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Encounter: Secular Support for Gush Katif (Gaza)
The Jerusalem Post ^ | July 26, 2004 | Tovah Lazaroff

Posted on 07/26/2004 8:42:06 AM PDT by Piranha

Kfir Sharar didn't know Tali Hatuel and her four young children, but their murder by a terrorist in May in the Gaza Strip spurred the 25-year-old economics student into action.

As a secular, fun-loving Israeli, Sharar admits that he doesn't exactly fit the stereotype of an activist. Sitting near Jerusalem's Central Bus Station, with sunglasses hanging from his half-opened button-down black shirt, Sharar said he would rather be out dancing or telling a woman he loves her than getting ready to stand in the human chain that ran from Gush Katif to the Western Wall on Sunday.

But it would be irresponsible not to participate in an action that could prevent leaders from making a terrible blunder, said Sharar, who organized 40 other secular young adults to join him in the human chain.

As a soldier in the IDF, said Sharar, "I saw a lot of terrible things. I lost three of my friends. I had no fear, no emotions. I put a wall inside my heart."

But something inside him snapped when he read about the Hatuel family. He imagined how the terrorist gunned them down as Tali was driving.

"For the first time I started to cry." On a whim, he and a friend drove down to Gush Katif, to pay Tali's husband David a shiva call. "Without thinking about the political implications I knew I had to go down there," said Sharar. He was struck by how noble and strong David Hatuel seemed. "I felt I was receiving power from him. It shows you what kind of people live there." When Hatuel shook their hands and thanked them for coming, it dawned on Sharar that he could make a difference.

"I tried to bring some comfort and the whole thing snowballed," said Sharar. Now, about every two weeks he brings a growing group of secular Israelis to Gush Katif to show their support. Each time they go, at first people give them odd looks.

"When they see me, they think I'm against them. They think I'm from Peace Now or that I got lost on my way to Eilat," said Sharar.

He said that if the disengagement plan was being carried out as part of an agreement that would stop the murder of innocent Israelis he might support it. But to do it unilaterally is illogical, he said.

The same argument for Jews leaving the Gaza Strip can be used to delegitimize their presence in Judea and Samaria or even Tel Aviv.

"In Europe, if they transferred one Jewish community we would call it anti-Semitism," said Sharar. To do it ourselves, he said, is national suicide.

At the Western Wall, upon completion of the event, David Hatuel said he was comforted by the show of strength and unity by Israelis from all over the country.

Tali Hatuel's sister from her place in the chain told Channel 1, "I'm standing here because it's clear to me that Tali would have stood here. Unfortunately she can't, but I can."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: gaza; hatuelfamily; humanchain; palestinianmassacre; secularsupport
Once again, the ugly face of Terrorism has an unintended effect.
1 posted on 07/26/2004 8:42:07 AM PDT by Piranha
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To: Piranha; Alouette; veronica; Zionist Conspirator
"In Europe, if they transferred one Jewish community we would call it anti-Semitism," said Sharar. To do it ourselves, he said, is national suicide.

A fascinating point.

2 posted on 07/26/2004 9:25:35 AM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
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To: wideawake

Any government that can expel Jews can expel Arabs.


3 posted on 07/26/2004 10:15:09 AM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Eagerly counting down to Ro'sh HaShanah 6001!)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Yehuda; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; ...

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.


4 posted on 07/26/2004 11:39:55 AM PDT by SJackson (He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has 10 times since 1983, Sandy Berger)
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To: 1bigdictator; 1st-P-In-The-Pod; 2sheep; 7.62 x 51mm; A Jovial Cad; a_witness; adam_az; af_vet_rr; ..
Secular Support for Gush Katif (Gaza)

You'd never know it from reading this hysterical anti-religious hit piece in Haaretz (warning: it's a real BARFER)

FRmail me to be added or removed from this Judaic/pro-Israel ping list.

WARNING: This is a high volume ping list

5 posted on 07/26/2004 11:41:19 AM PDT by Alouette ("Your children like olive trees seated round your table." -- Psalm 128:3)
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To: Piranha; SJackson; yonif; Simcha7; American in Israel; spectacularbid2003; Binyamin; ...
"...He was struck by how noble and strong David Hatuel seemed. "I felt I was receiving power from him. It shows you what kind of people live there.""

Indeed....







If you'd like to be on or off this
Christian Supporters of Israel ping list,
please FR mail me. ~
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MikeFromFR ~
There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:45)

Letter To The President In Support Of Israel ~
'Final Solution,' Phase 2 ~
Warnings ~

6 posted on 07/27/2004 9:14:08 PM PDT by Salem (FREE REPUBLIC - Fighting to win within the Arena of the War of Ideas! So get in the fight!)
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