Israel Matzav

Preparing to fight the next expulsion of Jews and rethinking the last one

Yeshiva World News reports that 'right-wing' Israeli Jews are preparing themselves for the next time the government tries to expel them from their homes: by buying helmets (Hat Tip: Aryeh in Beitar).

Shai Gefen of the Land of Israel Forum insists the scenes that were viewed at Amona and elsewhere will never be repeated and he and his organization are already busying themselves – preparing for the eventuality of another expulsion sometime in the future.

Towards that end, they are buying quantities of helmets at a cost of NIS 150 each, with Shai explaining that will provide protection for those who resist such a move, a line of defense against the batons of police units. For now the helmets are being stored in a Kiryat Malachi facility, and can be pulled into action at a moment's notice.

Boaz Haetzni, who is working to renew the northern Shomron community of Chomesh, which was also eradicated by Ariel Sharon's expulsion cabinet, vows that there will never again be a scenario in which Jews are removed from their homes without a fight. "There will be war" he told reporters, sending a clear message to politicians that they will never again "get away" with such a policy without meeting serious resistance.

Meanwhile, Yedioth Aharonoth's YNet web site (the Hebrew one) published a letter of apology from a 24-year old woman who was a soldier serving in one of the units that expelled Jews (link in Hebrew) from Gaza three years ago (Hat Tip: Varda in Ofra). She's even opened an email account at which she asks to hear from those who were expelled. Here's some of what she wrote (translated by me):

I remember every picture I took off a wall of a house in Gush Katif. I remember every girl and mother that I ordered out of their homes forever. It's been three years, and I, a member of the evacuation forces, have long since been released from the IDF, but I have never been released from the disengagement. Therefore, today, I am writing you my feelings.

On the third anniversary of the Gush Katif evacuation, I want to ask forgiveness. Forgiveness that as a member of the IDF, I took an active role in removing Israeli citizens from their homes.

I want to ask forgiveness from the evacuated families, the forgiveness of the dear women whom I removed from their homes with 'sensitivity and determination,' forgiveness of the land whose sons and daughters and flowering fields, the lush lawns and vibrant houses were torn from it all at once.

I wish to ask forgiveness for my stupidity and boorishness, that you spoke and explained and cried and screamed and I didn't listen. I didn't even try to listen. I was closed in my views and my outlook.

Those of you who can - read the whole thing. I'm sorry but I just don't have the time to translate more now. It's a shame that YNet didn't translate it for their English side.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:17 PM