Writing on the katif.net site in both Hebrew and and English, Bedein explains that last Independence Day, the disengagement crisis was successfully presented as a problem affecting the entire country. He notes that "busloads from all over the country and all parts of the society descended on Gush Katif" in solidarity with the struggle against the plan.
However, Bedein continues, "in the protests that have been held since then, the impression that has been created is not one of a public and national uprising, but rather the opposition of the Yesha [Judea, Samaria and Gaza] population alone. The issue has turned from being a national problem to merely a 'sectarian' one."
Bedein blames the Yesha Council for "using the term 'disengagement' at every opportunity" - thus perpetuating the idea that the plan will lead to a separation from the Arabs of Gaza. "Only a few Israelis have read Sharon's retreat plan in its entirety," Bedein asserts, "but if they would do so, they would understand that there is no hint at all to disengagement, but only to the strengthening of the PLO."
The supporters of the plan are wisely portraying themselves as the majority and the "popular voice," Bedein says, while the opponents are viewed as representing only the settlers.
"The videos produced of late by Gush Katif," Bedein laments, "show only the suffering of the residents in the event that the plan is carried out. But this indicates that we are concerned only with their personal suffering; this will not galvanize the nation into action. What about all those from the western Negev, the coastal region and the Ben Gurion International Airport area who will suffer as well?" He is referring to the many military warnings about a renewed terrorist war against Israel following a unilateral pullout from Gaza.
Bedein therefore presents a "carefully thought-through ten-point strategy designed to defeat the Sharon Plan." The following strategems are included:
* Public forums should be focused on the PLO war with Israel, emphasizing that the PLO is not a peace partner, despite Clause One of the Sharon Plan. That clause states that Israel "aspires to reach a mutual agreement on the basis of two states for two peoples, the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people and a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people, as part of the realization of President Bush's vision."
* Information should focus on the military training to be provided to the PLO, as well as the handing over of IDF bases and civilian communities to the PLO. A film put out by the Ariel Center [acpr.org.il] and Pastor Vineyard showing the dangers of the Sharon plan should be promoted.
* Holding press conferences with families from all over Israel whose loved ones have been murdered or maimed by PLO "security forces," with the message, "Last time, we warned 'Don't give them guns' and we were right".
* Promote a visual portrait of Ariel Sharon placing masking tape over the eyes and ears of the Israeli citizen, symbolize his desire to hide the facts of his plan from the Israeli public.
* Create a simple flier and bumper sticker showing the missile threat to the rest of Israel that will result if there is a withdrawal from Samaria and Gush Katif.
* Harp on the facts that the law firm of Ariel Sharon's advisor Dov Weisglass represents the owners of the Jericho casino; that the Peres Center for Peace maintains an investment of more than $100 million in a special development fund for the Palestinian Authority, and another $64 million that has been allocated for the PA communications company known as Pal-Tel; and that senior PA official Mohammed Dahlan is the man responsible for a murderous attack on an Israeli school bus in Kfar Darom in November 2000.
* Initiate hundreds of legal cases and police complaints against the government for violation of Israeli human rights laws in the framework of the expulsion.
* Remind the world that the government is inhibiting freedom of speech by throwing protestors into jail and the like.
However, Bedein continues, "in the protests that have been held since then, the impression that has been created is not one of a public and national uprising, but rather the opposition of the Yesha [Judea, Samaria and Gaza] population alone. The issue has turned from being a national problem to merely a 'sectarian' one."
Bedein blames the Yesha Council for "using the term 'disengagement' at every opportunity" - thus perpetuating the idea that the plan will lead to a separation from the Arabs of Gaza. "Only a few Israelis have read Sharon's retreat plan in its entirety," Bedein asserts, "but if they would do so, they would understand that there is no hint at all to disengagement, but only to the strengthening of the PLO."
The supporters of the plan are wisely portraying themselves as the majority and the "popular voice," Bedein says, while the opponents are viewed as representing only the settlers.
"The videos produced of late by Gush Katif," Bedein laments, "show only the suffering of the residents in the event that the plan is carried out. But this indicates that we are concerned only with their personal suffering; this will not galvanize the nation into action. What about all those from the western Negev, the coastal region and the Ben Gurion International Airport area who will suffer as well?" He is referring to the many military warnings about a renewed terrorist war against Israel following a unilateral pullout from Gaza.
Bedein therefore presents a "carefully thought-through ten-point strategy designed to defeat the Sharon Plan." The following strategems are included:
* Public forums should be focused on the PLO war with Israel, emphasizing that the PLO is not a peace partner, despite Clause One of the Sharon Plan. That clause states that Israel "aspires to reach a mutual agreement on the basis of two states for two peoples, the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people and a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people, as part of the realization of President Bush's vision."
* Information should focus on the military training to be provided to the PLO, as well as the handing over of IDF bases and civilian communities to the PLO. A film put out by the Ariel Center [acpr.org.il] and Pastor Vineyard showing the dangers of the Sharon plan should be promoted.
* Holding press conferences with families from all over Israel whose loved ones have been murdered or maimed by PLO "security forces," with the message, "Last time, we warned 'Don't give them guns' and we were right".
* Promote a visual portrait of Ariel Sharon placing masking tape over the eyes and ears of the Israeli citizen, symbolize his desire to hide the facts of his plan from the Israeli public.
* Create a simple flier and bumper sticker showing the missile threat to the rest of Israel that will result if there is a withdrawal from Samaria and Gush Katif.
* Harp on the facts that the law firm of Ariel Sharon's advisor Dov Weisglass represents the owners of the Jericho casino; that the Peres Center for Peace maintains an investment of more than $100 million in a special development fund for the Palestinian Authority, and another $64 million that has been allocated for the PA communications company known as Pal-Tel; and that senior PA official Mohammed Dahlan is the man responsible for a murderous attack on an Israeli school bus in Kfar Darom in November 2000.
* Initiate hundreds of legal cases and police complaints against the government for violation of Israeli human rights laws in the framework of the expulsion.
* Remind the world that the government is inhibiting freedom of speech by throwing protestors into jail and the like.