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| 15:49 - BENEDICT XVI: PRESIDENT OF THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY MAHMOUD ABBAS RECEIVED IN AUDIENCE |
| “Cordial discussions” at the Vatican between Benedict XVI and Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, today. As reported by the Holy See Press Office, the audience provided the context to recall “the Holy Father's own recent trip to the Holy Land”. Then the dialogue focused on the situation in the Middle East and, in particular, on the need “to find a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which the rights of everyone are recognised and respected. In this context, emphasis was given to the importance of co-operation and mutual respect between the parties involved, and of the support of the international community”. Reference was also made “to the situation of Catholics in Palestine, and in the region more generally, and to the contribution they make to social life and to peaceful coexistence among peoples”. After the audience President Abbas went on to meet Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone who was accompanied by Dominique Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States. |
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| 15:29 - HOLY LAND: SABBAH (FORMER PATRIARCH) “A SPECIAL STATUS FOR JERUSALEM” | ||
| “A special status for Jerusalem that guarantees the rights of all citizens, and at the same time guarantees freedom of access to all pilgrims”. It has been asked by Michel Sabbah, former Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem on the occasion of a recent pastoral visit (23rd September) to the local American Arab Catholic community of the Los Angeles area. During his lecture on the theme “Jerusalem, city of Peace”, issued only yesterday by the Latin Patriarchate, Sabbah points out that “any political power that governs Jerusalem must take into consideration this universal vocation of the city and give it this special status guaranteeing the rights of citizens, as capital for the Palestinian state, as well as capital for the Israeli state, and as spiritual capital for humanity”. “Whoever governs Jerusalem – states the former patriarch - has the duty to take into account all this past and universal history without falling into an egoistic, nationalist view that excludes others, imposing a reality that works against the survival of all identities with equal rights and duties and condemns the city to remaining a source of war | ”. ) |
In Sabbah’s vision, “who lives in Jerusalem, lives with God” therefore “he cannot remains limited within his own community. Living with God means share the grace of God and also pains and the joys. I lived in Jerusalem for 20 years as Patriarch of Jerusalem with and for my small Roman Catholic community but also with and for all Christians, as well as with and for all Moslems and Jews”. But the situation of the Holy city is very different. Adds Sabbah: “In these years in Jerusalem I have seen a wall that divides the main roads, confiscations of houses and land, creation of new Jewish neighborhoods, Palestinians limited in their efforts of development, and worse than all that is the poison of hatred of the other, due to one’s own blindness that makes oneself incapable of seeing the other as a creature of God”. The former patriarch doesn’t miss to speak about the religious leaders: “they, on their side, fill Jerusalem with formal rituals and prayers. But, within these formal rituals, the same heart that worships has war inside towards its neighbor. It worships God but rejects the creatures of God, because they are others, they are different, as religion and nation
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Army Bans Land of Israel Activists From Home
Tishrei 24, 5770, 12 October 09 04:41
by Hillel Fendel(Israelnationalnews.com) In response to the abrupt announcement that three activists may not return to their homes in Samaria for six months, residents say leftists have taken over the army’s Central Command.
Early Monday morning, IDF Central District Commander Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni issued orders banning two prominent Land of Israel activists from returning to their homes, or anywhere in the Shomron (Samaria), for the next six months. The two are Ariel Gruner and Akiva HaCohen, both fathers of four children and residents of Yitzhar in the Shomron.
This is not the first time for either of them: In July 2006, Gruner - whose youngest son is now ten days old - was placed in prison for seven weeks under administrative detention orders generally employed against Arab terrorists. He was then placed under “caravan arrest” in a small Jordan Valley community for three months, followed by a three-month ban on entering Judea and Samaria. In August 2008, HaCohen was banned from the Shomron, where he lives, for four months.
A Third Expellee
Several hours later, Shamni issued similar orders against a third Yitzhar resident, Eliav Eliyahu, 19, who has been married for less than a year.
The official explanation for the latest orders: “Information has been received of their involvement in violent and illegal activity… and in light of the genuine danger foreseen from them to security and public order.”
The Shomron Residents Committee responded, “This decision by Gen. Shamni to distance two young men from their families for six months with the weak excuse of ‘danger’ is an evil, arbitrary, cruel and brutal move. The radical left has taken over the top brass of the Central Command, making intolerable use of their authority and power, and the Prime Minister and the Cabinet ministers of the nationalist camp must put an end to this phenomenon.”
Worse Conditions than Prisoners
David Ha'ivri, Director of the Shomron Liaison Office, said: "The forced banishment of men who are providers for their families causes unfair damage to their income and disrupts their families' well-being... If there is credible evidence of any wrongdoing, let a trial take place; extrajudicial moves have no place in Israel's legal system. Moreover, we demand that all expenses such as loss of livelihood, etc., be covered by the State."
Yitzhar spokesman Yigal Amitai noted that jailed prisoners are provided with room and board, and their families are also provided for in some form, whereas "in this case, it appears that as far as the State is concerned, these activists can simply evaporate; there is no provision for alternative housing or sustenance."
Early Monday morning, IDF Central District Commander Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni issued orders banning two prominent Land of Israel activists from returning to their homes, or anywhere in the Shomron (Samaria), for the next six months. The two are Ariel Gruner and Akiva HaCohen, both fathers of four children and residents of Yitzhar in the Shomron.
This is not the first time for either of them: In July 2006, Gruner - whose youngest son is now ten days old - was placed in prison for seven weeks under administrative detention orders generally employed against Arab terrorists. He was then placed under “caravan arrest” in a small Jordan Valley community for three months, followed by a three-month ban on entering Judea and Samaria. In August 2008, HaCohen was banned from the Shomron, where he lives, for four months.
A Third Expellee
Several hours later, Shamni issued similar orders against a third Yitzhar resident, Eliav Eliyahu, 19, who has been married for less than a year.
The official explanation for the latest orders: “Information has been received of their involvement in violent and illegal activity… and in light of the genuine danger foreseen from them to security and public order.”
The Shomron Residents Committee responded, “This decision by Gen. Shamni to distance two young men from their families for six months with the weak excuse of ‘danger’ is an evil, arbitrary, cruel and brutal move. The radical left has taken over the top brass of the Central Command, making intolerable use of their authority and power, and the Prime Minister and the Cabinet ministers of the nationalist camp must put an end to this phenomenon.”
Worse Conditions than Prisoners
David Ha'ivri, Director of the Shomron Liaison Office, said: "The forced banishment of men who are providers for their families causes unfair damage to their income and disrupts their families' well-being... If there is credible evidence of any wrongdoing, let a trial take place; extrajudicial moves have no place in Israel's legal system. Moreover, we demand that all expenses such as loss of livelihood, etc., be covered by the State."
Yitzhar spokesman Yigal Amitai noted that jailed prisoners are provided with room and board, and their families are also provided for in some form, whereas "in this case, it appears that as far as the State is concerned, these activists can simply evaporate; there is no provision for alternative housing or sustenance."
Undemocratic Tools
The Land of Israel Faithful Movement stated: “We sharply and unambiguously condemn these distancing orders. We demand that the Government of Israel – a nationalist government – put an immediate halt to this wrongful use of these non-democratic tools that are reminiscent of dark periods in our history.”
The Land of Israel Faithful Movement stated: “We sharply and unambiguously condemn these distancing orders. We demand that the Government of Israel – a nationalist government – put an immediate halt to this wrongful use of these non-democratic tools that are reminiscent of dark periods in our history.”
MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) criticized what he called the “thought police,” and asked why it is that pro-Arab activists and anarchists in the Bil’in and Naalin protests “who throw rocks at soldiers” never receive such orders.
You got a few days to pack and leave your house!!
By Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katzover
Imagine the following scene:
You are a building contractor on your way to work. You have been asked to deliver some building material to a client. You park your car, and out of the blue, 10 to 12 detectives and policemen run towards you, surround you and hand you a piece of paper telling you: "This is an expulsion order. You are being expelled from your home and community and area for the next 6 months. You got 5 days to pack. If we find you in your home after that, you will be arrested and jailed". Not sure yet whether this is true or just a bad joke, you ask the police: "But why? What did I do? What are the charges?".
The police answers: "No comment. That's the way it is."
Sounds like a scene from Kafka? Well, this is what happened this past Sunday to Akiva Hacohen, 25 year old resident of Yitzhar, building contractor, when he delivered some building material to a client.
On Sunday October 11 Akiva was given orders expelling him from his home and from Judea and Samaria for 6 months at least. Akiva is married to Ayelet and they have 3 children. Ayelet is pregnant with number four please G-d.. Two other residents of Yitzhar were given similar expulsion orders. Ariel Gruner, 27 year old, married and father of 3 children and Eliav Eliyahu, 20 year old, recently married and they are expecting their first child.
Like in previous times when this has happened, here too it is IDF Central District Commander Maj.-Gen. Gadi Shamni, known for his animosity towards Land of Israel lovers, who has signed the expulsion orders. For the entire story you can click on the link to the Arutz 7 report about it at the end of this article.
As usual, there were no specific charges to the expulsion orders.
During the period of forced expulsion the government does not provide the expellees with any compensation or help to find alternative arrangements. The expellees have to find and pay for a place to live, and employment. At the present time, Akiva is working as a contractor building homes in the area of Yitzhar, where they live, and grinding wheat and selling the flour. This will no longer be possible. Likewise for Ariel and Eliav who will also lose their job.
Women in Green call upon all of us, friends of Israel in Israel and abroad, to express our outrage at this persecution of these wonderful Jews, lovers of the Land of Israel. The more noise we make about this, the more the authorities will reconsider and think twice about ever doing this again. See below for WHAT WE CAN DO.
The official, ridiculous, explanation given is that those Jewish fathers " are a danger for the public order". Our message is: If Akiva, Ariel and Eliav have violated the law, why aren't they charged and brought into court? Why are the reasons for their expulsion secret? The answer is clear: Because those expulsion orders have nothing to do with law and order. In fact they are a violation of basic norms of all enlightened democratic systems when one is only accused with due process. We know those great Jewish men. The only so-called "crime" they can be accused of is that they are proud Jews and loyal to the land of Israel. The expulsion orders are political tools meant to demoralize the national camp ; who knows, maybe before what might soon come G-d forbid, a new wave of destruction of outposts and communities. We protest this and demand that the expulsion orders against Akiva Hacohen, Ariel Gruner and Eliav Eliyahu be cancelled immediately.The more noise we make about this, the more the authorities will reconsider not only the expulsion decrees, but any other decrees they might be planning for the next few weeks.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO?
1) Maj-Gen Gadi Shamni, who signed the expulsion orders and is known for his animosity to the national camp, is leaving Israel next week to become the IDF's military attaché in Washington. If he thinks he could sign those expulsion orders and then go to Washington where nobody will remind him of the shameful expulsion orders, he should reconsider. Women in Green call upon all Washington friends of Israel to find out where exactly Gadi Shamni will be located and organize lawful vigils in front of his home and work with a clear message: Shame on you for expelling Akiva, Ariel and Eliav. Cancel the expulsion orders and let these 3 Jewish fathers go back home!
Vigils like these are very effective and important.
2) For those living abroad: Please contact the Israeli Embassy or consulate in your country to protest these expulsion orders
For the link to the Israel Embassy and consulate Directory: http://www.science.co.il/embassy.asp
Let Israeli embassies in Holland, France, belgium, Australia, Canada etc...receive emails, calls and faxes in support of Akiva, Ariel and Eliav.
Same for US Citizens: please contact the Israeli embassy in Washington, Ambassador Michael Oren, and your local Israeli consul
Israeli embassy in Washington: Tel: 202-364-5500 Deputy Chief of Mission: Mr. Dan Arbell Fax: (202) 364-5560
Defense and Armed Forces Attaché Major General Benjamin Gantz Tel: (202) 364-5403 Fax: (202) 364-5503
link to all other departments in the Embassy in Washington: http://www.israelemb.org/about_us.html
3) Obviously we must also contact the Israeli politicians. Emails are ok but phonecalls and faxes are better.
For all contact info (telephone and fax) for Israeli ministers please click on:
http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/Government/Offices/
Emails of Israeli ministers (thank you to Suzy Dym):
sar@moch.gov.il ; roeil@moin.gov.il ; minister@most.gov.il ; ministerts@most.gov.il ; sar@tourism.gov.il ; sar@mfa.gov.il ; sar@mof.gov.il ; sar@mops.gov.il ; yedelstein@knesset.gov.il ; gerdan@knesset.gov.il ; bbegin@knesset.gov.il ; myaalon@knesset.gov.il ; mcachlon@knesset.gov.il ; yiskatz@knesset.gov.il ; llivnat@knesset.gov.il ; gsaar@knesset.gov.il ; ypeled@knesset.gov.il ; ysteinitz@knesset.gov.il ; sshalom@knesset.gov.il ; iaharon@knesset.gov.il ; aliberman@knesset.gov.il ; ulandau@knesset.gov.il ; slandver@knesset.gov.il ; smiseznikov@knesset.gov.il ; dhershkovitz@knesset.gov.il ; mnahari@knesset.gov.il ; aatias@knesset.gov.il ; eyishay@knesset.gov.il ; ymargi@knesset.gov.il ; yakovm@dat.gov.il ; sar@sviva.gov.il ; sar@moc.gov.il ; sar@moia.gov.il ; sar@environment.gov.il ; sar@mni.gov.il ; zelkin@knesset.gov.il
Please ask others to join this effort, especially prominent community leaders and rabbis.
4) Lastly, the families to be expelledfrom Yitzhar need apartments for 6 months.
If anyone can help, or knows of someone who has an empty apartment,
please let them know: Akiva: 054 765 7556, Ayelet: 054 638 2106,Zangy (Honenu): 052 566 5975
The police have given Akiva, Ariel and Eliav a few days to comply, after which time they will be arrested, so time is of the essence.
The families have hired lawyers, but so far they have not been able to stop the proceedings.
As the famous quote goes: "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing "
We are doing! For Jerusalem's sake we will not be silent!
With love for Israel,
Nadia Matar, Women in Green
Yehudit Katzover, the committee for a Jewish Shdema
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