Media Releases – January 2000
January 2000
January 4, 2000 The Weizman Tragedy
January 7, 2000 Grasshoppers
January 16, 2000 The Tor Family of Maon Responds
January 20, 2000 We Are Planting Again at the Maon Farm
January 20, 2000 Jerusalem is in Danger!
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Jerusalem, January 4, 2000
[The following article will appear in the International Herald
Tribune-HaAretz on Friday, January 7, 2000]
The Weizman Tragedy
Ezer Weizman is a political partisan, not taken seriously by anyone, even
though he is the President of Israel. He has abused that office to advance
his personal “weltanschauung” in a manner which deserves, but does not
receive, media and Knesset condemnation. Disregarding completely the large
segment of the population which is against withdrawal from the Golan, he
audaciously and improperly attempts to influence the outcome of the Golan
referendum by threatening to resign if it is not approved by the public.
On top of all that is the latest revelation that Weizman did not report on
his tax returns, as he was obligated to do, huge amounts of monies received
by him while he occupied important high government positions. He refused
to resign when confronted with this disclosure. It is but another
indication of our low expectations with regard to high officials of our
government obeying the law and acting with restraint, and serving as an
example for the ordinary citizen. During his years in the office of the
president, Weizman has disregarded completely the proper behavior of prior
presidents, who always acted in behalf of all of our People; he has
improperly made that office into a partisan vehicle to support the policies
of his Labor party.
The amazing aspect of all these misdeeds of Weizman is that the Israeli
media is virtually silent with regard to his aberrations and foul play.
The Media was in the forefront of bitter condemnation of real or imagined
misdeeds of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In stark contrast, most of
the media is ready to whitewash Weizman’s so-called sins of commission, and
are magnanimously forgiving of this aged “maverick.” The papers today
reveal that even the Likud, the purported leader of the “opposition” to the
Barak government, will not demand Weizman’s resignation, preposterously
claiming that his is a “private human story.” So much for expecting those
in the Likud belonging to the “old boys club” to act in the public’s
interest.
True to form, our immoral Labor leadership is predictably quick to label
any attack on Weizman’s behavior as “typically right wing.” Labor claims
the “right” wants to silence anyone who supports peace with Syria, and is
able to influence the public. They are ready, ad nausea, to label as
“politically motivated,” or “inciteful,” or against the “peace process,”
any criticism of even the most blatant and gross misdeeds by leaders or
members of “The Party.”
In this climate, where there are few supporters in power of the principles
of honesty and integrity, and where narrow partisan politics reign supreme,
the Weizmans of this world will be permitted to survive and continue in
office. How does that affect the ordinary citizen’s belief in good
government, which is so essential in a real democracy? Perhaps we should
direct that question to Barak’s public relations firm, Carville & Co.
After all, Barak has imported that expensive foreign firm to insure that
Israel abandons the Golan Heights. The instructions to Carville are clear.
Israel is to vote as the Albright-Clinton team has already decided.
Clinton’s Carville will try, no doubt, to persuade us that Weizman’s
abominable conduct is in fact what a true democracy is all about, and is
for our own good.
Ruth and Nadia Matar
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Jerusalem, January 7, 2000
Grasshoppers
Hey, Jew, you know you have managed without a country before.
What’s the big dilemma? So give a little more.
And if it is not near enough, then keep right on giving
There’s a bunch of other countries where you could try living.
Admit it … packing up and wandering is second nature by now.
You’ve done it too often Jew, to pretend you don’t know how.
Who says you have to finish just cause here is where you started?
History doesn’t bind you. It can be rewritten, disregarded.
Who cares about slanders or fears, ghettos or tears of generations past?
Once upon a time you had a dream…so…who said it had to last?
Forget the struggle, anguished cries, mothers’ faces etched in pain,
Forget the risk, the fight, the work, the prayer and forfeit the gain…
sovereignty.
And if it’s snug and secure you feel with world opinion on your side,
Pity … you still can’t tell when you’ve been taken for a ride.
Yield to the agenda of others if you will; it’s still no guarantee.
Just take a head count. Who was busy saving you in 1943?
Maybe a grasshopper is what you are; our own spies voted 10 to 2,
But if you believe that majority, I fear for your children, Jew.
Grasshoppers don’t bleed, grasshoppers don’t cry,
Detested, crushed, forgotten in the wink of a snickering eye.
Leaving us once again, a scattered remnant to try,
Grappling with the hauntingly familiar question … WHY?
A Poem by Elaine Slomovic, Jerusalem Chapter
Women For Israel’s Tomorrow (Women In Green)
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January 16, 2000
The Tor Family of Maon Responds
The terrible pogrom that the government of Israel conducted against our
homes in order to appease the murderer Arafat and his partners is not
finished. After everything was destroyed, the fragments of the ancient
stones from which we built our home, the pleasant corner called the “Maon
Farm,” were collected and cast into the Yatta [nearby Arab town] garbage
dump so that we would not return and build once again. The Farm was utterly
devastated and the contents of our houses were thrown into a shelter in the
adjoining settlement.
The army left a number of soldiers on the site in order to show that
military activity is being conducted near the firing range at the edge of
which the Maon Farm was located. (There was no live fire in this part of
the range and exercises were never conducted there). The farm’s location
was the reason given by the government for destroying it. The only shots
that were ever fired there were those fired by the murderers of Dov Dribben
of blessed memory.
Of course, the Arabs live in this area undisturbed – as is fitting for a
government of law in which the law applies only to citizens of the Mosaic
faith. Arabs build everywhere, with no permit or interference at all, and
certainly not wild destruction.
Last Tuesday rain fell, thank God, and the army quickly turned tail, as is
fitting for an army that has recently been well trained in caving in (in
preparation for the great mission on the Golan Heights, Heaven forbid). The
Arab rioters, who have been trying to drive us out of the Farm ever since
we settled there almost three years ago by means of incessant attacks that
culminated in the murder of Dov, were not successful in breaking us and in
severing us from our land. On the contrary, we set down deep roots and
expanded. But the government of Israel completed the act of Dov’s murder,
the “coup de grace,” and expelled us on their behalf.
When the Arabs saw that the army had turned tail, they arrived to continue
the destruction of the remnants left by the government. They uprooted,
destroyed, smashed, stole fences, poles, plantings, and pipes. They
destroyed the memorial at the place where Dov Dribben was murdered; they
stole the flag that flew there since the murder; and they uprooted the
trees which Dov’s sons had planted near the place of the murder.
Our congratulations to Barak, the “friend of settlement.” Go on – demean
yourself – beg for a handshake from the Syrian war criminal, and run to
devastate the Golan. Spit on our land for a fistful of dollars. At Maon you
have finished, for now.
Yehoshafat and Shira Tor
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Jerusalem, January 20, 2000
We are Planting Again at the Maon Farm
After the uprooting and the destruction of the Maon farm by the Barak
government, it was promised that the IDF would at least protect and
keep the place.
Very soon ,though, we found out that the government deceited us:
THE IDF ABANDONED THE HILL !
The Arab rioters – the murderers of our friend Dov Dribben –
climbed to the area of the farm, destroyed Dov’s memorial ,
uprooted and tore apart what we had planted.
Last week we came back to the hill and demanded to reconstruct the
ruins. The government refused and ordererd the IDF to evacuate us !!
This week we asked for a permit to plant saplings, in honor of Tu
Bishvat; and once again we encountered refusal!
WE WILL NOT ABANDON THE PLACE !
We will not stay quiet when Arabs destroy and ruin the place!
We do not give up!
We stay loyal to the Maon farm !
We will go back and replant the Maon farm!
WE WILL MEET on Motsei Shabbat Parashat Beshalach,
Tu Bishvat (Jan. 22, 2000)
* at 11:30 pm in front of the Moetsa of Kyriat Arba
* Please bring: warm clothing, sleeping bag, Teffilin, water and food
for breakfast
* for more details: 051-397811
THE MAON FARM
Kyriat Arba-Hevron Action Committee
Dor Hemshech
Women in Green
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Jerusalem, January 20, 2000
Jerusalem is in Danger!
While our attention has been mainly focused on the struggle to
preserve the Golan, Prime minister Ehud Barak is cunningly working
towards the division of Jerusalem.
The press reports that very soon major areas of Jerusalem will be
handed over quietly by Barak to the palestinian authority and its
chairman, the mass murderer Arafat.
Ehud Barak, who is not handcuffed by any need for a referendum on
Jerusalem, treats the eternal capital of the Jewish People as if it
is his own private real estate to dispose of.
We will not let this happen !!
Women in Green are joining the Zu Artzeinu demonstration for
Jerusalem, this coming Tuesday, January 25th, 2000
and call upon all its members and friends to participate in this
important event.
As mentioned in a previous e-mail, this demonstration starts from
home: demonstrators are asked to drive from around the country to
Jerusalem with posters already pasted on their car.
In Jerusalem everybody will meet at the Kidron Valley for a march
with torches towards the area close to the Temple Mount.
The demonstration has a police permit.
The Women in Green will gather with private cars in
Jerusalem at the Laromme Hotel at 4:45 pm.
There we will hand out posters that you will paste on your cars.
From the Laromme hotel we will drive together, in a convoy, to the
meeting place at Kidron Valley.
Join us at the Laromme hotel. The more cars will gather and drive
together, the more of an effect we can make.
Demonstrators who have no car can come to the Laromme too
and will join those cars who have room.
“For the sake of Jerusalem, I will not be silent”
Ruth and Nadia Matar