Kafka at Netzer – How Right You Are, Kalman Libskind!
Yesterday, Friday, April 1, 2011, at Netzer in Gush Etzion, six Arabs attacked two Jews – our friends Uri Plasse, from Sdeh Yaakov, and Yigal Devere, from Efrat, as the two Jews were engaged in plantings on state lands, after tens of trees had been uprooted by the Arabs last week.
For two years the Women in Green movement has been redeeming the state lands on the hills of Netzer, between Elazar and Alon Shvut. We have planted hundreds of olive trees, pomegranate, and fig trees. Women in Green movement committed itself not to claim ownership of the land that it works, nor of the trees that are planted – all this is being done solely for the guarding of state lands.
For two years the Arabs, in addition to their massive illegal construction of houses, have been engaging in a “planting intifada”, with their intensive plantings, building of greenhouses and infrastructures. They are answering the call of Salam Fayyad to plant a million trees, specifically in Area C. Aided by international organizations, the Arab are planting in quantities the likes of which have not been seen in the region. The Arab planting drive points to their intent to establish facts on the ground, in order to break the Jewish settlement continuity in Judea and Samaria as a whole, and particularly in Gush Etzion. Simply put, they are building a state.
Against Jews, in contrast, there is 100 per cent law enforcement and building freeze.
And so, this past Friday, two Jews were attacked while planting.
An Arab attacked them with a hoe, and Yigal simply saved Ori’s life by, at the last moment, preventing the Arab from striking Ori.Ori was wounded but thank G-d only lightly. The security forces were alerted, and the army and the police came.
So far, this is a common scenario of an Arab attack against Jews. But here the Kafkaesque reality begins:
When the two Jews entered the police station in Kiryat Arba to file a complaint against the Arab for the assault – the police officer told the two Jews that THEY are suspected of attacking the Arab!!! You see…. not only did the Arab assault them, he filed a complaint against them, and now they are suspects!
This is simply a Kafkaesque play! The Arabs assaulted and caused injuries, and then complained to the police. The complaint by the Arab was accepted, just like that by the victims of the assault.
Kalman Libskind was right in his article last week: “Arabs attacked you? Don’t go to the police!”
And so, our friends were interrogated, they were fingerprinted, and they received a restraining order for fifteen days, not to approach within 500 meters of the location of the incident.
This event will obviously not deter us. At the contrary, it just reinforces our understanding that we must be in the field and on the ground, especially on Fridays and Shabbatot, because the Arabs know that on those days the IDF, the police, and the Civil Administration hardly work and the area is open to all.
Thank G-d, in the past two years, the Jewish residents of the area have become increasingly aware of the need to observe and report any harm to the plantings of Jews, on Shabbat as well.
And thus, we will increase our presence on the ground to cause the authorities to guard the state lands. We will not rest or relax our vigilance until the governmental systems will realize that they must represent the Jews and the Zionist vision.
We call upon the residents of Gush Etzion to increase the Jewish presence on the ground, by walks on Netiv ha-Avot, bicycle trips, running, walking, shepherding, and picnics. Additionally, we have installed benches for those who want to rest and enjoy the Erets Israel landscape.
This coming Tuesday, Rosh Hodesh Nissan, April 5, at 4:30 p.m., we will , please G-d, return to plant in the plot where the incident occurred. Let the Arabs know that we will not give up our lands. After the planting we will hear a lesson by Rebbetzin Shani Taragin. We will meet at the entrance to Netzer, by the Biar.
Shavua Tov,
With love for Israel,
Yehudit Katsover – 050-7161818, Nadia Matar – 050-5500834
www.womeningreen.org
attached is a picture of Ori Plasse, wounded
