Gush Etzion Regional Council Chief Sha'ul Goldstein told Arutz-7 last night, "It was a very difficult meeting. We feel that we are the prophets in the gate, warning of this terrible split in the nation that is liable to happen, and they're not listening."
The police department, under the auspices of the Public Security Ministry, is slated to carry out the actual uprooting of the residents from their homes, if that stage arrives, while the army is to stand guard on the outskirts of the Jewish towns. Goldstein told Minister Ezra and Deputy Minister Yaakov Edry, "IDF officers are afraid to express their objections, [even though] they foresee catastrophes - regarding both the disengagement and the partition fence."
"This fissure in the nation is liable to slide into real violence," the Yesha leaders said last night, "and the only way out is to by returning to the nation - either with elections or a national referendum. If not, the responsibility for such will fall on the government and all its ministers; you won't be able to hide behind Sharon's back."
Minister Ezra is a staunch backer of the disengagement/expulsion, having explained once that his job as a Cabinet minister is to support the Prime Minister. Ezra told the Council leaders, "Most of the nation supports this plan," to which his guests countered, "Then why do you fear bringing the matter to a public vote?" Ezra, it was reported, had no answer.
Several very strong statements were uttered. Amanah Settlement Organization treasurer head Moshe Yogev said, "Prime Minister Sharon is leading to a civil war. If he is allowed to take a bulldozer and destroy the synagogue in Atzmonah that is named in memory of my parents, then I can take a bulldozer and destroy his Shikmim Farm."
Amanah head Ze'ev Chever, a personal friend of Sharon over the past decades of their work together in building the Land of Israel, said, "The last person whom I would have believed would be willing to be a sucker of the Palestinians is Arik Sharon."
Yesha Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said, "If the matter is not given over to the nation [in a referendum or elections], tens of thousands of people will stream in and cut the fences around Gush Katif, and there will be a mass fracas that will end in violence. There is a genuine fear of true chaos that will be simply terrible."
Yesha Council Chairman Bentzy Lieberman was perhaps the most moderate: "We are a group that even if forced against the wall, we will not perpetrate civil war violence. But open your eyes! A catastrophe is very liable to be on the way."
The police department, under the auspices of the Public Security Ministry, is slated to carry out the actual uprooting of the residents from their homes, if that stage arrives, while the army is to stand guard on the outskirts of the Jewish towns. Goldstein told Minister Ezra and Deputy Minister Yaakov Edry, "IDF officers are afraid to express their objections, [even though] they foresee catastrophes - regarding both the disengagement and the partition fence."
"This fissure in the nation is liable to slide into real violence," the Yesha leaders said last night, "and the only way out is to by returning to the nation - either with elections or a national referendum. If not, the responsibility for such will fall on the government and all its ministers; you won't be able to hide behind Sharon's back."
Minister Ezra is a staunch backer of the disengagement/expulsion, having explained once that his job as a Cabinet minister is to support the Prime Minister. Ezra told the Council leaders, "Most of the nation supports this plan," to which his guests countered, "Then why do you fear bringing the matter to a public vote?" Ezra, it was reported, had no answer.
Several very strong statements were uttered. Amanah Settlement Organization treasurer head Moshe Yogev said, "Prime Minister Sharon is leading to a civil war. If he is allowed to take a bulldozer and destroy the synagogue in Atzmonah that is named in memory of my parents, then I can take a bulldozer and destroy his Shikmim Farm."
Amanah head Ze'ev Chever, a personal friend of Sharon over the past decades of their work together in building the Land of Israel, said, "The last person whom I would have believed would be willing to be a sucker of the Palestinians is Arik Sharon."
Yesha Council spokesman Yehoshua Mor-Yosef said, "If the matter is not given over to the nation [in a referendum or elections], tens of thousands of people will stream in and cut the fences around Gush Katif, and there will be a mass fracas that will end in violence. There is a genuine fear of true chaos that will be simply terrible."
Yesha Council Chairman Bentzy Lieberman was perhaps the most moderate: "We are a group that even if forced against the wall, we will not perpetrate civil war violence. But open your eyes! A catastrophe is very liable to be on the way."