By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff
Oct 08, 2004
The Jews of Gaza continue to exude a quiet confidence that the Almighty, Who granted them the right to settle the coastal strip, will not allow them to be uprooted, not even by their own prime minister.
They were adamant, however, that the left-wing media circus surrounding the possibility of a civil war is simply nonsense, and an effort to demonize those who had paid such a high price to settle the land in accordance with the biblical mandate.
During Thursday’s Simhat Torah celebration in the beleaguered Negev town of Sderot, the Gaza settlers passed out flyers outlining a massive, non-violent resistance campaign to save their homes.
Jerusalem Newswire had the opportunity to speak with a senior member of the southern Gaza Jewish community of Neve Dekalim.
‘It’s a matter of faith’
Identifying himself only as “Moshe”, the quiet-spoken father told Jerusalem Newswire , “It’s a matter of faith.” The Jews of Gaza “believe this is their home.”
“When the tribes came to the land, the Almighty placed them according to their inheritance, and He placed us also in [Gaza],” Moshe explained.
The book of Joshua recounts the deeding of the Gaza Strip to the Tribe of Judah. The area is rich with centuries of Jewish history.
And the success of the Gaza Jewish community today is as strong as it ever was, Moshe noted.
“There are such good people here, and the area is so successful in all it does,” he said, pointing out that God’s blessing was clearly on the community because He had planted it there.
Moshe said he and the other Jewish residents of Gaza don’t see Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to uproot them being implemented.
“We are continuing with life as normal. We don’t believe there will be any evacuation.”
Passive resistance
But that doesn’t mean these settlers are sitting around doing nothing to protect their homes.
“I lost three children [out of nine] in Gaza. How can I leave this place,” Moshe asked?
His losses are not uncommon for the Jews of Gaza, many of whom have paid with their blood and that of their families to take hold of God’s promises to their forefathers and settle the land.
As such, the vast majority has responded with contempt to Sharon’s attempts to buy them off with lucrative compensation packages.
“We are organizing resistance, but a passive resistance,” Moshe said.
He dismissed the flood of left-wing media and government assertions that many settlers are ready to resort to violence against the security forces sent to evacuate them.
“We cannot fight with the soldiers. Our resistance will be passive, with much prayer.”
Protest blitz
A group of Gaza settlers operating a booth nearby where Moshe and his family were sitting handed out flyers explaining exactly what this passive resistance campaign would include.
The colorful and professionally done publication explained that the way to defeat Sharon’s plan was to mobilize massive public opposition, which in turn would convince those politicians whose support Sharon needs to vote down the plan.
In line with Moshe’s comments, the brochure made perfectly clear that violence was out of the question.
“Violence is the weapon of the weak who has no confidence in himself,” it read. “People of the truth act with strength born of confidence in the justness of their path and the faith of the public that supports them.”
Instead, the settlers and their supporters plan to hold simultaneous demonstrations in 100 Israeli towns on Thursday, October 14.
According to the flyer, the nation-wide event will clearly convey the message that “the struggle of Gush Katif is not a struggle of its residents alone,” but that it touches every Israeli.
“It is no longer possible to stay at home. We are taking responsibility and joining together for action. We will not let the bulldozers pass!” the flyer concluded.