[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
The head of the Kfar Etzion Field School was astounded to learn that during the past week, IDF Civil Administration personnel have been cutting down many trees in the Gush Etzion district. This is too sad to believe, the damage done will take decades to undo.
Field School Director Yoram Rosenthal accuses the Civil Administration of destroying Gush Etzion forests – and what is the reason given – to prevent arson attacks!
Rosenthal posted to his Facebook page on Wednesday night 28 Tammuz “Today we discovered that in the last week, the Civil Administration has cut down thousands of trees in Gush Etzion, in some areas, 80% of the forestry! These trees were planted by the pioneers of Gush Etzion fifty years ago and we as children played in these areas and as young adults, we had picnics and parties in these areas. Today, the bike path passes through the forest (or now, that which remains of it)”.
What was even more shocking for Rosenthal was the response he received from the head of the area Civil Administration. “When I asked the head of the Civil Administration why the trees were cut down, he explained ‘it will prevent arson for if there are no trees it will be most difficult to start a forest fire’”.
Rosenthal explains the damage is far more severe than many perceive for the actions of the Civil Administration will have a profound impact the area and its wildlife. He warned “tomorrow they plan to continue, to cut down the remaining trees and then move to the forest between Givot Masuot Yitzchak and Wadi Sajima and continue from there”.
Rosenthal laments “While I am not an expert in preventing forest arson attacks, I believe arson is prevented by arresting the arsonists and not by destroying the forests”. He calls on authorities to stop this immediately and to hold the responsible persons accountable for their actions and to being immediately planting so that “grandchildren will at least be able to benefit from the new forest”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Yaron Rosenthal Facebook page)
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3 Responses
I remember back around 40 years ago.
I was in a american yeshiva that collected money for planting trees in Israel.
now I see the same trees being chopped down and all the effort going to waste.
If only they would of took the money they spent on trees and instead brought a torah book for every secular isreali
And planted a tree of life or a forest of life that would never be destroyed.
FOLLOW THE MONEY
This has only to do with money. Since the CA has godlike powers, it does whatever it wants. It has a number of goals.
#1 to create the PA state that the palis aren’t capable of creating themselves.
#2 to erase/disrupt the settler enterprise as much as possible
#3 to make lots of money off of #s1&2
The CA has already sold the trees to the Pali orgs that make paper and charcoal. Each tree according to its worth.
They should put the trees back!