On February 2nd of this year, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon dropped a bombshell on the Jewish people. He revealed his plan to abandon Jewish communities in Gaza and northern Samaria, and to forcibly evacuate and transfer the Jewish population from their homes in these areas. As we know from reading the Bible, Gaza and Samaria are part of the Land promised to the Jewish people by the Almighty as an everlasting inheritance.
According to Sharon's plan, these areas are now to be made Judenrein and handed over to the Arab enemy. In addition, the Arabs were promised by Sharon that even the very soil of these communities is to be cleansed of Jews, which means that Jewish bodies will have to be exhumed from their graves and taken somewhere else.
Sharon calls his plan to expel Jews from their homes "Unilateral Disengagement", and explains that this plan is important in the international arena, and that Israel's standing in the world would be much worse were his plan not on the table. "Today's situation demands this step.... You don't know what our situation would be [in the international arena] if we did not have this plan," Sharon said.
"The international arena" is probably delighted that the erstwhile Lion of Judah has given in to Arab terror and is running away, with his tail between his legs, from his responsibility to defend the Jewish people.
But what about us plain folks who believed his campaign promises that he would protect the Jews from the Arab enemy and give them security? Security to live in peace in their homes and in their neighborhood. Security for their children attending school. Security when riding buses, or even when just enjoying a cup of coffee with friends in a neighborhood cafe.
Sharon did fulfill campaign promises - those of his Labor opponent, Amram Mitzna, who had promised, if elected, that he would evacuate every last Jew from Gaza. Because of this very platform, Amram Mitzna was roundly defeated.
Sharon has literally stolen our votes. He won by a landslide as head of the Likud party, opposing Labor party candidate Amram Mitzna. The Likud party platform clearly states: No to a Palestinian State; and no abandonment of any Jewish community.
Sharon's Disengagement Plan was a betrayal of both his Likud party and of the electorate at large. After this betrayal, the membership of the Likud party voted against Sharon's plan, in a referendum, with an approximately 20% majority. Likewise, the Likud Central Committee voted the same way, with a similar majority.
Unfazed, Sharon continues to ignore the Likud membership, the Likud Central Committee and almost half of the 40 Likud Knesset Members. He insists that the majority of the Israeli people supports his plan. Then why does he so adamantly refuse to let the Israeli people vote on his plan in a national referendum?
So much for Sharon's belief in the democratic principle of listening to the voice of the people. He is completely "disengaged" from the majority of Israel's citizens.
Sharon has become a virtual dictator. In order to achieve his new goals, he does not hesitate to trample Israeli democracy.
Sharon tries to prevent ministers and Knesset members from voting according to their consciences. On June 4th, he fired two ministers who would have dared to vote against the Disengagement (Benny Elon and Avigdor Lieberman). Sharon fired additional ministers who did not support his Disengagement Plan when it came to a vote in the Knesset.
Sharon tries to prevent the people at large from expressing their opposition to the Disengagement Plan by curtailing their freedom of speech and their ability to freely demonstrate against unpopular government policies.
Ofer Lefler, spokesman for the Israel Prisons Authority (IPA) told Israel Radio in a live interview on September 20, 2004 that the IPA is currently working on the development of "creative alternatives" for the mass detention of disengagement opponents.
Sharon has ordered a law to be drafted listing penalties for opponents to the Disengagement Plan: five years in prison for people who violently resist being "evacuated" from their own home and three years in prison for "evacuation disrupters".
This is a very dangerous infringement of individual freedom. If Women in Green holds a demonstration against the transfer of Jews from Gaza, are we then "evacuation disrupters"?
If Women in Green leader Nadia Matar criticizes Yonatan Bassi, the head of the Disengagement Authority, is she then an "evacuation disrupter"?
It is evident to most people that the persecution of Nadia Matar is not meant in a personal way, but as an attempt to eliminate the power of Women in Green as a protest movement against Sharon's unpopular and dangerous, dictatorial behavior.
We, the Women in Green, feel that it is a very dangerous development to vilify all Disengagement opponents as inciters, mutineers and a danger to the very existence of the state. If no steam can be vented and all protesters stifled, there is the danger that it can "blow people's minds", and lead to dangerous results.
According to Sharon's plan, these areas are now to be made Judenrein and handed over to the Arab enemy. In addition, the Arabs were promised by Sharon that even the very soil of these communities is to be cleansed of Jews, which means that Jewish bodies will have to be exhumed from their graves and taken somewhere else.
Sharon calls his plan to expel Jews from their homes "Unilateral Disengagement", and explains that this plan is important in the international arena, and that Israel's standing in the world would be much worse were his plan not on the table. "Today's situation demands this step.... You don't know what our situation would be [in the international arena] if we did not have this plan," Sharon said.
"The international arena" is probably delighted that the erstwhile Lion of Judah has given in to Arab terror and is running away, with his tail between his legs, from his responsibility to defend the Jewish people.
But what about us plain folks who believed his campaign promises that he would protect the Jews from the Arab enemy and give them security? Security to live in peace in their homes and in their neighborhood. Security for their children attending school. Security when riding buses, or even when just enjoying a cup of coffee with friends in a neighborhood cafe.
Sharon did fulfill campaign promises - those of his Labor opponent, Amram Mitzna, who had promised, if elected, that he would evacuate every last Jew from Gaza. Because of this very platform, Amram Mitzna was roundly defeated.
Sharon has literally stolen our votes. He won by a landslide as head of the Likud party, opposing Labor party candidate Amram Mitzna. The Likud party platform clearly states: No to a Palestinian State; and no abandonment of any Jewish community.
Sharon's Disengagement Plan was a betrayal of both his Likud party and of the electorate at large. After this betrayal, the membership of the Likud party voted against Sharon's plan, in a referendum, with an approximately 20% majority. Likewise, the Likud Central Committee voted the same way, with a similar majority.
Unfazed, Sharon continues to ignore the Likud membership, the Likud Central Committee and almost half of the 40 Likud Knesset Members. He insists that the majority of the Israeli people supports his plan. Then why does he so adamantly refuse to let the Israeli people vote on his plan in a national referendum?
So much for Sharon's belief in the democratic principle of listening to the voice of the people. He is completely "disengaged" from the majority of Israel's citizens.
Sharon has become a virtual dictator. In order to achieve his new goals, he does not hesitate to trample Israeli democracy.
Sharon tries to prevent ministers and Knesset members from voting according to their consciences. On June 4th, he fired two ministers who would have dared to vote against the Disengagement (Benny Elon and Avigdor Lieberman). Sharon fired additional ministers who did not support his Disengagement Plan when it came to a vote in the Knesset.
Sharon tries to prevent the people at large from expressing their opposition to the Disengagement Plan by curtailing their freedom of speech and their ability to freely demonstrate against unpopular government policies.
Ofer Lefler, spokesman for the Israel Prisons Authority (IPA) told Israel Radio in a live interview on September 20, 2004 that the IPA is currently working on the development of "creative alternatives" for the mass detention of disengagement opponents.
Sharon has ordered a law to be drafted listing penalties for opponents to the Disengagement Plan: five years in prison for people who violently resist being "evacuated" from their own home and three years in prison for "evacuation disrupters".
This is a very dangerous infringement of individual freedom. If Women in Green holds a demonstration against the transfer of Jews from Gaza, are we then "evacuation disrupters"?
If Women in Green leader Nadia Matar criticizes Yonatan Bassi, the head of the Disengagement Authority, is she then an "evacuation disrupter"?
It is evident to most people that the persecution of Nadia Matar is not meant in a personal way, but as an attempt to eliminate the power of Women in Green as a protest movement against Sharon's unpopular and dangerous, dictatorial behavior.
We, the Women in Green, feel that it is a very dangerous development to vilify all Disengagement opponents as inciters, mutineers and a danger to the very existence of the state. If no steam can be vented and all protesters stifled, there is the danger that it can "blow people's minds", and lead to dangerous results.