Settlers: "This is the last battle for the State of Israel" [IDF begins dismantling of 94 outposts]

Jerusalem Post ^ | Jun. 9, 2003 | TOVAH LAZAROFF

[yonif]

Israeli troops on Monday began dismantling uninhabited West Bank settlement outposts, taking down a few of the dozens of outposts Israel has to remove under a US-backed peace plan.

The army took down the Neve Erez South outpost near the Palestinian town of Ramallah, which consisted of two empty trailers, an Israeli watchdog group said. The military then dismantled Armona, which only consisted of a water tower, according to a nearby resident.

About 300 settlers blocked the exit to the Amona North outpost near Ofra on the West Bank, not allowing the IDF vehicles which had dismantled the outpost Monday night from leaving the area. The uninhabited outpost has been declared a closed military zone by the IDF, Army Radio reported.

The IDF is expected to remove another 7 outposts Monday night. Only one of these outposts, Ein Horon, is inhabited. All in all, ninety-four settlement outposts are to be dismantled in the coming days.

"This is the last battle for the state of Israel," said Shaul Goldstein, mayor of the Etzion region, as he helped launch a bloodless battle to save 15 outposts the army began tearing today Monday.

Sitting under the sign "It's forbidden to give them a state," in a small crowded room in Jerusalem, leaders of the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip (Yesha Council) promised to wage a democratic war against Sharon's implementation of the road map.

Their game plan includes: parliamentary pressure within the coalition, legal cases in the courts, and demonstrations at the sites. They have also pledged to return and rebuild on the same sites.

Five of the outposts are populated and it's expected the heaviest protest will be reserved for those outposts.

Council Chairman Benzi Lieberman said, "We are fighting for our homes." He and other council members believe that tearing down outposts is just a first step on the part of Prime Minister Sharon, who they believe intends to take down all the 102 outposts and to dismantle settlements.

Lieberman also made a call to the hilltop youth, settler youth who have spearheaded the establishment of hastily constructed outposts termed illegal by the government and have physically resisted the dismantling of those outposts in the past, to be responsible and not turn violent. "Do not raise your hand against soldiers, even if the soldiers raise their hand against you," said Lieberman.

He warned that Sharon's capitulation to terror will only lead to more terror attacks against Israelis.

They blamed the United States for pressuring Sharon to bow to terror. Goldstein said, "Bush fought terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. The only place the world will sacrifice civilians to terror will be here," said Goldstein.

In his meeting with settler leaders earlier Monday, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz handed a list of 15 unauthorized outposts that the army plans to dismantle later in the evening. Among them, four are populated: Nofei Nahmia, NG 693 near Yitzhar, Gilad ranch, and Shvei Shomron Maarav Walla reports that Adi Mintz, head of the Council of Jewish Settlements in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip (Yesha Council), said the meeting was "difficult".

"We understood that the process is part of the road map, not a one-time event," said Mintz. "We see this as the beginning of an attempt to bring destruction on the settlement enterprise in the West Bank and Gaza," he said, promising a bitter fight.

Mofaz said that settlers will not receive advance notice when the next outposts are removed, but that they will take place "soon".

Israel media reports, meanwhile, said the Israeli military has drawn up a list of 15 settlement outposts, nearly all uninhabited, that are to be removed in coming days.

The overall military commander of the West Bank, Central Command chief Major-General Moshe Kaplinski met with settlers leaders, prior to their meeting with Mofaz, gave them the list and asked them to remove the outposts voluntarily.

Settler leaders said they would not cooperate, but would not use violence in confronting soldiers. "If we are evacuated, we'll return the night after and establish 10 new outposts," said Yehoshua Mor-Yosef, a settler spokesman.

On Monday afternoon, troops began destroying trailers at the Neve Erez South outpost, Mor-Yosef said. The outpost is about 200 meters from another settler enclave where several families have been living in shipping containers for the past three years, according to the Israeli settlement watchdog group Peace Now. There were no reports of confrontations with settlers.

Soldiers then took down the Armona water tower, near the settlement of Ofra, according to an Ofra resident. The Israeli military would only say the dismantling of outposts has begun.

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo rejected the move as "just a symbolic step." "Sharon is playing a game of deception through the evacuation of some of the empty trailers in order to give legitimacy to the tens of settlements he established during his term in office," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Monday he was determined to carry out the peace plan, despite growing opposition from his constituents, including activists from his Likud party who booed him at a convention Sunday.

"It wasn't easy," Sharon said. "Yesterday, at the Likud convention it was even harder, but this is the policy I have decided on and I will implement it."

With The Associated Press

[Diddle E. Squat]

Good. Just because there are terrorists on the Palestinian side doesn't mean that the extremists on the Israeli side should get a free pass.

But of course just mentioning that probably makes me an anti-Semite Nazi who wants to jump in front of bulldozers and drive Israel into the sea.

Or maybe, just maybe, I am trying to view this objectively while still supporting Israel.

[RomanCatholicProlifer]

There is nothing extreme about defending your family and your homeland.

[yonif]

Just because there are terrorists on the Palestinian side doesn't mean that the extremists on the Israeli side should get a free pass.

How are they getting a free pass?

[Southack]

It's gonna make a hellofa political statement when the next Palestinian attacks forces Sharon to STOP dismantling those settlements.

Who's gonna support the Palestinians then?! What, like Europe, Russia, or China is going to be able to put any pressure on Israel then?!

The Palestinians are one step away from blowing (pun intended, as always) their global support. The dismantling of settlements will have been stopped, and *everyone* will blame the Palestinians for their attacks stopping it.

This level of politics, in which our enemies can only lose, is a thing of pristine beauty. The Palestinians have already lost, they just aren't clever-enough to know it yet.

Just one or two more attacks now, and then...

[Diddle E. Squat]

Are not many of these settlements illegal or unauthorized squatter compounds, set up as more as a statement of politics and defiance, in the guise of defending the occupied territories?

[LarryM]

Shame on you, George Bush. You are capitulating to terrorism because you are afraid to go after the source in Ramallah, Teheran, and Riyadh.

[MatthewViti]

Tell me about it, with this road map, Jews aren't even allowed in some parts of their own country (birth place of King David). Saudi Arabia also doesn't allow Jews to live there.

[onedoug]

No Arab state in Eretz Yisrael.

EVER!

[berserker]

The rubble of two empty trailers is seen atop the West Bank outpost of Neve Erez near the Jewish settlement of Maale Mikhmas shortly after Israeli troops demolished them Monday June 9, 2003. Settlers demonstrated against Israeli troops who began dismantling uninhabited West Bank settlement outposts, taking down a few of the dozens of outposts Israel has to remove under a U.S.-backed peace plan. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

[dennisw]

But of course just mentioning that probably makes me an anti-Semite Nazi who wants to jump in front of bulldozers and drive Israel into the sea.

Yup, who knows? The *I cannot be a nazi or anti Semite* preamble don't work with me. It's old and lame.

Or maybe, just maybe, I am trying to view this objectively while still supporting Israel.

You mistake foolishness for objectivity. You really think getting these Jews off the West Bank leads to peace? How about if all Jews were stripped from the West Bank? You think the Islamics would give up their Jihad against Israel? 

Take a good look at the MidEast map. There is no peace, only phony peace treaties were Israel gives up real estate for empty promises. The PLO official strategy is take what it can get then continue the Jihad.

[Turbodog]

”Are not many of these settlements illegal or unauthorized squatter compounds, set up as more as a statement of politics and defiance, in the guise of defending the occupied territories?”

Actually, the outposts were set up on hilltops precisely for the protection and security of Israel proper, not the disputed territories.

Also, there are no occupied territories in Israel. Israel captured those territories in a defensive war from Jordan and Egypt. Jordan had illegally annexed Samaria, Judea, and East Jerusalem. This annexation was never internationally recognized because it was illegal. Egypt was illegally occupying Gaza at the time that Israel captured it. Acquisition of territory through defensive war is legal under international law, and there was never a country called Palestine and creating one is nonsensical. Further, the Arabs rejected the partition and then fought a war of agression against Israel. Therefore, the disputed territories should have automatically reverted back to Israel. To reward terrorist for 55 years of murder is absolutely ludicrous.

[dennisw]

Actually, the outposts were set up on hilltops precisely for the protection and security of Israel proper, not the disputed territories.

Correct and Ariel Sharon was one who was responsible for this strategy. In fact most West Bank settlements are on hills as observation outposts and because hill land was unused by the Palestinians. They always want the low land where there is moisture for crops and grazing vegetation. Israelis build on the hill then sink a deeper well.

Paleostinians are quite insulted that Israelis (Jews) live above them. Arabs lorded over Jews for centuries....treated them as second class dhimmis.

[RightWhale]

I am trying to view this objectively while still supporting Israel

That's not fair! Objectivity is not permitted on this topic.

[glorgau]

Actually, the outposts were set up on hilltops precisely for the protection and security of Israel proper, not the disputed territories.

This is just like Europe. All of the old castles and keeps are built on top of hills. Lords of the manor you might say. The arabs are the peasants.

[ml/nj]

WOW!

Lots of displaced "Palestinians" in this neighborhood.

ML/NJ

[dennisw]

This is just like Europe. All of the old castles and keeps are built on top of hills. Lords of the manor you might say. The Arabs are the peasants.

On the West Bank it's a bit diffrent. Arabs have always lived in the low areas where there's more water and moisture in this arid land. The hills of the West Bank were not lived on..... but now some Jews live on them. In Europe there's plenty of rainfall with the hills and valleys equally green. West Bank ...only the valleys and low lands are green.

[rmlew]

Good. Just because there are terrorists on the Palestinian side doesn't mean that the extremists on the Israeli side should get a free pass.

I agree taht the people who set up residences on public land without approval or puchase of the land are criminals.
On the other hand, I oppose the Olso accords in principle as they promote terrorism.

But of course just mentioning that probably makes me an anti-Semite Nazi who wants to jump in front of bulldozers and drive Israel into the sea.

1. Not all anti-Zionists are anti-Semites, not all anti-Semites are anti-zionists (Jews should leave x country and go to Israel),
2. Your position is neither antiZionist nor anti-Semitic.

[cookcounty]

Sharon is willing to use force with his own people.

Mazen says he is not willing to use force with his own people.

Obviously the "Road Map" is already in the ditch.

[glorgau]

In Europe, the castles were put on hills for defensive purposes. It's much harder to assault a high wall when you're facing uphill. For example, (though it was a monastary) Monte Cassino.