In Kiryat Malachi yesterday (Tuesday), a group of yeshiva students belonging to the Chabad-Lubavitch Chassidic sect gathered several copies of the "Geneva Initiative" document together and set them alight. Chabad spokesman Menachem Brod stated that, while the booklet belongs in the trash, there were no instructions given to burn the pamphlets, nor does the Chabad leadership approve of or endorse the actions of the Kiryat Malachi students.
However, Kiryat Motzkin Chief Rabbi David Druckman announced shortly thereafter that the "Geneva Initiative" booklets should indeed be burned. Rabbi Druckman, a distinguished Chabad rabbi in Israel, said that his statement is in accordance with Torah law, such pamphlets are backed and supported by the "anti-Semites of the world." Furthermore, Rabbi Druckman drew a parallel to calls by former Chief Rabbi Herzog, who "did not hesitate to publicly rend the British White Paper document [limiting Jewish immigration during the pre-State Mandate period]."
Hundreds of other Israeli citizens are taking part in a grass-roots initiative of their own and have marked the "Geneva Initiative" booklet mailed to their homes with the words, "Junk Mail - Return to Sender". One eyewitness from Ginot Shomron described a huge sack of booklets so marked waiting to be delivered back to the "Geneva Initiative" Headquarters at Beit Amot Mishpat, a central Tel Aviv office building that also houses the offices of former prime ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Shamir.
The "Initiative" has been the cause of controversy for the Kibbutz Movement, as well. The head of Kibbutz Sha’ar HaNegev, Elon Shuster, has issued an angry response to the decision by the board of the Kibbutz Movement to support the "Geneva Initiative". According to the "Geneva" document, Israel would hand over 90,000 dunam of Negev territory adjacent to the "Gaza area". The new southern border would bring many of the local Kibbutzim right up against PA-controlled Arab towns. "Kfar Aza, Maflasim, Nir-Am, Erez and Nachal Oz will all be forced to live under constant danger of Kassam missile attacks," according to Schuster.
Schuster told Arutz-7 that the decision most seriously imperils Kibbutz Nachal Oz, which would be surrounded on three sides by the wall envisioned by the "Geneva" plan. Schuster fears the high-rise buildings the agreement would hand over to PA control - just a quarter-mile away - would be used to shoot over the fence and down upon the Kibbutz.
Because of these concerns, the Rosh HaNegev city council, along with the local residents, have begun to actively campaign against the decision by the Kibbutz Movement to support the "Geneva Initiative". They intend to organize massive opposition to protest the "understandings", which they claim abandon them and endanger their personal safety.
Due to its controversial political nature and the foreign funding of the ads, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority (IBA) had initially refused to broadcast advertisements promoting the "Geneva Initiative"; however, this morning (Wednesday) Israel’s Supreme Court overturned the IBA’s ban.
However, Kiryat Motzkin Chief Rabbi David Druckman announced shortly thereafter that the "Geneva Initiative" booklets should indeed be burned. Rabbi Druckman, a distinguished Chabad rabbi in Israel, said that his statement is in accordance with Torah law, such pamphlets are backed and supported by the "anti-Semites of the world." Furthermore, Rabbi Druckman drew a parallel to calls by former Chief Rabbi Herzog, who "did not hesitate to publicly rend the British White Paper document [limiting Jewish immigration during the pre-State Mandate period]."
Hundreds of other Israeli citizens are taking part in a grass-roots initiative of their own and have marked the "Geneva Initiative" booklet mailed to their homes with the words, "Junk Mail - Return to Sender". One eyewitness from Ginot Shomron described a huge sack of booklets so marked waiting to be delivered back to the "Geneva Initiative" Headquarters at Beit Amot Mishpat, a central Tel Aviv office building that also houses the offices of former prime ministers Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Shamir.
The "Initiative" has been the cause of controversy for the Kibbutz Movement, as well. The head of Kibbutz Sha’ar HaNegev, Elon Shuster, has issued an angry response to the decision by the board of the Kibbutz Movement to support the "Geneva Initiative". According to the "Geneva" document, Israel would hand over 90,000 dunam of Negev territory adjacent to the "Gaza area". The new southern border would bring many of the local Kibbutzim right up against PA-controlled Arab towns. "Kfar Aza, Maflasim, Nir-Am, Erez and Nachal Oz will all be forced to live under constant danger of Kassam missile attacks," according to Schuster.
Schuster told Arutz-7 that the decision most seriously imperils Kibbutz Nachal Oz, which would be surrounded on three sides by the wall envisioned by the "Geneva" plan. Schuster fears the high-rise buildings the agreement would hand over to PA control - just a quarter-mile away - would be used to shoot over the fence and down upon the Kibbutz.
Because of these concerns, the Rosh HaNegev city council, along with the local residents, have begun to actively campaign against the decision by the Kibbutz Movement to support the "Geneva Initiative". They intend to organize massive opposition to protest the "understandings", which they claim abandon them and endanger their personal safety.
Due to its controversial political nature and the foreign funding of the ads, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority (IBA) had initially refused to broadcast advertisements promoting the "Geneva Initiative"; however, this morning (Wednesday) Israel’s Supreme Court overturned the IBA’s ban.