That we are in for some tough times is a given. No, let me correct this. We are IN tough times, but the situation is about to become far more problematic.
And yet, if we look past the problems we find genuinely hopeful news: Determined right wing activism of a new dimension among the people of Israel is emerging.
MOST IMPORTANT TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED, WITHOUT DELAY!
The project that reflects this activism is called Nachala [נחלה, land heritage]. Initiated by long-time activist Daniella Weiss, it has taken on considerable dimensions.
From the Nachala Movment (emphasis in original):
“The State of Israel has lost more than 500,000 acres of state land to the Palestinian Authority.
“The Palestinian Authority leadership made a strategic decision to achieve a Palestinian state, via massive construction and the takeover of broad swaths of land in Area C (land under administrative and security responsibility of Israel). This takeover has the financial backing of European states, and is aimed at taking over Judea and Samaria by 2030.
“Just as the ‘chalutzim’ [pioneers] managed to change reality over the past generations, with their settlement efforts, determining the future for us all, so too today, with a combined effort, we will succeed in leading a policy change.
“Nachala’s goal is to lead a policy change, and return the Israeli government to a path of construction and development. History has taught us that the combination of determined pioneering actions, coupled with public and political support, will give the Israeli government the strength to withstand external pressures. Thus returning to the natural policy of a nation that is building and developing its land.”
The Nachala Movement is launching a major campaign to establish new yeshuvim [settlements] in carefully selected areas of Judea & Samaria (which still have not been made public but have been thoroughly checked for legality, accessibility, etc). Large numbers – literally thousands — of Israelis are coming together to assist with this project, which is an enormous operation. The groundswell of support has been most encouraging.
It is hoped that a core of three yeshuvim can be mounted next week. The goal is to have considerable numbers of people on the ground in these yeshuvim at all times. I will not describe all of the plans now, but will return with more details down the road.
There are no illusions about the fact that the Ministry of Defense, especially as headed by Gantz, will move with alacrity to attempt to take them down. But the fact that multiple yeshuvim are to be established at the same time, with many people on each site, will complicate the matter.
Depending on how this first stage proceeds, there is hope for as many as an additional 25 yeshuvim to go up, several at one time.
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What is of major importance now is that the Nachala Movement is doing a 36 hour on-line fundraising campaign to help support this venture. It begins at 10 AM Israel time on Wednesday, and ends at 10 PM Israel time on Thursday.
If you are excited about what you have read here, you might want to consider making a donation – which can be done in shekels or dollars.
The link I provide here is to support the efforts of one of those three first yeshuvim, one that is in or near Gush Talmon. You see my name associated with this because of my connections to people working on this particular yeshuv.
https://www.charidy.com/mitachdim/81731
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Foremost in our minds here in Israel at the moment is Biden’s visit to Israel, scheduled for July 13 – 15.
Whatever gracious words Biden and company may offer Israel, we know that he comes as a friend to the Palestinian Arabs. As I describe immediate concerns regarding that visit, it becomes ever more evident why the Nachala Movement is so critical and so welcome.
What enormously exacerbates the situation is the fact that we have a centrist-left interim prime minister, who is all too ready to work with Biden to Israel’s detriment.
I share here concerns as expressed by Regavim, which highlight precisely how serious the current situation is. There are a great many other issues to which I will return shortly. But the matters raised here have priority.
“The itinerary of President Biden’s visit, scheduled for 13-15 July, includes several things that are tremendously problematic for Israel’s sovereignty and security:
“[] A first-of-its-kind visit by a US President to eastern Jerusalem without any Israeli presence or accompaniment, signaling that our capital is divided between two independent sovereigns, constituting a substantive violation of US law, Israeli law and diplomatic protocol;
“[] Solidifying Israeli agreement to a Palestinian Authority presence at the Allenby Border Crossing, signaling joint sovereignty and authority over our border and the secession of our control and sovereignty over the Jordan Valley;
”[] Official recognition of the upgraded status of the Palestinian Affairs Office as a de facto embassy to Palestine in western Jerusalem, with an eye towards opening a full embassy in the eastern Jerusalem consular building, shut down by the Trump Administration.
“Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley are Israel’s most vital existential interests.
“They’re not for sale.”
https://www.regavim.org/draft-biden-page/
Meir Deutsch, Director-General of Regavim (pictured), joined by Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, co-chairs of the Sovereignty Movement, has sent an open letter to Yair Lapid urging him to stand strong for Israel now.
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A number of Zionist organizations – Regavim, Im Tirtzu, The Bithonistim, Ad Kan, and ZOA – jointly submitted a request to the Israel Police for a permit to mount a protest vigil along the route of Joe Biden’s entourage as it visits eastern Jerusalem without an Israeli escort.
The goal of the vigil was “to clearly demonstrate the Zionist view regarding Israeli sovereignty over its unified capital, and to sound the alarm against the government’s failure to express the basic Zionist principle of Jerusalem as the undivided, eternal capital of the sovereign State of Israel.“
The permit was denied by the Police, who maintained that the site of the proposed demonstration would be closed during Biden’s visit; they suggested alternate sites that were not accepted as satisfactory.
Deutsch has indicated that if the police persist in denying them their right of free speech, the Zionist groups plan to seek relief from the High Court of Justice.
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Don’t just be distressed by all of this, my friends, raise your voices, now!
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© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
