The State of Israel is facing one of its most critical crises since its inception, and the Nation of Israel is facing one of the most dangerous challenges to its identity, its connection to HaShem and the covenant with Him. As the two sides of this "debate" position themselves, we witness a very interesting dynamic.
Let me see if I got this straight:
One side has disenfranchised the entire heroic settler community, besmirched them in the media (with plenty of cooperation from that "unbiased" pillar of free speech itself), silenced them, marginalized them and delegitimized them.
While the other side has conducted several very nice, calm, civilized demonstrations, out of view of most of the country - behind the Knesset, for instance - regularly issuing apologies for any traffic jams or other inconveniences they might have caused.
One side has prepared and trained a special elite army unit for all the problem cases in an evacuation. They've built a special training base modeled after a typical settlement village and begun vigorous training (both ideologically and practically) for the expulsion of Jews - including pregnant woman and small children - from their homes.
While the other side has carefully conducted a campaign to hang little orange flags from as many cars as possible. They've also spent a lot of time suggesting, for anyone willing to hear, that the government's plan of expulsion is very, very bad and not nice, if not a tad bit illegal and immoral - though they continually qualify their remarks by saying that they don't think the people who conceived of these plans to expel Jews from their homes are illegitimate or immoral in any way. And they apologize if their words were taken the wrong way.
One side has offered immunity, before the fact, for all police officers accused of excessive force or violence during the expulsion.
The other side has pledged not to "cross any red lines," and that if the inevitable expulsion of Jews from their homes comes, then they will do everything to stop it, short of resisting. And no matter how many times the police beat them, they promise never to raise even their voices in insult at those who would disenfranchise them of their homes.
One side has made every attempt to stifle all opposition. They have brought legal action against anyone who would suggest in public that this plan is illegal, immoral and corrupt, or who would advocate taking concrete steps that might actually delay or derail this crime against the Jewish People.
While the other side has made every effort to conduct "dialogue", and make "solidarity visits" with individuals who have betrayed their own rabbis, their community and their G-d. Yet, after all, reasons this side, "We wouldn't want to be thought of as extremists, G-d forbid, then people might think we took these things seriously."
One side has threatened "administrative detention" - incarceration without any evidence, legal protection or recourse - for all those deemed a "security threat". Even the president has recently spoken favorably of the concept. In addition, there have been several staged events against government officials to make it look like such detentions must be necessary.
While the other side apologizes for anything that might be misconstrued, hangs up a few more orange flags and pledges to weed out extremists from their midst, declaring that they would never cross any of those dangerous red lines. No, not ever. In other words, go ahead, do your worst, and we'll... we'll... Well, we'll roll over and let you.
One side is planning for war.
The other is trying to win a popularity contest.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. Excuse me for pointing out the obvious, but this so-called "government of the people" has already crossed all red lines in their extremist plan. They've incited the nation to civil war by planning to commit one of the most violent acts possible against their own people. In my opinion, all blame and responsibility for what will follow falls squarely on their shoulders.
There is nothing more violent, more criminal than forcibly removing innocent, if not heroic, citizens from their homes against their will. Attacking an individual is criminal; attacking a community is an act of war, and it should be responded to appropriately.
Preparations need to be made. In truth, they needed to be made for some time. Instead of pouring shekel after shekel into useless rallies (we saw how well the largest demonstration in Israel's history deterred the implementation of the Oslo Accords), funds should be used to buy supplies, food and water for the hundreds of thousands of people who, G-d willing, will arrive in Gush Katif and the Shomron communities when the government advances to expel the residents. Bomb shelters, gas masks and generators need to be prepared to withstand a long siege. Tunnels need to be dug; walls and fencing need to be reinforced. People need to be supplied with small video cameras to record atrocities (yes, I'm using the correct word) by the "authorities", and a method needs to be found to maintain contact with the outside world when the government forces disable cellular phones and cut other lines of communication.
The only way to prevent the expulsion is to make it impossible. No one advocates violence, of course, but defending against expulsion from one's home is not an act of violence; it is not crossing a red line. The expulsion, however, is both.
Let me see if I got this straight:
One side has disenfranchised the entire heroic settler community, besmirched them in the media (with plenty of cooperation from that "unbiased" pillar of free speech itself), silenced them, marginalized them and delegitimized them.
While the other side has conducted several very nice, calm, civilized demonstrations, out of view of most of the country - behind the Knesset, for instance - regularly issuing apologies for any traffic jams or other inconveniences they might have caused.
One side has prepared and trained a special elite army unit for all the problem cases in an evacuation. They've built a special training base modeled after a typical settlement village and begun vigorous training (both ideologically and practically) for the expulsion of Jews - including pregnant woman and small children - from their homes.
While the other side has carefully conducted a campaign to hang little orange flags from as many cars as possible. They've also spent a lot of time suggesting, for anyone willing to hear, that the government's plan of expulsion is very, very bad and not nice, if not a tad bit illegal and immoral - though they continually qualify their remarks by saying that they don't think the people who conceived of these plans to expel Jews from their homes are illegitimate or immoral in any way. And they apologize if their words were taken the wrong way.
One side has offered immunity, before the fact, for all police officers accused of excessive force or violence during the expulsion.
The other side has pledged not to "cross any red lines," and that if the inevitable expulsion of Jews from their homes comes, then they will do everything to stop it, short of resisting. And no matter how many times the police beat them, they promise never to raise even their voices in insult at those who would disenfranchise them of their homes.
One side has made every attempt to stifle all opposition. They have brought legal action against anyone who would suggest in public that this plan is illegal, immoral and corrupt, or who would advocate taking concrete steps that might actually delay or derail this crime against the Jewish People.
While the other side has made every effort to conduct "dialogue", and make "solidarity visits" with individuals who have betrayed their own rabbis, their community and their G-d. Yet, after all, reasons this side, "We wouldn't want to be thought of as extremists, G-d forbid, then people might think we took these things seriously."
One side has threatened "administrative detention" - incarceration without any evidence, legal protection or recourse - for all those deemed a "security threat". Even the president has recently spoken favorably of the concept. In addition, there have been several staged events against government officials to make it look like such detentions must be necessary.
While the other side apologizes for anything that might be misconstrued, hangs up a few more orange flags and pledges to weed out extremists from their midst, declaring that they would never cross any of those dangerous red lines. No, not ever. In other words, go ahead, do your worst, and we'll... we'll... Well, we'll roll over and let you.
One side is planning for war.
The other is trying to win a popularity contest.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. Excuse me for pointing out the obvious, but this so-called "government of the people" has already crossed all red lines in their extremist plan. They've incited the nation to civil war by planning to commit one of the most violent acts possible against their own people. In my opinion, all blame and responsibility for what will follow falls squarely on their shoulders.
There is nothing more violent, more criminal than forcibly removing innocent, if not heroic, citizens from their homes against their will. Attacking an individual is criminal; attacking a community is an act of war, and it should be responded to appropriately.
Preparations need to be made. In truth, they needed to be made for some time. Instead of pouring shekel after shekel into useless rallies (we saw how well the largest demonstration in Israel's history deterred the implementation of the Oslo Accords), funds should be used to buy supplies, food and water for the hundreds of thousands of people who, G-d willing, will arrive in Gush Katif and the Shomron communities when the government advances to expel the residents. Bomb shelters, gas masks and generators need to be prepared to withstand a long siege. Tunnels need to be dug; walls and fencing need to be reinforced. People need to be supplied with small video cameras to record atrocities (yes, I'm using the correct word) by the "authorities", and a method needs to be found to maintain contact with the outside world when the government forces disable cellular phones and cut other lines of communication.
The only way to prevent the expulsion is to make it impossible. No one advocates violence, of course, but defending against expulsion from one's home is not an act of violence; it is not crossing a red line. The expulsion, however, is both.