An Evening Bright With Hope in Homesh, by Hana Levi Julian (Israel National News)
Excerpts;
The site of the destroyed Samaria community of Homesh came alive Monday night with dancing and singing and plans for the future.
The musician “Yirmiyahu” provided melodies and musings in what participants called a “Woodstock with separate seating” atmosphere. Fireworks augmented light provided by a generator that was recently hidden in the abandoned infrastructure.
A brit milah (ritual circumcision) is set for Tuesday afternoon at the site and as participants celebrate the future of a tiny Jewish boy, so too are they planning to someday celebrate the rebuilt community of Homesh.
Security forces kept a low profile as activists marched the seven kilometers from Shavei Shomron. The IDF estimates that some 3,500 people returned to Homesh, with soldiers guarding the marchers as they streamed toward the site even as they blocked vehicles from entering the area.
Many came with tents and sleeping bags and prepared to spend the night – and possibly longer – among the ruins where homes used to stand.
Participants in Monday’s return to Homesh vowed to rebuild the community once more, regardless of how long it takes.
Homesh Marchers Pitch Tents; Many Leave
Excerpts;
“There have been attempts to bring fresh supplies up to Homesh, but the IDF has been stopping all cars attempting to ascend. Sources within the IDF stated that there would be no attempt to evacuate Homesh before Tuesday morning.”
Thousands at Homesh; IDF on Stand-by, by Hillel Fendel (Israel National News)
Excerpts;
3,000 activists have arrived at the destroyed community of Homesh. IDF forces are not stopping them – but a clash may happen tomorrow.
3,000 young activists, and some of their families, have arrived at the site of the destroyed Samaria community of Homesh- unfurling an Israeli flag at the site for the first time in a year and a half. Hundreds more are on the way, having reached Shavei Shomron by bus and marching the remaining seven kilometers by foot. The IDF is guarding the marchers, but blocking vehicles from entering the area.
In an abrupt about-face, the security forces – army and police – decided last night (Sunday) that instead of mass arrests, threats to sue for law-enforcement costs, and possible violence, they would enable thousands of “orange” activists to reach Homesh today. They are considering allowing protestors to spend the night there as well.
IDF sources were later quoted as saying they would “dry them out,” planning to prevent large supplies from reaching the protestors. They would thus wait for the activists to “break down” because of the difficult conditions and leave.
Boaz HaEtzni, one of the organizers, told Arutz-7’s Ruti Avraham in response, “I love this chain of events. First they said they wouldn’t let us go up, and now they say they will wait us out. The ball is in our court, and we see it as a challenge, under good conditions. The weather is good and the army is not stopping us. If there are a million people in Israel who feel really strongly about this, then despite the holiday, or maybe because of it, and if everyone realizes that it is in his hands, Homesh will be rebuilt.”
Related report: Homesh Backers Pitching Tents, Intend To Stay
There is No Point in Stopping the March to Homesh’, by Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
Full Text;
As dozens of settler youth carrying backpacks and sleeping bags set out Monday morning for the site of the former northen Samaria settlement Homesh, Boaz Ha’etzani, one of the march’s organizers, told Army Radio on Monday morning that there was “no point” in stopping the march.
“Infinite forces couldn’t keep us from returning [to Homesh],” he said. “We’re ready for that – we’ve brought our heads, so they can split them open.”
Turning to practical questions, Ha’etzani said that the road to Homesh was steep and marchers would not be able to carry supplies for more than 48 hours.
“After [that], we’ll supply people in a more orderly fashion. There is a core group of 30 families who intend to live there – all the rest are there to help and we hope that there will be more than 5,000 people,” he said.
Analysis: Attempting to Bridge the Gap with the Settlers
[Legendary IDF fighter] Meir Har Tzion Supports Homesh March
IDF Will Not Block Homesh March
‘Homesh First’ Group Issues Directives for Monday
A year since violent clashes left hundreds injured during the evacuation of Amona, right-wing activists and security forces were set to face off Monday as thousands of people were expected to try to reclaim the former settlement.
The IDF and the organizers held round-the-clock negotiations Sunday night in an attempt to reach a compromise that would allow the activists to march to the former settlement – evacuated in 2005 under the disengagement plan – and possibly even spend the night there.
“We are not interested in violence,” explained a high-ranking officer from the Judea and Samaria District. “The plan is to let them climb the mountain and possibly spend the night and then return.”
Yossi Dagan, chief organizer of the march and a former resident of the settlement of Sa-Nur – which was evacuated alongside Homesh – denied that an agreement had been reached and said that the activists would not give up their efforts to rebuild the evacuated settlement.
“We have not reached an agreement with anyone,” Dagan said. “We plan to go there and rebuild our homes. If they try to remove us, they might succeed, but in the end we will rebuild Homesh and all the other places that were evacuated.”
Dagan predicted that over 2,000 people would participate in the march which was scheduled to begin from the nearby settlement of Shavei Shomron.
Calling the organizers “extremists,” Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Sunday that the government would not permit the “illegal takeover” of evacuated settlements.
“We will not allow anyone to take over settlements,” Peretz said during a tour of Gaza-belt communities in the South. He added that the IDF and Israel Police would deploy sufficient forces to prevent the activists from marching to the settlement.
Labor MK Pines Paz Slams Olmert, Peretz as ‘Spineless’
Commentary;
Has Pines forgotten who the Prime Minister was who instigated the police brutality upon the Jews at Amona? MB
Homesh Activists: We Mean to Stay
First Group of Settlers Arrives in Homesh