The grassroots organization Mattot Arim (Cities of Israel), similarly calls upon the Jewish Agency not to turn itself into a source of "soft money" for Sharon. "We urge the Agency not to empower Sharon to defy Israel's voting public by ramming his disengagement plan down Israel's throat," the organization said in a statement today. "Surely the Jewish Agency is entitled to wonder why Sharon prefers to use their auspices, rather than his own government agencies, to implement his plan. The answer is that use of government agencies requires Knesset approval, a very uncertain process in a democracy like Israel. The Jewish Agency, on the other hand, is not an elected body..."
Mattot Arim said it "would remind the Agency's officials and contributors" of the following points:
* Sharon has half-bulldozed his plan through his reluctant cabinet by firing two ministers in order to create an ostensible majority, and the plan has not been presented to the Knesset.
* Sharon's disengagement plan is an about-face of the lifetime image that won him the premiership. It involves de-Judaizing the Gaza Strip, facilitating its status as an international capital for terrorism.
* The plan was proudly presented to the Agency's Board this week, not -- as would be appropriate -- by a senior minister of the ruling Likud party, but rather by two opposition Knesset members, Shimon Peres and Chaim Ramon. These two men belong to the Labor Party, which ran for election just last year on the disengagement platform and was roundly defeated.
The statement concludes:
"We beg the Jewish Agency to realize the importance of absolutely rejecting any attempt by anyone, even Israel's Prime Minister, to short-circuit Israel's democracy by involving the Agency in controversial plans to drag a peaceful minority population - including thousands of children, some maimed by terror - screaming, biting and kicking, from their legal homes and farms.
"The Jewish Agency should not sully its good name by rudely imposing itself on Israel's fragile democracy at this delicate time. This is particularly the case since the Agency represents the Jewish community of the United States of America, a country whose calling card in the world community is -- democracy.
"The venerable Jewish Agency should not become embroiled in a plan which, unfortunately, could easily bring Israel to the brink of civil war."
Mattot Arim said it "would remind the Agency's officials and contributors" of the following points:
* Sharon has half-bulldozed his plan through his reluctant cabinet by firing two ministers in order to create an ostensible majority, and the plan has not been presented to the Knesset.
* Sharon's disengagement plan is an about-face of the lifetime image that won him the premiership. It involves de-Judaizing the Gaza Strip, facilitating its status as an international capital for terrorism.
* The plan was proudly presented to the Agency's Board this week, not -- as would be appropriate -- by a senior minister of the ruling Likud party, but rather by two opposition Knesset members, Shimon Peres and Chaim Ramon. These two men belong to the Labor Party, which ran for election just last year on the disengagement platform and was roundly defeated.
The statement concludes:
"We beg the Jewish Agency to realize the importance of absolutely rejecting any attempt by anyone, even Israel's Prime Minister, to short-circuit Israel's democracy by involving the Agency in controversial plans to drag a peaceful minority population - including thousands of children, some maimed by terror - screaming, biting and kicking, from their legal homes and farms.
"The Jewish Agency should not sully its good name by rudely imposing itself on Israel's fragile democracy at this delicate time. This is particularly the case since the Agency represents the Jewish community of the United States of America, a country whose calling card in the world community is -- democracy.
"The venerable Jewish Agency should not become embroiled in a plan which, unfortunately, could easily bring Israel to the brink of civil war."