Israel Matzav

The IDF should expect to meet violent resistance

Sometime in the next two weeks, the IDF is likely to be sent on a mission in which it will meet violent resistance. Unfortunately, that mission will be to remove fellow Jews from their homes in the Ulpana neighborhood of Beit El.

“We have to defend these homes with our bodies,” said Itzhik Shadmi, who heads the Binyamin Citizens’ Committee.

“Everyone for whom the nation of Israel is dear, should come here,” he said.

“If thousands are here there won’t be any demolitions. This business that it is easy to tear down Jewish homes when thousand of unauthorized [Palestinian] homes are being built nearby in Area C. This terrible discrimination has to be stopped,” he said.

Shadmi, along with the Beit El Council head Moshe Rosenbaum and residents of the Ulpana outpost spoke with the media at a press conference they held in a large tent, which was set up outside the homes.

Some supporters have already set up sleeping tents in the parking lot outside the homes. They have also begun stockpiling tires, which were lined up Thursday night by the walkway in back of the Ulpana structures.

At the press conference, settlers warned against a civil war even as they said that they planed to conduct a non-violent protest.

The danger of a civil war is the result of the decision to destroy the homes, said Beit El Council head Moshe Rosenbaum.

“The person who is responsible for this situation is the one could neutralize this situation. It is in his hands,” said Rosenbaum, referring to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

“It is the right of the residents and the thousands who support them to sit in their homes and to passively protest this immoral, unjust and inhuman decision, and that is what is going to happen,” Rosenbaum said.

He said he opposed violence against soldiers and those who were there would do their best to prevent it.

“We are not an army. We are citizens,” Rosenbaum said.

Read the whole thing.

Israel Television reported on Thursday night that the government is not disclosing when the expulsion will happen. I have a sick feeling that it will happen on the Sabbath - this week or next.

If you are staying in the Ulpana neighborhood, please drop me a note via email.

Labels: Beit El, IDF, Judea and Samaria, outposts, Supreme Court

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:22 AM