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Thousands of Land of Israel activists held a vigil in Jerusalem’s Har Homa neighborhood Tuesday night, defiantly declaring they would continue to build in Jerusalem as well as Judea and Samaria.The protest came a day before the visit of United States President George Bush and took place in what was thought to be a “safe” Jerusalem neighborhood until building there recently came under criticism from the US State Department and was halted mid-way.Activists repeatedly highlighted the irony that a mainstream Jerusalem neighborhood now finds itself in the same situation as even the most far-flung hilltop community, even though Israel annexed all of Jerusalem following the 1967 Six Day War. The two-pronged message was that nobody has the right to divide Jerusalem and that building will continue, with or without the approval of either the Israeli or American government, in Jerusalem as well as Judea and Samaria.The speeches were given from the back of a flatbed truck loaded with building supplies. “We will not stop building this land for a second!” declared Nadia Matar of the Women in Green. The rabbi of Har Homa said that they had no particular love for their neighborhood more than the rest of the land of Israel, but that it was a privilege that they are now on the front lines alongside those living on hilltop towns in Judea and Samaria.Musical interludes were provided by folk/pop legend Ariel Zilber. Despite being cold, wet, and muddy, the crowd kept breaking out in dance.Although initially it was announced that trucks laden with building supplies would depart, for new hilltop communities across Judea and Samaria, from the scene of the event, four of the seven trucks were dispatched directly in order to thwart police plans to intercept them.Activists cheered for the communities they helped build when they were showcased on a large movie screen. Placards with the names of the different new hilltops were held aloft by young activists. Following the protest, the activists traveled to the various locations in Judea and Samaria, where they began building several new communities that were established in recent months. A new community was established during the day Tuesday as well, near Pasgot, overlooking Ramallah. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently announced that he would freeze Jewish construction in all of Judea and Samaria, and that all new building projects in the Jerusalem area would require his personal approval. The PA has demanded that Israel stop building in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem, and, further, destroy existing communities in order to make the area free of Jews prior to the creation of a PA state.The newly established communities (from north to south) are:1) Maalot Halhul, next to Kiryat Arba
2) Givat HaEitam, next to Efrat
3) Netzer, between Elazar and Alon Shvut
4) Mevasseret Adumim, next to Maaleh Adumim
5) Maaleh Ha-Ay, next to Psagot
6) Maoz Esther, next to Kochav HaShachar
7) Givat Ha'or, next to Beit El
8) Shvut Ami, next to kedumim
9) Nofei Hashmonaim, next to Hashmonaim
At press time, police had confiscated building material near Efrat and were attempting to remove activists from Netzer. Police activity was also reporter at the Hevron Heroes outpost between Kiryat Arba and Hevron.
At press time, police had confiscated building material near Efrat and were attempting to remove activists from Netzer. Police activity was also reporter at the Hevron Heroes outpost between Kiryat Arba and Hevron.
by Ezra HaLevi
As in the days of Noah.....
