First was a Peace Now delegation, including several left-wing MKs. Binyamin Regional Council head Pinchas Wallerstein asked to board their bus at the turn-off between Kokhav Yaakov and Michmas and explain the residents' point of view, but only some of the passengers politely agreed to hear him out; the others, including Meretz MK Zahava Gal'on, stormed off the bus while he spoke.
On the other hand, the general secretaries of all 16 Kibbutz HaDati (Religious) kibbutzim, together with other representatives of the movement, took part yesterday in a tour of several Binyamin communities. It was one of a series of tours organized by the Tekumah party. MK Uri Ariel (National Union), himself a childhood member of Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi in the Beit She'an Valley and former mayor of Beit El in Binyamin, took the group up Highway 60, stopping at Migron, Givat Assaf, Ofrah, Amona, Shilo and Eli.
MK Ariel explained the various problems the residents face, including in industry, agriculture, travel and construction of new neighborhoods. As expected, the topic of the civilian outposts arose, and Ariel said that since the vast majority of them are in the process of receiving official approval, the threat to uproot them is simply political. A major impression left upon the visitors was that the demand for homes in the communities is great, but that the housing shortage is forcing many would-be residents to push off their dreams to live in Yesha for the meanwhile.
In a related item:
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has done it again. Meeting with Likud Party women in Tel Aviv last night, he said once more that he plans to execute unilateral measures that include withdrawals from Yesha. The Likud members also did it again: Many of them booed and heckled the Prime Minister as he spoke, in protest of his "gestures." This followed a Likud Knesset faction meeting earlier this week in which many party MKs expressed strong opposition to the Prime Minister's intentions. Sharon said last night that he will soon visit Yesha communities in order to show his appreciation and admiration for the settlement enterprise.
On the other hand, the general secretaries of all 16 Kibbutz HaDati (Religious) kibbutzim, together with other representatives of the movement, took part yesterday in a tour of several Binyamin communities. It was one of a series of tours organized by the Tekumah party. MK Uri Ariel (National Union), himself a childhood member of Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi in the Beit She'an Valley and former mayor of Beit El in Binyamin, took the group up Highway 60, stopping at Migron, Givat Assaf, Ofrah, Amona, Shilo and Eli.
MK Ariel explained the various problems the residents face, including in industry, agriculture, travel and construction of new neighborhoods. As expected, the topic of the civilian outposts arose, and Ariel said that since the vast majority of them are in the process of receiving official approval, the threat to uproot them is simply political. A major impression left upon the visitors was that the demand for homes in the communities is great, but that the housing shortage is forcing many would-be residents to push off their dreams to live in Yesha for the meanwhile.
In a related item:
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has done it again. Meeting with Likud Party women in Tel Aviv last night, he said once more that he plans to execute unilateral measures that include withdrawals from Yesha. The Likud members also did it again: Many of them booed and heckled the Prime Minister as he spoke, in protest of his "gestures." This followed a Likud Knesset faction meeting earlier this week in which many party MKs expressed strong opposition to the Prime Minister's intentions. Sharon said last night that he will soon visit Yesha communities in order to show his appreciation and admiration for the settlement enterprise.