"The fact that he will fall - that is certain. But I'm just not sure if it will be via [StateProsecutor] Edna Arbel and [Attorney-General] Meni Mazuz." So said last night the fiery Mayor of Kedumim Daniella Weiss, one of the most veteran Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza) activists, referring to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
"I'm not happy when a Prime Minister is accused," she told Arutz-7's new evening newsmagazine last night, "or is even the subject of a recommendation thereof, of bribes and the like. To think that this will be a life raft for the Land of Israel is, I believe, a major distortion. It's true that whoever tries to harm the Land of Israel will be toppled in the end - but I'm just not sure that this is the way. In fact, it could be that Sharon will take an 'in your face' attitude and try to prove that even with the media onslaught against him, he will continue with what he calls his 'diplomatic' plans. The fact that he will go down is certain - because whoever tries to harm the Land of Israel, loses his right to lead the Nation of Israel. But I don't want to fall for the illusion that it will be specifically via Edna Arbel or Meni Mazuz and the desire to bring him to trial. But if it happens that way, then so be it."
Weiss, together with the Mayor of Ariel Ron Nachman, IDF officers, and others, took part in a seminar yesterday in the College of Judea & Samaria in Ariel on the topic of the counter-terrorism partition fence. "Nachman spoke more about the ramifications on Ariel," Mayor Weiss said last night, "while I tried to relate more to its ramifications on the Land of Israel and the settlement enterprise in general. I am opposed to a fence altogether; the fact that they plan to include one or two given communities within the fence doesn't make me happy in the least bit. I am against all fences in Israel in any way, shape or form - whether they be around a community, or dividing up the Land of Israel..."
"But what about the IDF generals who showed at the conference that the fence prevents terrorist attacks?" asked Arutz-7's Uzi Baruch.
Weiss: "I was very disappointed with the way that military men approach this matter in a very one-dimensional manner and don't look at the entire picture. I mean, what is going on there on the other side behind the fence? Are the Arabs there developing any kind of love for the Jewish People? Is a society being built that appreciates the Zionist endeavor in any way - or is a society of hatred being built up on the other side of the fence, one that it developing its arsenal of weapons of war against us? They are simply improving their weapons and missiles and mortar shells, Heaven forbid!...
"The residents of Israel who demand security are, I hope and trust and know, not stupid, and they realize that the wall is merely an illusion; it will not stop terrorism. What, is it a problem to penetrate it in one way or another, or to cut the fence today and then come in the day afterwards? Every thinking person knows that this fence is merely an illusion, one that lulls the people and the army into thinking that there is security when in fact there isn't. I say categorically: Not only will the fence not help in stopping terrorism, it is one of the most serious factors in the lessening of our security and increasing the terrorism, both practically and psychologically!"
Mayor Weiss denied that she is alone in her strong stand against fences: "Thank G-d we have, throughout Judea and Samaria, over 200 communities and outpost neighborhoods, and the majority of them are not encompassed by fences! ...If you take the new 60 or so outposts that have been established, thank G-d, in which live our children and grandchildren - the entire conception is to spread out, to go over to the next hilltop, to cross the valley and take the next place, to take the broad expanses. This Land is all ours, not just a specific hilltop or another! This is why they don't want fences. The entire approach is one of spreading out, not closing in. Wherever we are not, the enemy is - and so our challenge is to spread forth!"
"I'm not happy when a Prime Minister is accused," she told Arutz-7's new evening newsmagazine last night, "or is even the subject of a recommendation thereof, of bribes and the like. To think that this will be a life raft for the Land of Israel is, I believe, a major distortion. It's true that whoever tries to harm the Land of Israel will be toppled in the end - but I'm just not sure that this is the way. In fact, it could be that Sharon will take an 'in your face' attitude and try to prove that even with the media onslaught against him, he will continue with what he calls his 'diplomatic' plans. The fact that he will go down is certain - because whoever tries to harm the Land of Israel, loses his right to lead the Nation of Israel. But I don't want to fall for the illusion that it will be specifically via Edna Arbel or Meni Mazuz and the desire to bring him to trial. But if it happens that way, then so be it."
Weiss, together with the Mayor of Ariel Ron Nachman, IDF officers, and others, took part in a seminar yesterday in the College of Judea & Samaria in Ariel on the topic of the counter-terrorism partition fence. "Nachman spoke more about the ramifications on Ariel," Mayor Weiss said last night, "while I tried to relate more to its ramifications on the Land of Israel and the settlement enterprise in general. I am opposed to a fence altogether; the fact that they plan to include one or two given communities within the fence doesn't make me happy in the least bit. I am against all fences in Israel in any way, shape or form - whether they be around a community, or dividing up the Land of Israel..."
"But what about the IDF generals who showed at the conference that the fence prevents terrorist attacks?" asked Arutz-7's Uzi Baruch.
Weiss: "I was very disappointed with the way that military men approach this matter in a very one-dimensional manner and don't look at the entire picture. I mean, what is going on there on the other side behind the fence? Are the Arabs there developing any kind of love for the Jewish People? Is a society being built that appreciates the Zionist endeavor in any way - or is a society of hatred being built up on the other side of the fence, one that it developing its arsenal of weapons of war against us? They are simply improving their weapons and missiles and mortar shells, Heaven forbid!...
"The residents of Israel who demand security are, I hope and trust and know, not stupid, and they realize that the wall is merely an illusion; it will not stop terrorism. What, is it a problem to penetrate it in one way or another, or to cut the fence today and then come in the day afterwards? Every thinking person knows that this fence is merely an illusion, one that lulls the people and the army into thinking that there is security when in fact there isn't. I say categorically: Not only will the fence not help in stopping terrorism, it is one of the most serious factors in the lessening of our security and increasing the terrorism, both practically and psychologically!"
Mayor Weiss denied that she is alone in her strong stand against fences: "Thank G-d we have, throughout Judea and Samaria, over 200 communities and outpost neighborhoods, and the majority of them are not encompassed by fences! ...If you take the new 60 or so outposts that have been established, thank G-d, in which live our children and grandchildren - the entire conception is to spread out, to go over to the next hilltop, to cross the valley and take the next place, to take the broad expanses. This Land is all ours, not just a specific hilltop or another! This is why they don't want fences. The entire approach is one of spreading out, not closing in. Wherever we are not, the enemy is - and so our challenge is to spread forth!"