Foreign Minister: The ‘Tower and Stockade’ outlines – hasn’t changed

Minister Lieberman spoke at a tribute event that was held today in Gush Etzion, saying “this concept is still valid, even when the tower has become a multi-story building”.
Written by Yishai Karov for Arutz 7
Translated by Abayiss A. for Women in Green

A tribute event was held today (Thursday) by the heads of the hit’yash’vut (settlement) movement in honor of Ina Viniarsky – a veteran of the hit’yash’vut in Judea, Samaria and Gaza Strip, and partner in the establishment of 45 communities.

The event, initiated by the Women in Green organization, included the participation of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Minister of Information and Diaspora Affairs Yuli Edelstein, Chairman of the Gush Etzion Regional Council Davidi Perl, former MK Geula Cohen and others

During the event, the Foreign Minister said: “Even during the age of the Space and Internet Revolutions, the basic concept hasn’t changed… When we came here we advocated the “Choma UMigdal ‘Tower and Stockade’ [idea], which helped us fulfill the Zionist dream. Things haven’t changed today. This concept is still valid, even when the tower has become a multi-story building”.

Minister Lieberman added that just as in the not-so-distant past there were vision-less people who didn’t recognize a group of caravans as a community being built, yet those caravans became blooming communities, so it is today throughout Judea and Samaria, so it is with Shdema, Gush Etzion.

The Minister of Information and Diaspora Affairs, Yuli Edelstein, expressed complete confidence that in the near future, the abandoned Shdema camp in Gush Etzion will become a place with permanent Jewish presence. “Those who saw Tekoa dozens of years ago are familiar with the feeling that this could never become a community, and yet communities were established. Therefore, those who see Shdema should believe that yes, something will become of this place”, said Minister Edelstein.

The Minister of Information continued and emphasized that his words were not meant merely as encouragement to his audience, but rather words he truly believes will come true, based on past experiences. “Those who seek proof need only remember that 4 years ago we stood here, a group of MKs with Ina, and you explained to us that a Palestinian school would be built here, a Palestinian hospital over there, that would make life difficult for the residents of the area as well as tourists, and sure enough they have not come to existence. That is why I am certain that in the future there will be development and a permanent [Jewish] presence here”.

Davidi Perl, Chairman of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, told Ina Viniarski during the tribute event of the developing plans for establishing a new neighborhood, right on the grounds of the abandoned IDF camp in Shdema, “I told the Brigade Commander of the region that we plan to establish a new neighborhood here. He said he’s with us, but we have to run it by the General of the [Central] Command. I told him we’d get to him as well, we’d meet and get his approval”.

Davidi finished by stating that “by next year we will have a permanent foothold here”.