"We’ll see how long they last," Poraz said in an interview with Ynet today, insinuating those living in outlying communities would be unable to protect themselves without the army's support and would leave Yesha as a result.
Poraz came under heavy criticism from many of his colleagues for implying that Israeli citizens in outposts are not worthy of the protection that Israeli citizens in Tel Aviv and other cities are.
"The problem," said Poraz, "is that until these territories [Judea, Samaria and Gaza] are turned over to the Palestinians, the benefit of dismantling the outposts is limited. What's to prevent the settlers from coming back the next day and setting up caravans? The minute that the territories are under Palestinian control and with an armed Palestinian force there, the situation will be different."
Poraz's comments invited angry responses from Knesset members and Land of Israel activists.
"Poraz's approach does not conform to the State of Israel's traditional responsibility to protect its citizens," said Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim (Likud). "Defending citizens is not conditional on their behavior, and even if these citizens broke the law we are legally bound to protect them."
MK Ehud Yatom (Likud) said, "Poraz is abandoning… people who moved into their homes with government approval. Whoever settled and wasn't immediately evacuated, and later received government funding, is in my eyes living on a legal outpost."
MK Yehiel Hazan (Likud) who heads the Yesha Lobby in the Knesset called upon Prime Minister Sharon to fire Interior Minister Poraz. "It is unconscionable that a government minister in the State of Israel would call for the abandonment of the lives of a segment of its citizens because of his political philosophy."
Minister Zevulun Orlev (NRP) sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting that Minister Poraz be removed from his government position, "In light of this most grave call by a government minister to permit the shedding of Jewish citizens of Israel by abandoning their lives to Palestinian terror." Orlev also questioned the Interior Minister’s priorities pointing to the fact that Poraz leads the fight to increase rights for foreign workers, giving them permanent status in the Jewish state, "he is ready to completely abandon the most basic rights of Jewish citizens of Israel."
David HaLevi , an immigrant from Albany, New York – who lives in a small community near Jericho named Mevo’ot Yericho – has assisted in building and populating two such outposts. Asked by Arutz-7 to respond to Minister Poraz’s statements HaLevi said, "It is a wonderful idea, though poorly motivated. I do not agree with the statements by various coalition MK’s, that Israel has the obligation to protect us no matter what. If there is not a mandate in the State of Israel for me to do what I am doing, than I agree that the IDF should not be required to protect me. We truly believe in what we are doing, and therefore, we are willing to defend ourselves, our community and that which we believe in. If MK Poraz is serious about this proposal - including our right to defend ourselves – then I endorse it fully. What MK Poraz does not understand is that there are ideas worth fighting for and if I need to put myself in danger for these ideas I will not run away when faced with that danger, as he seems to hope."
HaLevi added, "If the Jewish People do not recognize our right to establish a Jewish State in the heart of biblical Israel, where our past, history and future reside, then it is inevitable that we will also begin to question our right to reside in any part of Israel, including Tel Aviv."
Poraz came under heavy criticism from many of his colleagues for implying that Israeli citizens in outposts are not worthy of the protection that Israeli citizens in Tel Aviv and other cities are.
"The problem," said Poraz, "is that until these territories [Judea, Samaria and Gaza] are turned over to the Palestinians, the benefit of dismantling the outposts is limited. What's to prevent the settlers from coming back the next day and setting up caravans? The minute that the territories are under Palestinian control and with an armed Palestinian force there, the situation will be different."
Poraz's comments invited angry responses from Knesset members and Land of Israel activists.
"Poraz's approach does not conform to the State of Israel's traditional responsibility to protect its citizens," said Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim (Likud). "Defending citizens is not conditional on their behavior, and even if these citizens broke the law we are legally bound to protect them."
MK Ehud Yatom (Likud) said, "Poraz is abandoning… people who moved into their homes with government approval. Whoever settled and wasn't immediately evacuated, and later received government funding, is in my eyes living on a legal outpost."
MK Yehiel Hazan (Likud) who heads the Yesha Lobby in the Knesset called upon Prime Minister Sharon to fire Interior Minister Poraz. "It is unconscionable that a government minister in the State of Israel would call for the abandonment of the lives of a segment of its citizens because of his political philosophy."
Minister Zevulun Orlev (NRP) sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting that Minister Poraz be removed from his government position, "In light of this most grave call by a government minister to permit the shedding of Jewish citizens of Israel by abandoning their lives to Palestinian terror." Orlev also questioned the Interior Minister’s priorities pointing to the fact that Poraz leads the fight to increase rights for foreign workers, giving them permanent status in the Jewish state, "he is ready to completely abandon the most basic rights of Jewish citizens of Israel."
David HaLevi , an immigrant from Albany, New York – who lives in a small community near Jericho named Mevo’ot Yericho – has assisted in building and populating two such outposts. Asked by Arutz-7 to respond to Minister Poraz’s statements HaLevi said, "It is a wonderful idea, though poorly motivated. I do not agree with the statements by various coalition MK’s, that Israel has the obligation to protect us no matter what. If there is not a mandate in the State of Israel for me to do what I am doing, than I agree that the IDF should not be required to protect me. We truly believe in what we are doing, and therefore, we are willing to defend ourselves, our community and that which we believe in. If MK Poraz is serious about this proposal - including our right to defend ourselves – then I endorse it fully. What MK Poraz does not understand is that there are ideas worth fighting for and if I need to put myself in danger for these ideas I will not run away when faced with that danger, as he seems to hope."
HaLevi added, "If the Jewish People do not recognize our right to establish a Jewish State in the heart of biblical Israel, where our past, history and future reside, then it is inevitable that we will also begin to question our right to reside in any part of Israel, including Tel Aviv."