.
Commentary;
Israel National News has reported, as have other media, about the 3 young married men living on Hilltops; 2 from Givat Adei Ad next to Shilo, and a 3rd man from a hilltop at Yitzhar who are being singled out by the military command for eviction on bogus grounds.
I am told that the original eviction date was set for Friday, however, in one case where the individual responded to the eviction order asking why he was being evicted, the eviction date was pushed back to next Tuesday.
I spoke by phone with the fellow from Yitzhar who is asking the following;
- The 3 men are all family men and thus need a combined total of 20,000 NIS per month in order to see that their families are cared for financially during the period covered by the eviction.
- If the 3 men can have their families supported, it will cause others at the other Hilltops to brave military and government threats against them regarding their continued residence on the Hilltops.
The mechanism for receipt of funds for this Mitzvah is apparently being handled by way of Honenu.
Those living in the US should make donation checks payable to;
Honenu (501-C3 ID# 30-0198003)
Mail checks to;
Honenu
P.O. Box 150296
Kew Gardens, NY 11415
USAPlace on the memo line of the check: Honenu – The New Foundation for the Evicted
In this way, the funds will then be forwarded to Honenu for the use of the families of the 3 evicted men.
Those living in Israel should make their donations directly to;
Honenu — specifying that the funds go to; The New Foundation for the Evicted
Three Jews Banned from their Homes in Samaria, by Hillel Fendel (Israel National News)
Excerpts;
The police and army have issued orders banning three Shomron Jews from their homes for three to four months. The explanation: “Your presence in the area represents a danger to the public order.”
Various press reports state that the reason for the temporary expulsion is that the three might “disturb the Arab olive harvest.” However, one of the three, Akiva HaCohen of Yitzhar, told IsraelNationalNews that this has nothing to do with the truth. “The olive harvest season begins only at the end of my four-month expulsion,” he said.
The other two newly-homeless Jews are David Libman and Meir Bretler of Adei Ad, near Shilo, though Libman has not yet been actually handed the orders, as the police do not know where he is. The three will not be permitted to be in the Shomron for the next four months – three, in the case of Bretler – because of the unspecified dangers the police claim they present.
HaCohen says it has nothing to do with “dangers,” but rather with “solidarity.” “I am of the strong opinion,” he told IsraelNationalNews, “that the reason they got me is because of a pact that was recently made among the various Shomron towns called ‘Mutual Responsibility,’ which states that whenever the army or police come to evict Jews from a hilltop or town, the Jews of all the other towns and hilltops in the area do what they can to stop it – even if it is only by standing in an intersection and reciting Psalms or holding signs. The General Security Service (Shabak) seems to think that I’m involved, and that’s why they have given me these orders.”
“Not a Personal Problem, but National”
HaCohen and his wife have three children, aged 4.5 and down. Asked what he plans to do for the next four months and whether his family will join him, he said, “The issue here is not a humanitarian one for me and my family, but rather a national one. The authorities’ weak point is that they can’t take it when we show solidarity with each other.”They have until Friday to leave home, or four more days if they file an appeal – which they do not think will be successful. The IDF Office for Public Complaints can be faxed at 03-569-9400.
The Legal Forum for the Land of Israel released this statement: ” If there is evidence of a crime, those suspected must be tried – but not restricted in this arbitrary manner. This is an intolerable blow to civil rights that must be stopped. It is not rooted in any law, but is rather given solely to the arbitrary decision of the military commander [O.C. Central Command Maj.-Gen. Gad Shamni] in the area.”