Two years ago, Prime Minister Sharon was present at a Chanukah ceremony in which the Amanah settlement organization was awarded the Menachem and Aliza Begin Prize for the year 5762. Reporter Haggai Huberman, who was also present, noted that Sharon was notably moved and excited by the presence of some 50 children of Yesha standing on the stage, each of them wearing a sign with the name of one of the communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. "Sharon's eye caught one of the little girls," Huberman wrote, "and he smiled at her, she smiled at back, and for a few minutes, the 74-year-old Prime Minister and the 10-year-old girl simply smiled at each other. I don't know who she was, but she might very well be one of those whom Sharon today is planning to evict from her home."
Huberman wrote that when Sharon spoke, he departed from his prepared text and said the following:
"In every period in the history of Zionism, there has always been one body that leads. It's generally a small group, one that always starts out with many opponents, and throughout the years draws many detractors and much criticism. But there is always this leading body. In the past 23 years, this group has been Gush Emunim's Amanah settlement organization, headed by my friend Zambish (Ze'ev Chever), who leads it with consistency, sensitivity, success, and - I would like to especially emphasize - with friendship.
"I see here the boys and girls. When this whole [settlement] thing started many years ago, I would ask the first Gush Emunim leaders, 'What will be afterwards? Who will continue it?' We worried that it would be only a one-generation enterprise. I [wanted it] to be a multi-generation thing, not just one generation. But I saw that the Gush Emunim members were smiling, happy; I was not relaxed about it, but they were. We now see today the third generation, and for [some], even the fourth generation. May they continue to prosper.
"It's hard to evaluate this strength, this momentum. I know one thing: This is a just cause, something of real value.
"The Yesha settlement enterprise is one of the greatest enterprises in the history of Zionism. The Amanah movement that led it knew how to integrate vision and faith with great ability to do the job - and the results are spread along the length and breadth of the Land of Israel.
"The Amanah Yesha enterprise is also a social project of fostering and nurturing community, absorption of Aliyah, and of bringing secular and religious closer together.
"Yesha, for over a year, has found itself in a very difficult security situation because of the Palestinian terror onslaught, and has withstood it with indescribable bravery. And for this we thank you. Terrorism does not know borders, and is directed at every man, woman and child in Israel. The residents of Yesha are standing at the toughest front of all, and the way they face it is a national model for all of us."
Huberman wrote that when Sharon spoke, he departed from his prepared text and said the following:
"In every period in the history of Zionism, there has always been one body that leads. It's generally a small group, one that always starts out with many opponents, and throughout the years draws many detractors and much criticism. But there is always this leading body. In the past 23 years, this group has been Gush Emunim's Amanah settlement organization, headed by my friend Zambish (Ze'ev Chever), who leads it with consistency, sensitivity, success, and - I would like to especially emphasize - with friendship.
"I see here the boys and girls. When this whole [settlement] thing started many years ago, I would ask the first Gush Emunim leaders, 'What will be afterwards? Who will continue it?' We worried that it would be only a one-generation enterprise. I [wanted it] to be a multi-generation thing, not just one generation. But I saw that the Gush Emunim members were smiling, happy; I was not relaxed about it, but they were. We now see today the third generation, and for [some], even the fourth generation. May they continue to prosper.
"It's hard to evaluate this strength, this momentum. I know one thing: This is a just cause, something of real value.
"The Yesha settlement enterprise is one of the greatest enterprises in the history of Zionism. The Amanah movement that led it knew how to integrate vision and faith with great ability to do the job - and the results are spread along the length and breadth of the Land of Israel.
"The Amanah Yesha enterprise is also a social project of fostering and nurturing community, absorption of Aliyah, and of bringing secular and religious closer together.
"Yesha, for over a year, has found itself in a very difficult security situation because of the Palestinian terror onslaught, and has withstood it with indescribable bravery. And for this we thank you. Terrorism does not know borders, and is directed at every man, woman and child in Israel. The residents of Yesha are standing at the toughest front of all, and the way they face it is a national model for all of us."