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Activists Pleased – IDF to Return to Shdemah

It appears the mesirus nefesh of Women in Green activists has paid off, with the IDF Etzion Brigade Commander Colonel Eran Makov announcing the military is planning to return to Shdemah in about a week, to set up a base at the location. The battle of this strategically located area in Gush Etzion has been ongoing for years, a site that the government literally handed over to the PA (Palestinian Authority), slated to host a hospital, as was reported by YWN-Israel in August 2008 (http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=22837). Women in Green supporters working with Land of Israel Faithful have been maintaining an unrelenting battle, including weekly events such as last Friday’s vehicular convoy, as seen in the photos [furnished by Gemma Blech] (http://picasaweb.google.com/gemmablech/SHDEMATuBShvatCARCONVOY#). Gush Etzion Regional Council leader Shaul Goldstein welcomed the military commander’s announcement, calling it progress, expressing confidence that Shdemah will ultimately be a Jewish community. Goldstein added, “The Council for a Jewish Shdemah has succeeded in its mission and it can now continue and become the ‘Council for a Jewish Jenin’ or ‘for a Jewish Shechem’,” he said half-jokingly. (Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

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Government Planning to Turn Shdemah Base Over to PA

In a somewhat perplexing move, the government appears to be preparing to turn the former Shdemah Base in the Gush Etzion area of Yehuda over to the Palestinian Authority to build a new Arab neighborhood near the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa. Shdemah is designated as a Area “C” under Oslo, under total Israeli control, security and municipal, but Israel nevertheless appears to have decided to hand the former military base over to the PA to enable it to construct a new Arab neighborhood. Ironically, the government recently constructed a new road traveling from the Har Homa area to eastern Gush Etzion to permit area residents a more direct route other than the Tunnel Highway which travels to the other side of Gush Etzion, as well as a safe alternate route since the Tunnel Highway is frequently closed due to suspicious objects and attacks. Arabs are barred from using the new road for the time being. Protestors on Thursday and Friday were on hand at Shdemah to express anger and outrage over the government plan, led by Women in Green co-chairperson Nadia Matar, a resident of Gush Etzion. Residents of the Gush and Har Homa oppose the plan, which will only serve to place area residents in greater jeopardy but all signs indicate the government is determined to give the base away to the PA. United Torah Judaism MK Rabbi Meir Porush is leading a battle to block the move legislatively, realizing the dangers such a new Arab neighborhood would pose to area residents. Porush was a key player in pushing through the Har Homa neighborhood, despite strong White House objections. More interestingly, even Yitzchak Rabin, whose administration signed the Oslo Agreement in 1993, stated the Gush Etzion area is one which enjoys a wide consensus and it would never be given away to the PA. Nevertheless, the latest government plan appears to contradict this position, perhaps signaling Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has different plans for the future of Gush Etzion. (Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

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Hikind Leads “Project Buy a Home” in Judea & Samaria

PHOTO LINK BELOW: A group of 50 American Jews arrived in Israel, Sunday, November 15, for a highly-original four-day tour of Judea, Samaria and eastern Yerushalayim. Their main message, intended for the White House, is: Jews have the right to live in all areas of Israel. According to Dov Hikind, Democratic State Assemblyman(D-NY), leading the mission, “Our goal is to send a clear message to Washington and President Obama that Jews will continue to live in Judea and Samaria and the ultimate commitment American Jews can make is to actually come and buy property in these areas as this will ensure these communities’ security and growth.” Highlights of the mission (open to media) include: ·Monday Touring of Samaria Settlements to Ariel, Alon Moreh, Har Grizim & the Gilad Farm ·Tuesday Touring Shilo, Amona, Shdema and Tekoa ·Wednesday Touring of eastern Jerusalem Jewish Neighborhoods and cornerstone laying of new project in Nof Tzion (near Jabel Mukaber). The mission will bring participants to developing projects in the territories. Hikind says they will be encouraged to make purchases at this time. “Rather than buying second homes in Florida, people must consider buying in our historical homeland,” adding, “We will show the Obama administration that Israel and Jews the world over will never be told where to live or build in our ancient homeland.” YWN PHOTO LINK: Click HERE for photos by Heshy Rubenstein – Israel. (YWN Desk – Jerusalem)

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‘Obama – No You Can’t’ Protest in Jerusalem

A protest is planned for Wednesday, June 3rd, in front of the Israeli Consulate in Jerusalem (Agron Street) on the eve of US President Barak Obama’s trip to Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The event is scheduled to get underway at 6:00pm with participation of members of Knesset, rabbis and public officials who are calling on the new American leader to halt his pressure and demands upon Israel to forfeit portions of Eretz Yisrael. The event is being organized by Women in Green – The action Committees of Efrat-Gush Etzion-Kiryat Arba Chevron, The committee for a Jewish Shdemah-Vaad Mityashvei Shomron, and Vaad Mityashvei Binyamin. For details: Nadia Matar 050-550-0834 Yehudit Katzover 050-716-1818. (Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

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The Battle to Prevent Another Arab Hospital in Gush Etzion

The following report is furnished by Nadia Matar, of the Women in Green organization, pertaining to ongoing efforts to save the Gush Etzion area Shdemah Camp which is an abandoned IDF camp in the Gush. It pertains the 26 Av visit to the area by members of Knesset. Today, 26th of Av 5678, 27/8/08, a tour of the abandoned IDF camp was made by the Knesset Security & Foreign Affairs Subcommittee headed by Knesset member (Kadima) Otniel Schneller. Kol Hakavod to the committee members Otniel Schneller, Tzvi Hendel (National Union), Ran Cohen (Meretz), Rabbi Menachem Porush (UTJ), Rabbi Nissim Ze’ev (Shas), Ze’ev Elkin (Kadima) and Yuli Edelstein (Likud) who arrived at the camp to study the facts as a result of the Arab request to build a hospital in the area of the camp. The Knesset members showed great interest in the subject, asking many questions, such as the influence building this hospital would have on the safety of the people using the road beneath the camp, the impact on the lives of the people living in Har Choma and the possible alternative locations for building the hospital in the area. A representative of the IDF Civil Administration spoke, advising the Knesset members to agree to the Arab demand, even though the area is under Israeli sovereignty. We were appalled to find out that the representative of the Civil Administration knew no details of alternative locations in the area, confirming that there were no discussions about the subject. We found out that the Civil Administration accepted the PA (Palestinian Authority) requests with no protest or discussion. Again it was proven that the civil administration is a tool of the PA instead of fulfilling its duty as a representative of the Israeli government. A historic overview was given by the historian Arik Yitzchaki, emphasizing the strategic importance of the camp, commanding the Za’atra Road. This is proven by the fact that the place was an army base early on, beginning with the Chasmonean fort of Jonathan up to the Jordanian army base and IDF camps. A senior resident of Tekoa, Mrs. Ina Viniarsky, spoke about the tens of terrorist attacks from the east of Beit Sachur on the Jewish transportation in the area and on soldiers in the Shdemah Camp. The deputy mayor of Gush Etzion, Yair Wolf, emphasized the importance of the road for the comfort of the Gush Etzion residents, as it is an alternative to the Route 60, and will help develop tourism in the Herodion area. Representative of Har Choma, Avraham Azulai, commented on the importance of the road for the residents of the neighborhood, and the anxiety of the Har Choma community from a hostile Arab neighborhood two minutes drive away from their homes. Land inspector Chananya Nachliel brought a map, showing a few alternative places for the new hospital. The map was given to the committee members. It is important to mention that Beit Sachur only has about 25,000 residents. The nearby city Beit Lechem has a governmental hospital and the nearby Beit Jala has a birthing clinic that is placed on a large area, ready for expansion. Additionally, we all should remember that the Israeli government will not authorize the building of a hospital in Ashdod, a city with at least 250,000 citizens (Ten

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