We Must Be Doing Something Important!

Our thanks to the anonymous Alon Shvut resident who called Women in Green on Friday, reporting that from her window she could see the Arabs uprooting and burning the trees that activists from Women in Green and the Netzer Group had planted just an hour earlier in Netzer,on the state lands that the Arabs had plowed.

This was not the first time, and apparently not the last, either.

The Arabs sense the weakness of Israeli rule, read the geopolitical map, and the internal confusion in Israel regarding the status of Eretz Israel.

Last Wednesday, as we do almost every day, Women in Green patrolled the area of Netzer and discovered that the Arabs had plowed state lands. An additional clarification was conducted with the relevant authorities, and these are indeed state lands over which the Arabs are trying to take control, by plowing. It was immediately decided to plant on these lands, to prevent the Arabs from doing so.

In very high spirits, about 60 eucalyptus trees were planted by those attending the weekly class on the hills of Judea, on "The Blessing of Children" that was delivered by Rebbitzen Geula Twersky.

Our high spirits quickly turned to sorrow, searing pain, and a feeling of hillul Hashem - the desecration of G-d's Name, when someone looking from the nearby Hachish hill in Alon Shvut called to inform us: "The Arabs are uprooting and burning the trees that you planted!"

Following the telephone call, an emergency mobilization of activists was conducted. The time was 2 p.m. - Shabbbat was in two and a half hours.... We returned to Netzer and, once again, planted the same plot with another 60 eucalyptus trees. A confrontation developed with the Arabs, who were still there. The Arabs, while cursing and trying to attack the Jews, called the police. Women in Green called the IDF, and informed the Civil Administration.

The security forces arrived at the area in the limited Friday order of forces, even though it is known that there is an intensive Arab presence on the ground, specifically on Fridays and Shabbatot. When the forces were already in the area, it transpired that they were incapable of doing anything, and were not succeeding in removing the Arabs.

In the meantime, the savior of the Arabs arrived, the radical left activist Ezra Nawi, who is concerned for the "unfortunate" Arabs who are stealing state lands in the southern Hebron hills, and now, so we learned, also in Gush Etzion. Clearly the Arabs have contacts. This time they alerted Ezra Nawi; the last time it was the United Nations. Obviously, the Arab effort to steal Jewish lands on the hills of Judea and Samaria is well organized and amply funded, by local and international elements.

Shabbat is fast approaching...

The IDF loses no time in issuing a closed military zone order in order to remove the Arabs. The Jews were told: "Leave, we're removing the Arabs." But the activists saw that the IDF was not succeeding in removing the Arabs, and they declared that if the Arabs were not removed, they would organize a Shabbat at Netzer.

An Arabic-speaking liaison officer was summoned to explain to the Arabs the meaning of the military order, and that they must leave the area.

The activists rubbed their eyes in disbelief, with what courtesy the IDF soldiers treated the Arabs who had just uprooted and burned the Jews' trees. What gentleness, what attentiveness - so distant from the way that "settlers" are dragged off, beaten, and imprisoned. It's no wonder that the Arabs have no fear of Israeli rule. There is no deterrence, no fear, just infinite insolence and provocations.

In the end, the security forces, seeing the determination of the activists who did not intend to leave the area, despite the pressure of erev Shabbat, and realizing that the confrontations were continuing, succeeded in removing the Arabs. Thank G-d, as this is being written, the planted trees stand tall and wait for rain.

This is the process for all the area that we redeem on the lands of Netzer: the Jews plant, the Arabs uproot and burn, the Jews plant, and this goes on and on. The efforts, the resolve, and the dedication of the area's Jewish residents will determine the future. With G-d's help, the residents of Gush Etzion are continuing the history of stubbornly cleaving to the hill country with their very hands. This was clearly understood by the frustrated Arab who said to the Women in Green and Netzer activists: "I see that you are strong and will not leave here."

For pictures of the planting, the replanting, and of Ezra Nawi in Netzer (bottom of article).

For pictures of Rep. Alan Clemmons in Netzer, of Rabbi Riskin in Eitam, and One Israel Fund and the Netanya activists in Netzer, please click here

Background to this story:

A Rainy confrontation in Netzer

Women in Green Protest UN Presence in Netzer

Don't Bother Calling the Police in Israel

What is the United Nations doing in Netzer

Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar

Women For Israel's Tomorrow (Women in Green)
POB 7352, Jerusalem 91072, Israel
Email: wfit2@womeningreen.org
http://www.womeningreen.org