The real battle over Shdema is starting now
With mixed feelings of happiness and worry we came to Shdema yesterday, Friday February 5th to listen to Prof. Hillel Weiss’s lecture on the literature of the first aliyah.
Feelings of happiness-because of the IDF’s decision to return to Shdema and set up an outpost there.
Feelings of worry- worrying whether the outpost would stand firm against the international pressure against Israel.
When we came down the hill at the end of the morning, a consular car was there, watching our moves. When we came near to try and see who was inside, we saw the driver was a bodyguard. Somebody was in the back.The back window was very dark. When we tried to approach the car even more to see who the person in the back was, the car fled towards Bet Sahour. We drove after them to photograph them and they fled towards Jerusalem. There is no doubt that in the car was a person who did not want us to know he was there. We think it might be the USA consul himself. Attached is a picture of the car.
The Haarets newspaper and their reporter Amira Hess* came out on Thursday and Friday with articles against the IDF’s return to Shdema, articles in favor of the Arabs of Bet Sahour and in favor of the illegal Arab construction at the bottom of Shdema claiming that the lands of Shdema have been taken away from the Arabs.
The truth is exactly the opposite. Since the Oslo agreements most of the area has been taken away from Israel and has become area A (under full Arab control). Gush Etzion has been left with only 4% of the land and from these 4% they want to take away Shdema from us!
About the second claim, i.e. that all the Arabs want is to build a hospital in Shdema that will serve “all”…we checked and saw that they have lots and lots of lands in area A on which they can build hospitals if that was what they really wanted. It is clear that the claim that they want to build a hospital there is just an excuse that sounds very “humane” when their real purpose is: to take away from Israel yet another area C under Israeli control and break the Jewish continuity between Jerusalem and Eastern Gush Etzion.
On June first of 2009, Shaul Goldstein, mayor of Gush Etzion, wrote a letter to the Defense Minister explaining why one should not allow the Arabs to build a hospital in Shdema claiming rightfully that it will not end with a hospital: “the Palestinians will then continue and demand to receive the rest of the area into their hands too- claiming they need parking spaces, and areas in which to grow and expand in the future”.
Unlike what Haarets is trying to claim, it is clear that the IDF’s decision to return to Shdema is a purely professional decision . The IDF understands the strategic importance of Shdema for the security of the area. Anybody with common sense understands one cannot abandon such an important place.
The Committee for a Jewish Shdema and Women in Green will continue with its activities in Shdema as planned.
Next week we will have the pleasure to hear a lecture by Emanuel Shilo, editor of the “Besheva” newspaper who will talk in Hebrew on How to turn the palte around to our favor”.
The presence of each and one of us in Shdema is now more important than ever. The support of all our members together with the constant presence of the devoted activists from Har Choma, Jerusalem. Bet Shemesh, Efrat, Gush Etzion, kiryat Arab Hevron, together with the involvement of the members of Knesset active on behalf of Shdema- is what brought progress in the struggle for a Jewish Shdema. Now we must continue and make even more of an effort to come every week. Please G-d, we will succeed.
The Committee for a Jewish Shdema and Women in Green
Rabbi Yaron Durani (El David Nokdim)- Tsuri Botosh (Shdema youth,Jerusalem)-Igor Bialsky (Tekoa)-Elisheva Ginzburg (Alon Shvut)-Orly Glauber (Maaleh Rehavam)-Ruthi Wallfish (Tekoa)-Ina Viniarsky (Tekoa)-Yehudit Tayar (Bet Horon)-Timna Katz (Neve Daniel)-Tomer Karazi (Nokdim military mechina)-Nadia Matar (Efrat)—Gedalya Friedman (Neve Daniel)-Yehudit Katzover (Kiryat Arba Hevron)-Eli Rodan (Elazar)
For details :
Nadia Matar 0505500834 , Yehudit Katzover 050-7161818
*Article by Amira Hess on thursday http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtVty.jhtml?sw=amira+hess+shdema&itemNo=1147472
(we did not find an English translation of Amira Hess’s Friday article)
Attached is the picture of the car and a picture of Prof Hillel Weiss lecturing in front of the crowd-
pictures by Women in Green
