The Israeli government is preparing us for the pullout from Gaza and part of Judea/Samaria by de-legitimizing the Jews who live there. The beginnings of this de-legitimization can be seen in the newspaper, and no doubt there will be more as we get closer to the date of the pullout.
It is perhaps the strangest thing to see...the demise of democracy in Israel. Ariel Sharon was elected by a majority as a strong pro-"settlement", anti-rewarding terror prime minister, and amazingly enough, soon afterward began speaking about "occupied territories" and the need for another Arab state (21 states obviously isn't enough).
This was not the platform a majority of Israelis voted Sharon into office on. He has gone and made a complete 180 degree turn on what he promised when running for office. He has gone against his mandate. As a result of this, he now intends to remove the Jews from Gaza and part of Judea/Samaria.
How do you do all this and still stay in office? By de-legitimizing your opponents. The news has begun (and watch this trend will continue) to compare the contentious atmosphere in Israel as similar to the time prior to Yitzchak Rabin's killing.
Sharon pushed against having a national referendum (and was successful). In a statement against this referendum (Feb.10,'05) he speaks about the pressures against the disengagement. "These pressures emanate from within the Likud, as well as by parties outside the Likud, such as: "Kach" and "Yesha"....I wish to make myself clear: whoever supports the national referendum is against evacuating Gaza. He is against the disengagement."
What Sharon is doing is very smart. First he compares Kach and Yesha. Yesha is the representative body of Jews living in Gaza, Judea and Samaria. Kach is supposedly a "terrorist" organization, which supports the repatriation of the Arabs living in Israel to the surrounding Arab countries. Since Kach is supposedly a terrorist organization, by placing Kach and Yesha in the same sentence -- Sharon is placing them in the same camp of "terrorists", thereby de-legitimizing those against disengagement (and those living in those areas).
Second, Sharon makes it clear that anyone for the national referendum is against disengagement. This may be true, however, this a slap against democracy. Such an important decision should certainly be brought to a general vote. He has effectively disenfranchised the general Israeli population who had originally placed him in office.
Rallies against disengagement have taken place all over Israel. Hundreds of thousands of Israelis -- settlers and others, have demonstrated against what they feel will hurt Israel. Of course none of these rallies or demonstrations are shown on the mainstream media.
Continue to listen for certain key words: "incitement", "threatening atmosphere", "intimidation", or "Yitzchak Rabin". When the day arrives that the Jews are taken out of their homes, they will not be treated with the respect they deserve. Those who do not evacuate by the deadline can be sent to jail for up to six months. Other people in the area can be sent to jail for two years. Families may be sent to jail together.
The people living in Gaza, Judea and Samaria are heroes. They have settled the area knowing they would be open to attack by Arabs. They have settled and made their homes there believing that the land was given to them by G-d. They deserve better than to be vilified as "crazy" or "terrorists" or "obstacles to peace". They deserve better than to have their homes taken from them by undemocratic means. They deserve a lot better. They deserve our thanks and our support.
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