6 4 5 2 3 1 162 163 Chapter Twelve | The Struggle Over Gush Ka�f On the 11th of Heshvan, 5764 (11/26/2004), the Knesset approved the Law on the Implementa�on of the Disengagement Plan. Later, the Knesset moved on to debates on the Evic�on-Compensa�on law. On the 7th of Adar A, 5765 (02/16/2005), the Knesset approved the "Evic�on-Compensa�on Law" by a smaller majority than expected, 59 MK's vs. 40. Four days later, on the morning of Sunday, 11 of Adar A, 5765, (02/20/2005), the Knesset approved the decision to uproot the se�lements. On the same day, Prime Minister Sharon rushed to sign the evic�on order of the se�lements. On 17th of Adar B, 5765 (03/28/2005), the Knesset dropped the referendum bill. Two days later, the State Budget was approved - thereby removing the last legal obstacle to the uproo�ng of the se�lements. The disappointment in the Prime Minister , considered a friend of the se�lements un�l then - was deep. No one understood the actual reasons behind the painful uproo�ng and what mo�vated Ariel Sharon to change his character and campaign pla�orm and harm democracy—all to destroy a place he loved and which was associated with his name. Many poli�cians had sharp cri�cism of the move, its �ming and the way it was carried out, but none of them took ac�on to prevent it. "The magnitude of the inves�ga�on a�ests to the magnitude of the uproo�ng," said MK Zvi Hendel, meaning that the idea was to divert public opinion from the inves�ga�on that was being conducted against Prime Minister Sharon. Some saw this as an a�empt to get out of the poli�cal deadlock, the American and European pressure and Sharon's sinking popularity. 'Haaretz' newspaper explained the move as crea�ve, a turning point that changes the arena, something new that has not yet been a�empted, and might bring hope. A year a�er the disengagement, Yair Lapid published an ar�cle in 'Yedioth Ahronoth,' where he gave an original explana�on for the phenomenon of the hatred towards the se�lers - "You were too arrogant, manifes�ng your superiority over the secular public and its values, and you received a lesson in modesty and democracy."9 The Human Chain - its Goals and Results Another extensive ac�vity was held on Sunday, the 7th of Av, 5764 (07/25/2004). Its goals were to raise awareness of Gush Ka�f, generate public opposi�on to the Disengagement Plan and strengthen the spirit of Gush Ka�f residents. Rabbi Kobi Bornstein came up with the idea of crea�ng a Human Chain from the northern part of the Gaza Strip to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, with the message - "We are all connected to Gush Ka�f, and Gush Ka�f is connected to the heart of the na�on." Indeed, 130 thousand people stood holding hands across over 90 Kilometers. The residents of Gush Ka�f were joined by mul�ple crowds from the people of Israel. The chain began in Nisanit in the northern part of the Gaza Strip by Yitzhak Shamir of Bnei Darom, one of the fighters of Kfar Darom and its protectors in 5708 (1948), and ended at the Western Wall by his daughter and granddaughter, Tamar and Yael Beter of Neve Dekalim. It brought together genera�ons, sharing a common goal of con�nued Jewish life in the Gaza Strip. The goals of that ini�a�ve were achieved. The human chain, perceived as a grassroots ac�on, generated deep sympathy. who had to wait in the huge traffic jams created as a result expressed their support and enthusiasm. Praise came from all direc�ons, and addi�onal human chains were held abroad in solidarity.10 The next day, the Prime Minister announced that he had no inten�on of withdrawing from the Disengagement Plan. The Diverse Ac�vi�es of the Mateh The campaign's headquarters (the Mateh) realized that the threat was closer and more real than ever before and that the Israeli public did not firmly oppose the Disengagement Plan. Thus, they decided to con�nue the struggle and advocacy efforts. This �me, they took it up in terms of intensity, diverse high-profile ac�vi�es alongside quiet and in�mate ones - but did not change the key course of ac�on nor radical it. Mass ac�vi�es included demonstra�ons, hundreds of buses touring Gush Ka�f, appearances in the wri�en and electronic media, edi�ng promo�onal films, announcing an orange week, se�ng up an orange cell in universi�es, distribu�ng the orange ribbon, and more. Quiet opera�ons included home circles, informa�ve Saturday seminars in different communi�es, lectures to various audiences (military personnel, youth, kibbutzim, workplaces, etc.), 'face-to-face' ac�vi�es - going door to door, mee�ngs with le�-wing individuals, intellectuals and influen�al people in the army, economy and poli�cs.11 The One Hundred Ci�es' Demonstra�on Believing that a change in public opinion might overturn the government's decision, the Mateh shi�ed to horizontal ac�vity. They established ac�on headquarters in many ci�es in Israel and held a 'hundred ci�es demonstra�on'—ac�ng in one hundred locali�es on one day, with a central event open to all and various speakers from among local residents, who brought the voice of Gush Ka�f to their city and its residents. A large public from around Israel rallied to help, becoming ac�vists in this unique campaign, characterized by broad popular ac�vity based on a posi�ve value statement. However, the demonstra�on—which a�racted a large public, explained the importance of the Gaza Strip to Israel's future, showed its agricultural and educa�onal contribu�on, and demonstrated the organiza�onal capacity of the ac�ve, idealis�c, capable public—did not produce the expected results: The media was not passionate, and the public's support did not grow. There was also a success, albeit par�al: Some locali�es discussed Gush Ka�f for the first �me during the event, and ac�on headquarters were born and con�nued to operate and keep in touch with the campaign's headquarters. The Council's spokesperson was responsible to represent the Mateh vis-a-vis the media. Eran Sternberg, the Council's spokesperson, together with Debbie Rosen and Dror Vanunu, addressed the media in a most eloquent and truthful manner. They managed to establish personal rela�onships with media representa�ves and enrolled residents for interviews in Gush Ka�f and elsewhere. They answered ques�ons, reported from the field, and did everything in their power to demonstrate the importance of 1 'The Human Chain' - from Gush Ka�f to the Western Wall 2 MK's tour at the Wasserteil Nurseries in Ganei Tal 3 Informa�on tent in Tel Aviv 4 Conference at Lake Ka�f, Independence Day 5764 5 The Hundred Ci�es Demonstra�on arrives at Petah Tikva 6 Gush Ka�f supporters at a rally in Lake Ka�f
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgzNzA=