Letter from Nadia Matar (Women in Green) Jerusalem
Thursday, December 21, 2006

Dear Friends,

A new wind is blowing through the national camp and this thanks to two successful activities that took place this week of Hanukka. What can I tell you…I wish all of you could have been there to witness those miracles.

RETURN TO CHOMESH

The first success was of course the return of over 1500 Jews to the destroyed community of Chomesh in the Northern Shomron. The event was organized by Komemiyut and Meginei Erets, with the active participation of all other extra-parliamentary groups, led by MK Arieh Eldad and the expelled residents of Chomesh themselves, such as Limor Har Melech-Hasson and others. I do not have enough words to pass on to you the feelings of excitement and emotion to be part of the hundreds and hundreds, men, women, youth and children, who, by foot and by car, were going up the mountains of the Shomron, through dirt roads, fields and vineyards, bypassing the enormous amount of security forces who were trying to block us from returning to Chomesh. People who had never been in Chomesh before were bewildered at the view from the mountains. “One can see the entire country from here”, they said. “This is a most strategic place, how can anyone think of abandoning this area?” they asked.

Feelings of exaltation when we finally got to Chomesh, lighting Hanukka candles and dancing – mixed with feelings of grief, sadness and anger, looking at the ruins of what once was a flourishing Jewish community and asking ourselves: “Why?”, “Why was this community, together with 24 other communities in Israel, destroyed? For what?”

But the overwhelming feeling was that of success. We made it, we came back to Chomesh, and this is only the beginning. Seeing the original residents of Chomesh crying on top of the ruins of their homes and thanking the masses for making it possible to come back, made it clear to all of us that this will not be a one-time activity but rather an activity that will be continued till we will once again see Jewish families living in Chomesh as a first step to what will, please G-d, be a mass return to all places abandoned by the Sharon government, in Northern Shomron and in Gush Katif.

To see a short video of the return to Chomesh please click on:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=117821

MARCH TO RACHEL’s TOMB

The second successful activity was the march to Rachels’ Tomb, organized by the Loyalists of Erets Israel, Women in Green, the Youth for Erets Israel and the Action Committees of Gush Etzion and Kiryat Arba. Once again feelings of success and exultation when some 200 loyalists of Erets Israel arrived to the gates of Rachel’s Tomb and a large part of that group managed to walk to the Tomb.

As you may recall, the authorities do not allow Jews to come to Rachel’s Tomb unless they drive in bullet proof cars. Why? Nobody knows. Rachel’s Tomb (Kever Rachel) does not look anymore like it used to look. Huge walls and fences have turned the place into a fortress. This is exactly what happened in the past to Joseph’s Tomb before the government abandoned it and thus we understood that all must be done, now, in order to save Kever Rachel from the fate of Kever Joseph. The same way Jews can reach the tomb of the Patriarchs (Mearat Hamachpela) in Hebron, by foot or by car, we demand the same for Kever Rachel.

Close to 200 Jews, youth and adults, from the entire country, arrived yesterday in Gilo and walked, from the tunnel road, through the fields, up to the main gate before Kever Rachel. (From the gate to the Tomb there is a narrow road, between walls and fences, of some 500 meters that as we said can only be driven in in bullet proof buses).

Huge security forces comprising army, police, yassam, and police on horses, were stationed around the main gate, preventing the marchers from entering. Thanks to a diversionary action planned ahead by the organizers who kept the forces busy at the main gate, tens of youth managed to dig an entrance under the fence, some 500 meters southwards of the main gate, to pass through and walk to Rachel’s Tomb. The activity was a huge success. Except a few who stayed at the main gate to “occupy” the security forces, tens and tens of Jews managed to reach Kever Rachel by foot.

Three people were arrested, among them Yehudit Katzover, wife of Kiryat Arba mayor Zvi Katzover. They were released later in the evening.

Only after a while did the security forces realize what was going on. They were in total shock. Once again, we managed to prove how ludicrous those so-called “security” fences and walls are. If, despite huge forces at the main gate, tens of people manage to pass the fence undisturbed some 500 meters away from the main gate, what exactly is the purpose of those fences? If tens of Jewish youth could do this so easily, what would have happened if, G-d forbid, Arab terrorists would do the same? (And that is exactly what Arabs are doing all over the country, passing under and above the “security” fence with no problem.)

Today, more than ever, we demand to stop the policy of fences and walls and demand that Jews be allowed to walk freely in each and every part of Erets Israel. As for Rachel’s Tomb, we demand that once and for all we will be allowed to walk freely to Rachel’s tomb. We call upon all of you to bombard the police with faxes and phones demanding free access to Rachel’s Tomb:

Jerusalem’s Police Chief Ilan Franco: tel 972-2-5391100 fax 972-2-5391466
Head of Israel Police: Moshe Karadi: tel 972-2-5308100 fax:972-2-5308118
Send a copy of your letters to ministers;
* Eli Yishai eyishay@knesset.gov.il fax 972-2-6662909
* Yaakov Edri yedri@knesset.gov.il fax 972-2-6753929

To read the English article on Arutz 7 please click on
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=117839
To see pictures of the march please click on the Hebrew Arutz 7 version:
http://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/157557

Lastly, what was the most poignant feeling resulting from the two successful activities this week, was the feeling that, had we had other leaders leading the national camp during the expulsion from Gush Katif and Northern Shomron, we would have probably succeeded in stopping the expulsion. The two activities this week were organized and led by the extra-parliamentary groups who have no ties to the government, not to the Yesha leadership (Moetset Yesha). Had those groups led the struggle in the summer of 2005 and not Moetset Yesha, then the gates of Kfar Maimon and of Gush Katif would have been burst, allowing the tens of thousands to come to the rescue of Gush Katif. Those leaders of Moetset Yesha who failed us must resign in order for us to be able to successfully fight the upcoming decrees and battles.

Below is an article I wrote in reaction to the news that the Yesha leaders plan on holding “democratic elections” for the national camp.

Is the Yesha Council Deceiving Us … Once Again?
by Nadia Matar

A few Shabbatot ago I read the declaration by Moetzet Yesha (the Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza), that was published in its weekly magnificent and fancy Shabbat weekly leaflet, about its intention to hold “democratic elections” for the new national leadership. Benzi Lieberman, who is leaving his post as head of Moetset Yesha, was even quoted in one newspaper as saying that it “was inconceivable that the entire leadership will be concentrated in the hands of five individuals, no matter how intelligent they might be”. In the letter that he wrote to the heads of the local councils he admits that the time has come to make changes in the Council’s structure.

Based on the quite unclear statements in their article and in the few reports that have appeared since then, it could be understood that the heads of Moetzet Yesha are finally proposing real elections, that will be open to all the Jewish residents of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza; elections following which 120 new and fresh members of the plenum will be elected in a completely democratic fashion, and they will represent the new generation in the settlements of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza in all its diversity. These 120 will elect the new executive, that will be composed of 15 leaders. Once again, according to the vague article, it could be understood (or at least hoped) that these 120 members will really be involved in deliberations and decisions, something that has not happened until now.

I was asked by the reporter Gilad Katz of Mekor Rishon to respond to these reports. He asked me, “What is your response to the report that Moetzet Yesha is planning democratic elections?” My response was unequivocal:

That depends. If this is a sincere and real move, in which everything will be open before Judea, Samaria, and Gaza residents who want to be candidates, and there will be real elections for the new leadership that will be elected by all the settlers of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, then, despite my vigorous criticism of Moetzet Yesha, for its failures in the struggle to save Gush Katif and northern Samaria, for its unwillingness to support the directive by Rabbi Schapira, shlita, to the soldiers to refuse to carry out the order of the expulsion, for its condemnation of the road blockers, for its campaign of lies, deception, and fraud in Kfar Maimon, for its dancing, the embraces, and traitorous collaboration with the expulsion forces and its inaction against the construction of the ghetto wall (the “separation” fence), despite all this, if these will be real elections, I congratulate them for this. If, on the other hand, this is just another media spin in order to play “musical chairs”, with the aim of once again enthroning the same failed leaders, then this window dressing should be denounced.

It is clear to all that Moetzet Yesha finds it very difficult to voice criticism of the leftist dictatorial governments, when it runs its own affairs in a sort of dictatorship. Five people, some, but not all, of whom were elected solely to manage their communities, for, say, gardening, construction, and transportation, are directing and leading the entire ideological struggle of the national camp, without having received a mandate for that. This simply cries out to Heaven. Therefore, elections for a new leadership, that would be independent of the government, is definitely the need of the hour, on condition that these will be genuine elections.”

A small portion of my response was published in an article on page 11 of this last Shabbat’s issue of Mekor Rishon, in an article by Gilad Katz entitled “The Pressure on Moetzet Yesha Has Yielded Results: The Leadership of the Extra-parliamentary Right Will Be Democratically Elected.”

Actually, in light of Benzi Lieberman’s statement about “the need to conduct changes in the Council’s structure,” and in light of the published reports on “new elections,” I naively thought that this move ensued from some act of repentance or breast-beating by those leaders who direct Moetzet Yesha. That, at long last, they understood that the scepter of the struggle against the government cannot be handed over to people who, by force of their being council heads, receive the budgets for their settlements from the same government they are supposed to fight against. I was greatly surprised, and disappointed, when I finally read extended details about those “elections” in the same article by Gilad Katz. If this is how things are, and if what the article describes is really true, then it seems to me that we are being deceived, big-time.

I quote:”The establishment of several complementary bodies is planned, within the context of the reorganization [of the Yesha Council].. The broadest institution will be composed of 120 members. This institution is supposed to convene once or twice a year.” Once or twice a year? Really, this is not serious. I continue to quote: “An ‘expanded executive,’ with 15-20 members, will be established underneath it, and will convene once every six weeks. The main function of the executive will be to endorse the work plans of Moetzet Yesha, and to make ongoing decisions regarding matters on the agenda. The major innovation in the expanded executive is that, for the first time, this body will be headed by someone who, by definition, ‘is not the head of a municipal authority in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.'” This sounds promising, but then come two sentences that burst the balloon of deception and the hope for real elections: “Alongside the expanded executive, Moetzet Yesha, in which all the municipal authorities heads will participate, will continue to function. […] The latter organization, that complements the other institutions, is called the ‘executive administration.’ This forum will appoint seven members – four local authority heads and three public figures. The executive administration is meant to convene on a weekly basis, and to be responsible for ongoing functioning and the implementation of the policy and decisions taken by the other institutions. […] A significant conceptional change related to the new organizational structure is the decision that at least a part of the members of the institutions will be elected by the public, although it has not yet been decided who will have the right to vote in these elections.”

We read this, and we ask the heads of Moetzet Yesha: “Tell us – just who do you think you’re fooling?” What does this mean: “at least a part of the members of the institutions will be elected by the public, although it has not yet been decided who will have the right to vote in these elections”? How would we react if the Prime Minister would utter such a sentence on the eve of elections for the Knesset and Prime Minister? Either everyone entitled to vote is invited to vote, or this entire process is just one big farce.

If the information in the article is correct, then we can sum up the “revolutionary” move by Moetzet Yesha like this: Somehow, 120 people will be found to serve as the stage props for an assembly that will convene once or twice a year, so that we will feel as if this is a “democratic process.” Those 120 people will have no influence at all. And then about 15 members will be found, who will receive some sort of “honors,” so that they will think that they are part of some “important forum” – but they, too, will not really have any influence; they will convene only once every six weeks. And all this is merely the seemingly-democratic stage prop for the continued rule of those VIPs without a mandate who belong to the real leadership, the “executive” leadership with seven members: four council heads and three public figures (What a surprise! And perhaps by chance, totally by chance, this will be Tzviki Bar-Hai and Pinhas Wallerstein as local authorities heads, and Zambish and Emily Amrusi in the “public figures” slot -[the 4 people running the Yesha Council right now. N.M.] and then there will be a majority for their votes. It will not be difficult to add three more who, too, will function as a scenic backdrop, and who will always be in a minority during votes.)

There is a well-known saying: you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.

I turn to the heads of Moetzet Yesha: Save your honor. Organize real and clean elections for the leadership of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, elections open to anyone who sees himself as a candidate for the leadership of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, elections in which all the residents with the right to vote will participate and cast their ballot. At long last, after such elections we will finally be able to know what kind of leadership the residents of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza really want. There will be an elected leadership and an active opposition.

I personally, of course, hope that a majority of the inhabitants of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza will understand, specifically during these difficult days, the necessity of a strong leadership that will always see before it the issue of Eretz Israel (and not only their councils). Only such a leadership will be capable of saving the settlement enterprise from the sharp sword that Olmert and his fellows have placed to our neck; a leadership capable of waging a struggle; a leadership that fears neither the Arabs nor the leftists, and that does not seek to curry favor with the media; a leadership that, on the one hand, will be attentive to the mood of its public, but, on the other hand, will not be drawn after the weaklings, but will lead, and awaken the public from its slumber, and show it the correct way to save Eretz Israel. This must be a leadership of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza that will mark out the correct and uncompromising ideological direction for the entire leadership of the national camp throughout Israel, and together with it will act to bring down the present government and raise up a new generation of true Jewish leaders who are not afraid to declare: “All of Eretz Israel belongs to the people of Israel, in accordance with the Torah of Israel.”

In summation, truly democratic elections for the leadership of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, with the participation of all those entitled to vote, is the need of the hour.

This, and only this, is what the public expects from you, the members of Moetzet Yesha in order not to have to say that you are deceiving us, again.

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