Posted on 09/09/2004 12:13:28 PM PDT by anotherview
Sep. 9, 2004 16:53 | Updated Sep. 9, 2004 20:11
Petition calls Gaza withdrawal 'crime against humanity'
By YAAKOV KATZ
Dozens of prominent right-wing hardliners published a petition Thursday calling Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Gaza Strip disengagement plan a "crime against humanity" and urged security forces to refuse settlement evacuation orders.
"Police officers and IDF soldiers should listen to their personal conscience and the voice of the national conscience," and should refuse to participate in the removal of settlements according to the withdrawal plan.
The petition, published in the Religious-Zionist BeSheva newspaper, was signed by Professor Ben Zion Netanyahu, father of Binyamin Netanyahu, as well as by the Finance Minister's brother and uncle. Uri Elitzur, director general of the prime minister's office under Netanyahu and former MKs Michael Kleiner and Yosef Ba-Gad, also signed the petition.
"Facing the Sharon government's intention to destroy settlements in the land of Israel and to transfer them to enemy hands, we declare that the uprooting of the residents is a national crime, a crime against humanity and is a revelation of tyranny, evilness and arbitrariness meant to deny Jews their rights," the petition reads.
"We believe that the IDF is meant to protect the country and is not meant to act against Jewish citizens. The IDF is the people's army and does not belong to a political group," it further states.
"Therefore," the petitioners write, "We call on public officials who are being asked to lay the groundwork for the ethnic cleansing of Jews from their homeland, and on all of the officers, troops and policemen, to listen to the voice of their conscience and not take part in acts that will sully them, and which they will regret for the rest of their lives."
The signatories also called on the residents of settlements set for evacuation, "not to cooperate with the expulsion machine, not to accept monetary compensation, to resist the withdrawal without harming our people even thought they are coming to destroy our homes."
The publication of the petition followed a demand made earlier in the week by prominent heads of Yeshivot and other Rabbis that Israel take a harder line against Palestinians, even it means killing innocent civilians.
Labor Party MK Eitan Cabel slammed the petitioners, specifically taking to task their statement that the disengagement plan is a "crime against humanity", a description he says should only be made about the Nazis.
"There are unfortunately some people who think we live in a Halacha state and not in a democratic state where elections are the only way to change things," Cabel said. "To accuse the Israeli government of committing a crime against humanity, a description saved for the Nazis, is totally unacceptable."
Yahad MK Roman Bronfman accused the petitioners of twisting historical facts.
"The settlers have a legitimate right to express their opinion but this opinion lacks a conscience, is hypocritical and twists historical facts," Bronfman said. "Withdrawing from the Gaza Strip is a correction of occupational war crimes on foreign lands that were unfortunately committed until now."
The Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip (Yesha) said, "this is further proof that any attempt to uproot communities will tear the people apart."
Yehoshua Mor-Yoseph, the council's secretary-general, said that though they reject any refusal to serve, people should understand that "the refusal is a result of uprooting Jewish communities.
"The only way to proceed is to call for new elections and give people the right to choose. We at the Yesha Council guarantee that we will abide by the people's choice," Mor-Yoseph told The Jerusalem Post.
Yesha said it had no connection to the ad. Yesha spokesman Josh Hasten told Associated Press that the group continues to support only nonviolent and legal means of resistance.
Yesha is planning a demonstration Sunday at the Zion Square in Jerusalem against the disengagement plan. The council decided that it will not allow politicians to address the crowds. The demonstration will be followed by a torch-bearing march towards the Prime Minister's residence.
With Matthew Gutman and Ronit Sela
Meir Har Zion was also a signer. He is the legendary commando who was very close to Sharon. Interesting how all these people close to those in power feel differently than those in power. I guess those in power have trouble seeing past American aid.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.