The weather has cooled off a bit, and it was even cloudy in Haifa this morning. What a blessing; we've had a heat wave for days. I understand that you have too, both on the East Coast and in California! It was nice to have a little break, and it's supposed to last for a few days.
The temperature of the people has definitely not cooled off. There are only two more weeks until the disengagement is implemented and it is really a time of strife here. Tomorrow a huge demonstration is scheduled, and unlike the one last week at Cfar Maimon, which was remarkably calm, this one is rumored to be more confrontative. A huge police force and army force has been gathered around Gush Katif. These demonstrations cost hundreds of thousands (millions?) of shekels, and as some columnists have pointed out, with all the police in the South, who's minding the police stations in the rest of the country? As I imagine you have read, several of the rabbis from the settlements have urged the settlers to taunt the soldiers (especially the religious ones) and get them to disobey orders to evacuate. And many settlers are doing it. This action is being decried by everyone who is not a settler, since it is tantamount to sedition to suggest that soldiers follow the orders of their rabbis rather than their commanders! And while kipa-wearing religious soldiers have a reputation for being excellent soldiers and officers, the army higher-ups are now saying that they don't want them because of the threat that they might disobey orders!
One of the things that has been very interesting to me is the fact that the settlers are using a lot of Holocaust imagery to try and make their point. As you will understand, the Holocaust is a very upsetting thought to a large number of the people who live here. Holocaust imagery is used to play on this upset -- to manipulate people's minds into sympathy with the settlers. Some demonstrators write numbers on their arms, as if they were prisoners. The slogan "Jews do not expel Jews" is the language of the pogrom. But of course Jews who are being evacuated from Gaza are not being shipped off to another country; they are being resettled in Israel. The Holocaust is not happening again here! But still, after 60 years, this imagery upsets people and it is used very purposefully to upset them and win them over to their point of view.
And sadly, it looks like the government has not adequately prepared for this huge move. They are building new communities for the settlers, but the communities are not ready for them. And because the Gaza residents have refused to accept the fact that they have to move, they have not planned either. So who knows what will happen on moving day? On August 15th the government will publicize through every means possible that the evacuation will take place on the 17th. Those residents who do not leave will not receive compensation from the government. The guy who is the head of the opertion believes that 95% of the people will walk out. I think he's right. But there will surely be violence and struggle with the other 5% and with those who have illegally infiltrated into Gaza and are living there now in tents.
We send you lots of good wishes, and hopes that it has cooled off a bit where you live too!
Pat
The temperature of the people has definitely not cooled off. There are only two more weeks until the disengagement is implemented and it is really a time of strife here. Tomorrow a huge demonstration is scheduled, and unlike the one last week at Cfar Maimon, which was remarkably calm, this one is rumored to be more confrontative. A huge police force and army force has been gathered around Gush Katif. These demonstrations cost hundreds of thousands (millions?) of shekels, and as some columnists have pointed out, with all the police in the South, who's minding the police stations in the rest of the country? As I imagine you have read, several of the rabbis from the settlements have urged the settlers to taunt the soldiers (especially the religious ones) and get them to disobey orders to evacuate. And many settlers are doing it. This action is being decried by everyone who is not a settler, since it is tantamount to sedition to suggest that soldiers follow the orders of their rabbis rather than their commanders! And while kipa-wearing religious soldiers have a reputation for being excellent soldiers and officers, the army higher-ups are now saying that they don't want them because of the threat that they might disobey orders!
One of the things that has been very interesting to me is the fact that the settlers are using a lot of Holocaust imagery to try and make their point. As you will understand, the Holocaust is a very upsetting thought to a large number of the people who live here. Holocaust imagery is used to play on this upset -- to manipulate people's minds into sympathy with the settlers. Some demonstrators write numbers on their arms, as if they were prisoners. The slogan "Jews do not expel Jews" is the language of the pogrom. But of course Jews who are being evacuated from Gaza are not being shipped off to another country; they are being resettled in Israel. The Holocaust is not happening again here! But still, after 60 years, this imagery upsets people and it is used very purposefully to upset them and win them over to their point of view.
And sadly, it looks like the government has not adequately prepared for this huge move. They are building new communities for the settlers, but the communities are not ready for them. And because the Gaza residents have refused to accept the fact that they have to move, they have not planned either. So who knows what will happen on moving day? On August 15th the government will publicize through every means possible that the evacuation will take place on the 17th. Those residents who do not leave will not receive compensation from the government. The guy who is the head of the opertion believes that 95% of the people will walk out. I think he's right. But there will surely be violence and struggle with the other 5% and with those who have illegally infiltrated into Gaza and are living there now in tents.
We send you lots of good wishes, and hopes that it has cooled off a bit where you live too!
Pat
posted by Frank and Pat Fischer at 6:30 PM
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