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A TIME TO BUILD
by Sharon Katz, Editor of VOICES
voices@actcom.co.il

The time-honored golden vision of settling the Land of Israel has dulled lately. Instead of priding itself in the reclamation of mountain and desert lands, the State of Israel has been intent on undoing the communities of Yesha, and giving away their ‘riches’ to the enemies of our people.

While once only “hilltop mavericks” were in danger of having their caravans totaled, the destruction of entire Jewish towns in Gaza and Northern Shomron has proven that all of Israel’s settlement enterprise is being threatened.

Still reeling from the physical, mental and spiritual damage caused by the demolition of Gush Katif, land-lovers have made a slow comeback But come back they have.

Now, having tried out the orange public on a few spins around the hills of Chomesh and Eitam, the “Settlement Now” movement is ready to get serious.

Prepare your sleeping bags, friends. And start freezing your water bottles. The hills will once again be alive with the sound of music, prayer and laughter.

Five communities are set to be established this summer, IY”H – Chomesh II (the sequel hopes to be even better than the original) in the Shomron, Eitam next to Efrat (actually within official Efrat boundaries), Harchivi next to Elon Moreh, Shvut Ami next to Kedumim, a new hilltop next to Chashmonaim, and BE”H, Tirza, another new settlement in the Shomron.

Singles, couples and families young and old are lined up to rejoin the settlement enterprise and breathe new life into our ancient mountains and into the souls of Am Yisrael.

The return to the hills is being coordinated by The Action Committees of Efrat-Gush Etzion, Kiryat Arbah-Hebron, and Har Hebron together with the Land of Israel Faithful, Youth for Eretz Yisrael, Women in Green, Nahalal Forum, Maginey Eretz, Professors for a Strong Israel, Mateh LeHatzalat Ha’am ve’Haaretz, the Council of Yesha Rabbis, Mateh Tsafon and Megurashei Gush Katif (Committee of Gush Katif Expellees).

Settlement in the Air

As Voices went to press, the imminent resettlement of Chomesh was at hand. Nadia Matar, co-chairwoman of Women in Green explained, “We’re adding another layer to the struggle for Eretz Yisrael. In addition to going up to Chomesh and returning to places that were abandoned, we have to fight for the places that they want to abandon. We’re going forward.”

Nadia said, “Our daily routines have to be put on hold now. Did you know that the letters for the term ‘routine’ (shigra) are the same as the letters for ‘expulsion’ (gerush)? If we continue in our regular routines, we’ll find ourselves facing the next expulsion.”

She compared the current depressed national atmosphere to that of Israel after the Yom Kippur War. People felt that the political leadership was corrupt. They had lost faith in their leaders, who had no Zionist values or Jewish ideals. “Just like today,” she said. “What changed the mood of the people? The Gush Emunim settler movement!”

“The national compass has gone off course,” Nadia said. “We have to go back to the old fashion values of loyalty to our Land and our people.”

The Eitam

While a total of six new communities are on the charts, Efrat’s Eitam is the next one up after Chomesh (scheduled for Tuesday, July 17), because its situation is the most urgent. The Barrier Wall threatens to cut off the Eitam from the rest of Efrat, leaving the community stifled and unable to accommodate its next generation.

The establishment of the new Eitam neighborhood is planned, IY”H, for Wednesday, July 25, 10 Av, exactly two years since the destruction of Gush Katif and Northern Shomron. Construction to atone for destruction. Young families will be moving into pre-fab structures with simple water, bathroom and generator hook-ups.

The last time Efrat’s residents moved out to the hilltops in a grand way was the summer of 1995 when the Oslo Agreement called for the Dagan to be given over to the Arabs. Efrat’s women led the battle with hundreds of Efrat and Gush Etzion families behind them. They were taken down from the mountain several times, but now there is a thriving yeshiva on the hill – proving that IY”H people’s actions can make a difference.

Voices drove up to the Eitam recently with a convoy of cars going to investigate illegal Arab building on the hill. The growing excitement surrounding Efrat’s expansion onto the Eitam had made the Arabs nearby frantic, and they began dumping their garbage there. Trying to lay claim illegally to the hilltop, they dug a deep foundation for a building, and prepared a large stone structure.

After complaining about these infractions to the Minhal Ezrachi (Civil Administration) and waiting for action against the illegal Arab building, the area Action Committees  finally asked residents to come up to the Eitam and dismantle any illegal structures the Minhal hadn’t.

When the residents arrived, work gloves in hand, fresh tractor marks could be seen on the summit. The structures were gone.

I trekked up in a high jeep through the Arab village of Wadi Raychal. Its basketball court was packed with teenagers playing ball. Some rushed to the court’s fence to eye us. Others continued playing. We traveled next to walls of stone painted with crosses. Those walls bordered land owned by the Franciscan church – Beit Yitomim Artas.

Eitam was everything its supporters said it was – H-U-G-E, beautiful, with a 360 degree panoramic view of the area. In one direction Bethlehem lay directly at our feet, in another the majestic Herodion, further south east Tekoa stood upon its mountains, and then behind us, separated by a 12-minute drive, the rest of Efrat.

More Than a Pretty View

Zahava Englard, a member of Efrat’s Action committee said, “Eitam is the center of Gush Etzion. Strategically whoever stands on that hill, because of its height and vastness, controls both the Zaatra Bypass Road and Route 60 – vital links to Jerusalem. Eitam connects Gush Etzion East to Gush Etzion West. It would be illogical to relinquish this hill to our enemy. ”

Efrat’s Mayor Eli Mizrachi is also serious about holding on to the Eitam. Officially, the Mayor is like an expectant father – waiting for the stork to deliver the good news that his town can expand across all its hills, but feeling that he can’t do as much as he’d like to speed up the process. The status of the Eitam, which is state land, is currently in the courts, because of Arab ownership claims.

The entire process is expected to a conclude soon, and while the Mayor is anticipating that Efrat will be found true owner of the land, he doesn’t feel he can take any actions on the hill until the decision comes through.

[Recently Efrat tried to work on completely unclaimed land right in the middle of town, and representatives of the Civil Administration immediately stopped the town in mid-air. Residents questioned, “How could the Minhal have responded so quickly, when it takes weeks if not months for it to investigate Arab illegal building? Luck? A satellite aimed at Efrat? An informer?”]

“The massive Eitam hilltop is 40% of all the land area of Efrat,” Eli told Voices. “It’s our reserve land after the Dagan and the Tamar. About 2000 housing units are planned for the hill. If the court confirms that the Eitam is our land, then we can act immediately. Plus, then I can ask for the Separation Barriers to be moved.”

“The government says, ‘The wall doesn’t protect land. It protects people.’ When the court renders its decision, we can go up to the Eitam with the many people who have volunteered to move there. Former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said originally that as soon as there are people living on the Eitam, he’d be willing to move the Barrier.”

Eitam Fever

Residents of Efrat are beginning to catch Eitam Fever, according to Action Committee member Judy Auerbach, “The people of Efrat are very eager to establish another neighborhood. It’s very disconcerting for many people to see the Wall coming up and cutting us off from the rest of Efrat [the Eitam] and parts of Gush Etzion.”

The enthusiasm and support of the community will be put to the test very soon, Judy said. “We’re going up on 10 Av, as a nechama (comfort), to show that we are continuing to live in the Land of Israel, and in the memory of the Jewish homes of Gush Katif that were destroyed. This is our Zionist response.”

Judy added, “The establishment of a community on the Eitam is a wonderful way to express our love of our land, our community and our history. Renewed settlement activity and a determined struggle for every place in the land of Israel are the key to Israel’s salvation.”

To be part of building the Land of Israel, you may send a shekel check to Women for Israel’s Tomorrow (earmarked Eitam Hill), PO Box 1269, Efrat 90435, Israel.

Dollar donations may be written to Central Fund of Israel (earmarked Eitam), and mailed to Michele Wechsler, 28/2 Pitum HaKetoret, Efrat 90435.

For further information: Zahava 052-4846034, Nadia 050-5500834, Judy 050-8823313, Anita 050-5777254, Datya 050-5246770.