MIGRON AND GOD’S JEWISH WARRIORS 9/5/07
Many of us watched, with interest, CNN’s recent documentary hosted by their superb journalist Christiane Amanpour. Perhaps some Jewish viewers felt more comfortable watching her segment on Muslim fanaticism than they did seeing her portrayal of the religious settlers of the West Bank. She did not equate Islamist suicide bombers with the settlers but did find one common thread for Jewish, Christian and Muslim extremists. All of them proclaimed that they were following the message of their God, bringing the holy word directly into politics. Of course, CNN’s message is that this produces a politics on all sides which is rigid and uncompromising, for who can compromise God’s will.
Amanpour did not seek to determine the influence of the Jewish Warriors, on today’s state of Israel, but did show how the state constantly acquiesced in and even encouraged settlement expansion on Palestinian lands. Long time settlers winked and smiled at the subterfuges that had been used, masking a settlement as a military base, and the like.
Hanan Porath, a founder of the Gush Emunim, is contrasted to another veteran of the ’67 war, Yakov Barnea, who proclaims that the only Messiah he listens to is Handel’s. Leaders of the state do not themselves listen to God but they have certainly listened to the settlement movement, as it continues to expand not only established settlements, often on Palestinian owned land, but also almost 100 illegal outposts. These outposts, ruled as illegal not only by the American roadmap, but also by the Israeli courts, remain as evidence to the Palestinians and to the world that Israel is not following the path of peace.
The largest of these illegal outposts of God’s Warriors is Migron, begun five years ago, but now containing 43 families, 60 trailers and two permanent homes. It began at the end of 2001 when the IDF received a request to place a cellular antenna at the top of a hill, in order to improve communication, and with the potential to rescue terror victims. Brigadier General Ilan Paz, who granted the request, only realized later that he had been deceived, when the area was fenced and trailers brought in. The settlers’ trickery had worked once again, to establish an outpost on private Palestinian land. This was compounded by a government which invested 4 million (NIS) of public funds in this illegal enterprise.
In October 2006 Peace Now, acting for the first time with the rightful Palestinian landowners, petitioned the courts for the evacuation of the outpost. Talia Sasson who authored an outposts report, on the request of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon declared that “The establishment of unauthorized outposts involves the commission of crimes.” The issue now is whether the state has the desire or the will to confront the Migron “criminals”, more of God’s warriors, and those in the other illegal outposts. In response to Peace Now’s petition, the State admitted that establishment of the outpost was a mistake and admitted that Migron stands on private Palestinian lands. Finally this February the Supreme Court ordered the State to report within 60 days on the steps it had taken to remove the outpost. With a new Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, the State has asked for more time, in order for the Minister to master his dossier.
Migron and the other outposts are manifestations of God’s Jewish Warriors determination to realize the biblical imperatives of occupying, what they regard, as the entire ancient land of Israel. There is much discussion now of a deal between the settlers and the State whereby the former would leave a few dilapidated shacks in return for a broad government “laundering” of most of the outposts. In any case, the continuing failure of the State to deal with the outposts casts doubt on the intentions of a government which even now is negotiating with the Palestinians on the principles for ending the occupation. No Palestinian government can make peace with an Israel which continues to sanction the illegal occupation of their land. Olmert, Barak and all of Israel’s leaders must decide whether they govern in the interest of most Israelis, who desire peace and security more than land, or continue to bow to the threats of God’s Warriors.
