Hundreds of youths, activists of the newly formed Youth for Land of Israel organization, took upon themselves to build new neighborhoods in various areas in Judea and Samaria, beginning yesterday. The sites chosen are: a hilltop south of Kedumim; another one between Elon Moreh and Shechem; an area alongside the Efrat-Tekoa road; and the Heroes Hill outpost between Hevron and Kiryat Arba.
Outside Kedumim, for instance, separate groups of boys and girls began building stone-and-cement structures yesterday (Wednesday), hoping to remain for the night without army interference. However, as activist leader Merav told Arutz-7 this morning, "Around 11 PM, about 200 policemen and many soldiers arrived and forcibly removed us. Three people were arrested, including Mayor Daniella Weiss, on charges of entering a 'closed military zone.' However, some of us were able to remain there, and in fact we plan to make another ascent later today."
The young activists at the Efrat site, known as Maoz HaHar - Fortress of the Mountain - were not bothered throughout the night, other than receiving a warning that they must leave. However, army and police forces encircled the site late this morning and began moving in. The activists ran away - first to one hill, then another - with the forces pursuing them all the while. Finally, the group made it into Efrat itself - but not before several of them had been arrested. "What is infuriating, however," said one young man from the scene, "is that they continued to arrest us even when we were already in Efrat. Nadia Matar, for instance, has been taken away, and they tried to arrest me as well." He then said he could not continue talking, and the conversation terminated.
Speaking from Elon Moreh, activist leader Leah said: "We were about 80 people there last night, when around 2:30 AM, the army came and removed us - quite violently, in some cases. Some people were arrested, including Rabbi Yehuda Richter and some of the youths, on charges of violating a closed military zone [the army] had just declared. They also took about 30 of us by bus and left us at the Ariel Junction; it was already around 5:30 AM... The soldiers destroyed one of the structures we had started building." Tzvi, a yeshiva high school student speaking from the boys' side, said that the structure on his side had only been partially taken down - but members of both groups began returning to the site early this morning.
In Kiryat Arba, IDF forces allowed the old/new Hevron Heroes (Giborim) site to stand, but took advantage of the opportunity to destroy another unrecognized Jewish site nearby - the Hazon David synagogue. The synagogue was originally established in mid-2001 following the terrorist murders of David Cohen and Chezi Mualem nearby.
Worshipers at Hazon David said that they would rebuild it once again. "We won't forget and we won't forgive those who dare to arise against that which is sacred to the Jewish People in our Land," one said. "Every once in a while, the army comes in and loots all the equipment here, valued at thousands of shekels. Despite repeated promises, they never return the equipment, except for some Siddurim [prayer books].
One of the organizers of the latest settlement initiatives is Aryeh D., 22, who is uniquely able to receive and transmit messages from and to the various sites because of his particular status: He is currently under house arrest in Kiryat Arba for his role in the youth march to Shomron of a few days ago. Aryeh said that the two sukkot built in the the Giborim neighborhood, as well as another wood structure, are still standing. "People are there now," he said, "continuing to clear the area and fortify our presence there. Prayers and other events have been held there fairly regularly in the past, at an old building that was there, and these of course continue."
Outside Kedumim, for instance, separate groups of boys and girls began building stone-and-cement structures yesterday (Wednesday), hoping to remain for the night without army interference. However, as activist leader Merav told Arutz-7 this morning, "Around 11 PM, about 200 policemen and many soldiers arrived and forcibly removed us. Three people were arrested, including Mayor Daniella Weiss, on charges of entering a 'closed military zone.' However, some of us were able to remain there, and in fact we plan to make another ascent later today."
The young activists at the Efrat site, known as Maoz HaHar - Fortress of the Mountain - were not bothered throughout the night, other than receiving a warning that they must leave. However, army and police forces encircled the site late this morning and began moving in. The activists ran away - first to one hill, then another - with the forces pursuing them all the while. Finally, the group made it into Efrat itself - but not before several of them had been arrested. "What is infuriating, however," said one young man from the scene, "is that they continued to arrest us even when we were already in Efrat. Nadia Matar, for instance, has been taken away, and they tried to arrest me as well." He then said he could not continue talking, and the conversation terminated.
Speaking from Elon Moreh, activist leader Leah said: "We were about 80 people there last night, when around 2:30 AM, the army came and removed us - quite violently, in some cases. Some people were arrested, including Rabbi Yehuda Richter and some of the youths, on charges of violating a closed military zone [the army] had just declared. They also took about 30 of us by bus and left us at the Ariel Junction; it was already around 5:30 AM... The soldiers destroyed one of the structures we had started building." Tzvi, a yeshiva high school student speaking from the boys' side, said that the structure on his side had only been partially taken down - but members of both groups began returning to the site early this morning.
In Kiryat Arba, IDF forces allowed the old/new Hevron Heroes (Giborim) site to stand, but took advantage of the opportunity to destroy another unrecognized Jewish site nearby - the Hazon David synagogue. The synagogue was originally established in mid-2001 following the terrorist murders of David Cohen and Chezi Mualem nearby.
Worshipers at Hazon David said that they would rebuild it once again. "We won't forget and we won't forgive those who dare to arise against that which is sacred to the Jewish People in our Land," one said. "Every once in a while, the army comes in and loots all the equipment here, valued at thousands of shekels. Despite repeated promises, they never return the equipment, except for some Siddurim [prayer books].
One of the organizers of the latest settlement initiatives is Aryeh D., 22, who is uniquely able to receive and transmit messages from and to the various sites because of his particular status: He is currently under house arrest in Kiryat Arba for his role in the youth march to Shomron of a few days ago. Aryeh said that the two sukkot built in the the Giborim neighborhood, as well as another wood structure, are still standing. "People are there now," he said, "continuing to clear the area and fortify our presence there. Prayers and other events have been held there fairly regularly in the past, at an old building that was there, and these of course continue."