Summary of our Women in Green trip to Amona, Ofra and Netiv Ha’avot
We collected all our inner strength and we went to see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears the unbelievable, that it is G-d forbid possible that Jewish homes are subject to destruction under a right-wing government that has espoused settlement development.
We have gotten used to building freezes, but no one has prepared us for destruction.
The tour started at Ofra, under the outstanding guidance of Dr. Haim Shalem. We visited one of the families whose homes are in danger of demolition. We saw a warm and charming family, a well-kept house, autumnal garden and trees. They live with a sense of “it can’t be”, aren’t we loyal citizens of the State? Everything was built legally. It is not an outpost. How has this befallen us? The most painful thing is that there’s no leadership. Each community for itself” was their conclusion.
With a terrible heartache we went up to Amona – we first went to see the rubble of the destruction of the nine homes 11 years ago. We heard a painful, detailed explanation from local resident Tamar Nizri. But despite the difficult situation – in Amona we felt encouragement. We saw the feverish preparations to receive thousands of people and we saw buses with youth and Yeshiva boys who have already reached Amona – to preempt the worst. There is an air of struggle – not giving up, not blinking – a persistent struggle only true believers wage.
Amona’s residents are waging a political-ideological-hasbara struggle that long hasn’t been seen in our camp, and we all hope will succeed.
We continued on to Netiv Ha’avot that is by Eleazar in the heart of Gush Etsion. We stood on the lookout named after Ezra Asher and Emanuel Moreno HYD, a lookout that is also up to be demolished, and heard the explanations of Hananiah Nachliel. The madness cries out to Heaven – houses subject to demolition because a small percentage of the house was supposedly built on “private land”. Instead of doing what is customary around the world in such cases and compensate the Arab who claims ownership, the house will be destroyed. Why? After all, the Arab cannot work the plot of land nor build within the Jewish community, so why destroy?
This question came up countless times during the tour. The answer was a quote from Justice Naor, “Justice must be done”. But there is neither justice nor law here, just injustice, wickedness, loss of way, loss of the Zionist compass.
The tour ended with a heavy atmosphere and a personal promise to do everything that there will not have to be a harsh struggle between brothers.
We nevertheless parted remembering Shabbat Chaye Sarah a few days ago, in Hebron, where 50,000 Jews demanded sovereignty.
The Nation of Israel lives amid constant trials and endless clarification – why the Land of Israel?