Nadene Goldfoot
300,000 Jewish settlers live in Judea Samaria (West Bank) along with 2.5 million Arabs. 200,000 Jews also live in east Jerusalem. Both places came into Israel's hands in 1967's war when Israel was attacked by all the surrounding Arab states. With such a large force, the Arabs were sure they would win, but they lost.
Jordan had illegally occupied Judea Samaria in the first place, so lost that land in the 1967 war. This was a very special area as it was the orginal homeland of the Jewish nation of biblical days. Jews were from Judea and Samaria. Israeli citizens who were very religious moved to this area as it held so many places of our religious holy sites that had been unattainable before 1967. Jewish people who live there are peace loving, wanting to live a religious life.
However, though Israel gained back Jerusalem, the rest of the world is still unable to be moved by our 2,000 year old plight and has been unmoved by our reclaiming it as our capital once again or our taking back Judea and Samaria, which was in the original plan created by Britain in the Balfour Doctrine. So we have had a difference of opinion as to what should be accepted as a part of Israel.
Because of this united world pressure, Israel has had to decide which parts of Judea Samaria must be given up to fall into Arab hands as they protest loudly that they also want a state of their own. After all, there are only 48 Muslim majority countries in the world! They think it only fair to chip off a nice chunk off the tiny piece that as become the world's only Jewish state and call it theirs.
The land has been demarked as part A, B and C by Israel. I believe it is the C parts that are considered to be given to the Arabs. Naturally, people who have built up these towns are fighting for survival and do not wish to be removed from their land they have been on since 1967 or thereabouts. With the Arab Spring protests as well as the USA protesters have come the Israeli Judea Samaria protesters.
The Oregonian's article, without naming names of towns, tell of protesters who have taken over an abandoned building near the Jordan border that was in a closed military zone, and another group who had gone into an army base on Tuesday and lit fires, damaged vehicles and threw stones at a senior officer who was not hurt. They of course were protesting the planned evacuations.
The Israeli news mentioned Migron in the Binyamin region was one slated for destruction. Kesha residents were protesting. Those residents went to the knesset to protest the demolition of their town. I fear that Itamar is also slated for destruction. This is the site of the slaughter of the Fogel family of 5 by Arab terrorists in March 2011. Itamar has found a special place in our hearts due to the bravery of these people to overcome adversity and to live peacefully with Torah as their guide. It was started in 1984 and has 1,032 residents. It sits 28 km (17 miles and 701.1 yds) from the Green Line in the Samarian mountains and is only 5 km (3 miles 188 yds) SE of the city of Nablus. (The Green Line is not an international law or permanent border.) Being in part C, they are under the full Israel civil and security control, but this didn't help to stop the butchery of the Fogel family while in their beds. The residents grow organic crops, raise sheep and goats and make and sell cheese and olive oil.
The Arabs have been stirred up as well by world wide protesters but were also backed by Israeli leftists called "Peace Now." Their unchecked theory has been that these homes were built on private lands, but that isn't turning out to be the case. Lawyers have looked into this claim and are finidng that those Arabs calling for this in fact have no proof of ownership. Also, these homes in Jewish neighborhoods were built in good faith, and that is a clause that may save them from destruction by the IDF.
I remember when PM Begin was all for homesteading in Judea Samaria and encouraged it. After all, it was wrong in the first place for Arabs to attack Jews in 1948 when Israel was declared an official state in the eyes of the world. They kept attacking in successive wars and losing to Israel and never coming to any peaceful conclusion. All the time they were offered their own state and refused it, wishing only to attack and kill Israelis and wanting to take over all of the land, not parts of it. The 1967 war was an important one in that Israel was able to receive Judea and Samaria, original important Jewish sites.
We've given back all of Gaza to the Arabs, which was also in Israel's hands from wars only to find it is being used as a staging ground to attack Israel with missiles, mortars and rockets. Of course, Israel sits right on the border with Gaza. Judea and Samaria, a mixture of Jews and Arab communities is a cushion between Israel and Jordan. From the north, Israel is right on the border with Lebanon. It would be deplorable if all the Jews living in Judea Samaria were forced out. You can imagine what that area would become; another staging ground for attacks on Israel.
Being American as well as Israeli, it's hard for me to imagine an area that is not settled by a fair mix of people, but the future Palestine is to be devoid of all Jews. My understanding is that this carries over to their neighbors also being devoid of Jews as well. They just don't want any Jews in the total Middle East!
Israel has to bend to some demands but is holding out against demolishing the larger Jewish communities in Judea Samaria. That's what politics is all about, conceding, demanding, etc, trying to keep the majority happy. Also, they have the problem of defense, and can't spread the army over all the hot spots, and there are many.
I understand the Judeans and Samarians frustrations and am proud of them for not taking lives, but showing their frustrations in other ways. Perhaps the way to help will be the lawyers working on the legalities of their cases. After all, Israel is a very legalistic and fair country, but its cup runneth over with problems right now. Also, it couldn't hurt to add lots of prayers for these people. They need all the help they can get.
Resource: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/150723 Judea Samaria demolition
Oregonian newspaper, 12/14/11- page A8 settlers clash with Israeli protectors in West Bank by Matti Friedman AP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itamar_attack
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Line_(Israel)
http://www.friendsofitamar.org/news.html#link
300,000 Jewish settlers live in Judea Samaria (West Bank) along with 2.5 million Arabs. 200,000 Jews also live in east Jerusalem. Both places came into Israel's hands in 1967's war when Israel was attacked by all the surrounding Arab states. With such a large force, the Arabs were sure they would win, but they lost.
Jordan had illegally occupied Judea Samaria in the first place, so lost that land in the 1967 war. This was a very special area as it was the orginal homeland of the Jewish nation of biblical days. Jews were from Judea and Samaria. Israeli citizens who were very religious moved to this area as it held so many places of our religious holy sites that had been unattainable before 1967. Jewish people who live there are peace loving, wanting to live a religious life.
However, though Israel gained back Jerusalem, the rest of the world is still unable to be moved by our 2,000 year old plight and has been unmoved by our reclaiming it as our capital once again or our taking back Judea and Samaria, which was in the original plan created by Britain in the Balfour Doctrine. So we have had a difference of opinion as to what should be accepted as a part of Israel.
Because of this united world pressure, Israel has had to decide which parts of Judea Samaria must be given up to fall into Arab hands as they protest loudly that they also want a state of their own. After all, there are only 48 Muslim majority countries in the world! They think it only fair to chip off a nice chunk off the tiny piece that as become the world's only Jewish state and call it theirs.
The land has been demarked as part A, B and C by Israel. I believe it is the C parts that are considered to be given to the Arabs. Naturally, people who have built up these towns are fighting for survival and do not wish to be removed from their land they have been on since 1967 or thereabouts. With the Arab Spring protests as well as the USA protesters have come the Israeli Judea Samaria protesters.
The Oregonian's article, without naming names of towns, tell of protesters who have taken over an abandoned building near the Jordan border that was in a closed military zone, and another group who had gone into an army base on Tuesday and lit fires, damaged vehicles and threw stones at a senior officer who was not hurt. They of course were protesting the planned evacuations.
The Israeli news mentioned Migron in the Binyamin region was one slated for destruction. Kesha residents were protesting. Those residents went to the knesset to protest the demolition of their town. I fear that Itamar is also slated for destruction. This is the site of the slaughter of the Fogel family of 5 by Arab terrorists in March 2011. Itamar has found a special place in our hearts due to the bravery of these people to overcome adversity and to live peacefully with Torah as their guide. It was started in 1984 and has 1,032 residents. It sits 28 km (17 miles and 701.1 yds) from the Green Line in the Samarian mountains and is only 5 km (3 miles 188 yds) SE of the city of Nablus. (The Green Line is not an international law or permanent border.) Being in part C, they are under the full Israel civil and security control, but this didn't help to stop the butchery of the Fogel family while in their beds. The residents grow organic crops, raise sheep and goats and make and sell cheese and olive oil.
The Arabs have been stirred up as well by world wide protesters but were also backed by Israeli leftists called "Peace Now." Their unchecked theory has been that these homes were built on private lands, but that isn't turning out to be the case. Lawyers have looked into this claim and are finidng that those Arabs calling for this in fact have no proof of ownership. Also, these homes in Jewish neighborhoods were built in good faith, and that is a clause that may save them from destruction by the IDF.
I remember when PM Begin was all for homesteading in Judea Samaria and encouraged it. After all, it was wrong in the first place for Arabs to attack Jews in 1948 when Israel was declared an official state in the eyes of the world. They kept attacking in successive wars and losing to Israel and never coming to any peaceful conclusion. All the time they were offered their own state and refused it, wishing only to attack and kill Israelis and wanting to take over all of the land, not parts of it. The 1967 war was an important one in that Israel was able to receive Judea and Samaria, original important Jewish sites.
We've given back all of Gaza to the Arabs, which was also in Israel's hands from wars only to find it is being used as a staging ground to attack Israel with missiles, mortars and rockets. Of course, Israel sits right on the border with Gaza. Judea and Samaria, a mixture of Jews and Arab communities is a cushion between Israel and Jordan. From the north, Israel is right on the border with Lebanon. It would be deplorable if all the Jews living in Judea Samaria were forced out. You can imagine what that area would become; another staging ground for attacks on Israel.
Being American as well as Israeli, it's hard for me to imagine an area that is not settled by a fair mix of people, but the future Palestine is to be devoid of all Jews. My understanding is that this carries over to their neighbors also being devoid of Jews as well. They just don't want any Jews in the total Middle East!
Israel has to bend to some demands but is holding out against demolishing the larger Jewish communities in Judea Samaria. That's what politics is all about, conceding, demanding, etc, trying to keep the majority happy. Also, they have the problem of defense, and can't spread the army over all the hot spots, and there are many.
I understand the Judeans and Samarians frustrations and am proud of them for not taking lives, but showing their frustrations in other ways. Perhaps the way to help will be the lawyers working on the legalities of their cases. After all, Israel is a very legalistic and fair country, but its cup runneth over with problems right now. Also, it couldn't hurt to add lots of prayers for these people. They need all the help they can get.
Resource: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/150723 Judea Samaria demolition
Oregonian newspaper, 12/14/11- page A8 settlers clash with Israeli protectors in West Bank by Matti Friedman AP
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itamar_attack
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Line_(Israel)
http://www.friendsofitamar.org/news.html#link
No comments:
Post a Comment