Barak’s Parting Shot – Evacuation and Uprooting Orders for Netzer

Evacuation and uprooting orders have been issued at Netzer in Gush Etzion for hundreds of trees that were planted in order to prevent an Arab takeover of the lands of Gush Etzion

A surprise awaited Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, the heads of the Women in Green movement, today (Monday, December 17), in the form of evacuation and uprooting orders for the hundreds of trees that were planted on the lands of Netzer in Gush Etzion.

Katsover and Matar tell of their difficult feelings, especially in light of one of the orders, that was placed on the section of trees that had been planted in memory of terror victims Talia and Yitzhak Ames, may they be avenged, who were among the participants in the activities at Netzer.

This is not the first time that evacuation orders have been issued for the lands of Netzer. Last summer, the first evacuation orders were to take effect, but this madness of destruction and uprooting at Netzer was prevented following the intervention by Gush Etzion Local Council head Davidi Perl and members of Knesset Erets Israel Lobby MK Zeev Elkin and Prof Arieh Eldad and Orit Struck , candidate for the Bayit Yehudi party who all who joined the struggle.

Katsover and Matar tell of the orders that were left at Netzer, and mention that the plantings at Netzer were meant to prevent the Arabs from encroaching on the lands of Gush Etzion. They further state that these orders were issued, despite the fact that both they, as the heads of the movement, and the Gush Etzion Regional Council committed themselves in writing that the plantings at the site do not constitute a claim to ownership, neither to the lands nor to the trees.

“The Defense Minister, who is ‘retiring’ from political life, undoubtedly means to leave his mark in his final days,” the two say. They view Ehud Barak as solely responsible for the issuance of the orders. “Clearly, the Prime Minister does not need scenes of uprooting now,” they add.

“If only they would be as efficient in issuing orders against the Arab intruders, against the Beduin illegal construction in the south, and the thefts in Galilee. We call upon the public to contact members of Knesset, and incoming MKs, to take steps to prevent this madness,” Katsover and Matar conclude.

for details:
Yehudit Katsover – 050-7161818, Nadia Matar – 050-5500834
the Movement for Israel’s Tomorrow (Women in Green)