(VIDEOS AND PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
The morning began with thousands turning out for the last Shachris in the Netiv HaAvot neighborhood of Yishuv Elazar in Gush Etzion. Fifteen homes are being destroyed and the families evicted, once again as a result of a decision by Israel’s High Court of Justice.
An estimated 6,000 people were on hand, including Ministers Naftali Bennet and Ayelet Shaked as well as Deputy Minister Eli Ben-Dahan and MK Shuli Muallem for a last shachris on the site. Also present were a number of prominent rabbonim including HaGaon HaRav Chaim Druckman Shlita, and of course, local and regional leaders. 2500 Police officers were dispatched to maintain order.
Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yochai Damari said, “Last night I was also there at the protest rally on the destruction of the houses that are expected to take place there today. You cannot remain silent in the face of the injustice that cries out to heaven!
“The destruction is unnecessary and painful and annoying after it was possible to reach the arrangement of the few meters in which there was ostensible deviation from state land [and what is claimed to be Arab land] and thus prevent the destruction of the homes of the families.
“There is no claim on the land and even after the destruction there will be a series that will allow for the reconstruction of the same place exactly where the houses will be demolished today.
“It is impossible to ignore the trigger finger and the demolition policy that the judicial system has in Yehuda and Shomron, as it was only recently in Amona.
“Those who make it easier to build a systematic and blatant illegal construction in the Har Hebron area, not in a few meters, but in kilometers, cannot be cleansed of the harsh discrimination of one law for Jews and another for Arabs. On this day, our hearts with the pioneers of settlement in the Netiv HaAvot will represent the residents of Har Hebron in the warm embrace of our neighbors in Gush Etzion during their difficult time, difficult and difficult for the Zionist enterprise.
“The evacuation of the 15 houses in Netiv HaAvot began in accordance with a court decision. At this time, the security forces began evacuating the 15 houses in the Netiv HaAvot neighborhood of Elazar, in accordance with the court order.
At the same time, dialogue continues with the settlers and the local leadership, in order to prevent unnecessary friction and confrontation with the security forces and to enable the proper execution of the mission.
“The police expect settler families who are law-abiding citizens to continue to show responsibility and act to restrain non-local elements and not to allow violence against police officers and innocents in any way. The police call on the leadership to continue to show responsibility and high involvement in order to carry out the court order in a timely manner.”
In the video we hear the song from Tehillim which has become synonymous with eviction of Jews, as this was the pained song chanted during the eviction from Gush Katif.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/ Photo Credit: Media Resource Group)
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5 Responses
We have to give the settlers here credit for acting in strict compliance with the law, even though they disagree with it and it is a hardship for them. Scenes from previous removals showing settlers attacking the police and using language that one would hope not come from a Jewish mouth, were avoided here.
I hope the government keeps its promises and finds them a permanent home soon.
I guess out in the Midwest you have to rely on the somewhat slanted reports here on YWN. It wasn’t quite as peaceful as the article here seems to imply. A few border police were injured and quite a few arrests were made. But, hey, why get all tied up in knots over a little violence when it’s for a good cause, right? Better to save the invective when reporting all the details of those savage Chareidi protests, the causes of which are never justified.
american_yerushalmi – The difference is that the D”L/Chard”al/Settler leadership and tzibbur are clearly, vocally and unequivocally opposed to the use of violence against the nation’s security forces and against other Jews in general. If some if the settlers did in fact resort to violence at Netiv Ha’Avot then they will be hearing from their rabbis and communities (and internet commenters). The same, sadly, cannot be said for the Charedi leadership and tzibbur who rarely and barely condemn charedi violence against other Jews. Hence, charedi violence against Jews has become commonplace and even expected while D”L/Chard”al/Settler violence against Jews is rare and not accepted.
Identity politics does not trump all. What is wrong is wrong no matter what the color and size of the kippa of the perpetrator.
YagelLibi: every single evacuation of any settlement, neighborhood or even a house is occasion for some violence by D”L protesters, going back to the evacuation of Yamit in 1982, for which I was already here and still remember. The D”L only protest land-related situations and not other matters such as Chillul Shabbos, and many other matters that the Chareidi community opposes. So, there is more “opportunity” for some wild chevra among the Chareidim to act violently. No one — not rav or layman — deems it “acceptable.”
My comment is about how these events are reported (if at all!). The unspoken tone of most articles on YWN that report Chareidi demonstrations is that of unbridled disgust at the rampaging savages who are again blocking traffic, preventing people from getting to/from work, doctor appointments, ambulances not getting through, etc. But, when the DL boys do it — this is understandable and noble behavior committed by high-principled folk who are justifiably indignant about evacuating this or that settlement or outpost. If blocking traffic is wrong — it’s wrong for everyone. And if it’s acceptable for some — it’s acceptable for all. Selectively condemning violence perpetrated by one group and not another is blatantly false reporting.
As regards the attitude of D”L rabbis toward violent protests, I have relatives who required hospitalization as a result of the first Amona evacuation. They were visited by certain D”L rabbis (I know who they are but will avoid naming anyone here) who encouraged them saying that they did the right thing, that “we can’t let them (!) get away with this,” etc. So, you will say, Amona was an exception. Well, every evacuation can be an exception, as we see in actual fact, that there is always violence at these events. Unless some people feel that sometimes violence can be condoned (“understandable indignation,” etc.), which is utterly unacceptable. If it’s wrong — it’s wrong.
american_yerushalmi – We seem to be saying much the same thing. If it’s wrong – it’s wrong, no matter the identity of the perpetrator. I don’t think that Amona was an exception to the rule and I wholeheartedly decry the violence that occurred on both sides. I heard a great many D”L and Chard”al rabbis and baalei batim do the same. I don’t question the testimony of your relatives but betoch ami ani yoshev and I know that that was very much the exception to the rule. The point I made was that while that rule is broadly accepted in the D”L/Chard”al community it is far less broadly accepted in charedi circles where identity often trumps all else and where acts of violence against other Jews are increasingly commonplace and where the (charedi) perpetrators of violence are often defended and only rarely condemned. YWN is a rare charedi news outlet that at least occasionally voices some condemnation of charedi violence – and good for them.