tool for his own internal political considerations." Ben-Eliezer is facing an uphill battle in his struggle to retain his leadership of the Labor Party. His opponents, Chaim Ramon and Amram Mitzna, are further to the ideological left than he is, thus that removing the outposts can only bolster his standing. Ben-Eliezer's staffers say that 17 unmanned outposts have already been removed this week, and that the campaign will continue. A court date has not yet been set - but the outposts could be removed at any day or any hour.
Local residents are planning to step up their on-site efforts against possible evacuations early next week. These measures will include arranging housing for leading local personalities who plan to move in, daily public events, and classes and lectures.
The Yesha Council states that if, "Heaven forbid, the evacuation decree is not withdrawn, we will call upon the public, and especially those who live nearby, to arrive at the sites and prevent the uprooting." As on previous occasions, Yesha leaders emphasize the importance of not raising a hand against IDF soldiers or insulting them in any way:
"The soldiers of the IDF are our brothers and sons and our very flesh and blood. A blow at them is a blow at us. We will express in every possible legal, public, respectful and democratic manner our sharp objections, but we will not use violence or raise a hand against our brothers."
Visuly also claims that uprooting the outposts must be the result of a Cabinet decision. He explains that Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who gave the order to remove the Jewish locations, is "a politician using the outposts as a tool for his own internal political considerations." Ben-Eliezer is facing an uphill battle in his struggle to retain his leadership of the Labor Party. His opponents, Chaim Ramon and Amram Mitzna, are further to the ideological left than he is, thus that removing the outposts can only bolster his standing. Ben-Eliezer's staffers say that 17 unmanned outposts have already been removed this week, and that the campaign will continue. A court date has not yet been set - but the outposts could be removed at any day or any hour.
Local residents are planning to step up their on-site efforts against possible evacuations early next week. These measures will include arranging housing for leading local personalities who plan to move in, daily public events, and classes and lectures.
The Yesha Council states that if, "Heaven forbid, the evacuation decree is not withdrawn, we will call upon the public, and especially those who live nearby, to arrive at the sites and prevent the uprooting." As on previous occasions, Yesha leaders emphasize the importance of not raising a hand against IDF soldiers or insulting them in any way:
"The soldiers of the IDF are our brothers and sons and our very flesh and blood. A blow at them is a blow at us. We will express in every possible legal, public, respectful and democratic manner our sharp objections, but we will not use violence or raise a hand against our brothers."