June 2000
June 1, 2000 The Forty Thousand Mothers
June 4, 2000 Demonstration -- Barak, Stop! We Are Not the SLA!
June 6, 2000 Albright Go Home
June 7, 2000 Not Just Like Sheep
June 8, 2000 Reminder: Demonstration on Sunday
June 14, 2000 Forty Thousand Mothers Keep the Pressure on Barak
June 21, 2000 Panel Discussion with Nadia Matar
June 21, 2000 Op-Ed: Finally, the Truth about the Pollard Affair
June 22, 2000 Fax Ovadia Yosef--Don't Betray Eretz Yisrael
June 23, 2000 The Great Ruse
June 23, 2000 Waste Water!
June 29, 2000 Demonstration Reminder
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, June 1, 2000
The Forty Thousand Mothers
To the Prime Minister, Mr. Ehud Barak - before Your Trip to Germany.
We, the women of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, address the following to
you:
According to all the reports, the government intends, in practice, to
hand over all of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza to the PLO Authority. Today
we know that it can be expected that the retreat from Lebanon will
constitute the model for the implementation of the plan in Judea,
Samaria, and Gaza as well: the government will abandon the Jewish
settlers, with the goal that they will leave, panic-stricken, and
flee. In shame and pain we watched the hasty IDF abandonment of
Lebanon, that left our allies to their fate. We saw the SLA wives
fleeing from the murderers, in a desperate attempt to save their
children and themselves from the worst of all, while the Israeli
government denies all responsibility. Will this be our fate as well?
It is still possible for you to stop this suicidal act - that
will bring disaster and war upon the entire State of Israel.
*We proclaim that after any decision, during any implementation, in
any situation - we will remain in our homes and in our settlements.*
We regard the IDF as the body charged with our well-being and
security, but, unfortunately, already in the current reality, there
is no security for the settlements and there is no security on the
roads. If, in addition, the IDF will withdraw from Judea, Samaria,
and Gaza, we will be forced to defend our settlements, our children,
our homes, and our lands. It is well known that the settlements are
not prepared for an Arab military attack and prolonged siege.
We therefore demand that the government supply the settlements with
arms and ammunition, immediately, this very day, at a level that will
enable us to face the enemy's forces and his weaponry. This is in
tandem with the combat training of the inhabitants. The program must
make possible the survival, development, and continuation of normal
life in the settlements and on the roads.
If we do not receive an answer within a few days, we will regard
this as confirmation that the government intends to abandon us and
leave us at the mercy of the enemy, without protection. We will be
forced to take steps to ensure our self-defense.
With the blessings of the People and the Land,
"Forty Thousand Mothers"
Efrat: Nadia Matar, Naomi Baruchi
Kiriat Arba: Naomi Frankel, Bellah Gonen
Tekoa: Anita Finkelstein, Shaine Ben-Gershom, Yael Ami-El
Maaleh Hever: Limor Sadeh
Mitzpeh Jericho: Faniah Schiffman, Rinah Marks
Ofrah: Irena Kobos
Bat Ayin: Avivah Karpel, Keren Neturah
Beit Haggai: Hanny Lior
Otniel: Nehamah Amitai
Kedumim: Esther Krish, Shosh Shilo, Hannah Gofer
Ariel: Tammy Cohen
Beit El: Ninah Mann
Gush Katif: Ayalah Azran
Alon Shvut: Elisheva Ginsberg, Yehudit Dasberg
--------------------------------------------------
A demonstration of mothers and children, along with supporters, will
be held, God willing, on Sunday, June 11, 2000, at 8:30 a.m., opposite
the Prime Minister's Office, while the government is in session, under
the slogan: "Barak, stop! - We Are Not the SLA!"
For details: tel. (02) 993-2083, (050) 500834, fax: (02) 930-9148
"Evaluation: The Authority Is Preparing for the Establishment of an
Army" (Haaretz, May 31, 2000)
"The Palestinians Threaten: We Will Conquer the Settlements"
(Maariv, May 31, 2000)
"The IDF Is Distributing Rifles to the Residents of Metullah"
(Haaretz, May 29, 2000)
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Jerusalem, June 4, 2000
Demonstration -- Barak, Stop! We Are Not the SLA!
Shavua Tov and Hodesh Tov,
The government has announced that at least 92% of Yesha will be
handed over to the PLO. Our fate as Yesha Jews will be: or
abandoned under the PLO authority or uprooted....and no public outcry
has been heard whatsoever!! When workers in a factory are told that
they are fired, they demonstrate, burn tires, block roads...and even
get the sympathy of the public for their actions.
Over the past week I have participated in many different "emergency
meetings". No real "tachles" has been decided at any of those meetings.
And nobody showed real leadership calling upon us to act. Therefore, a
group of us have decided to start with something, hoping it will
snowball...The world has to SEE and HEAR that we will not sit by
quietly. In addition to organizing our yishuvim (settlements), getting
them ready for the possibility of Arabs attacking us etc...we have to go
back to strong protesting. It is simply unheard of that 200,000 people are
told that their homes will be abandoned or uprooted and they do not
act!!
We wrote the following letter (see below) and sent it (registered) to
all the ministers . We signed it "The Forty-thousand Mothers" (of
Yesha). At the end of the letter we announced a demonstration
that will take place, God willing, next Sunday morning, June
11th, during the government meeting starting at 8:30 am - where? In
front of the prime minister's offices, Jerusalem.
I am personally turning to you to ask to join us at that demonstration and
help us bring people. I know it is a difficult time of the day, but
that is when the ministers are all there and can HEAR and SEE our
protest. We need your help in spreading the word as soon as possible.
The demonstration is open to men and women from all around the
country.
You are all asked to bring POTS and PANS and/or other ustensils that
make A LOT OF NOISE.
Please spread this e-mail as much as you can. If we all make sure to
bring at least 10 people, we can be hundreds of protesters. We count
on you because we cannot do this by ourselves.
Nadia Matar
---------------------------------------------------------------------
May 31, 2000
To the Prime Minister, Mr. Ehud Barak - before Your Trip to Germany
We, the women of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, address the following to
you:
According to all the reports, the government intends, in practice, to
hand over all of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza to the PLO Authority. Today
we know that it can be expected that the retreat from Lebanon will
constitute the model for the implementation of the plan in Judea,
Samaria, and Gaza as well: the government will abandon the Jewish
settlers, with the goal that they will leave, panic-stricken, and
flee. In shame and pain we watched the hasty IDF abandonment of
Lebanon, that left our allies to their fate. We saw the SLA wives
fleeing from the murderers, in a desperate attempt to save their
children and themselves from the worst of all, while the Israeli
government denies all responsibility. Will this be our fate as well?
It is still possible for you to stop this suicidal - that
will bring disaster and war upon the entire State of Israel.
*We proclaim that after any decision, during any implementation, in
any situation - we will remain in our homes and in our settlements.*
We regard the IDF as the body charged with our wellbeing and
security, but, unfortunately, already in the current reality, there
is no security for the settlements and there is no security on the
roads. If, in addition, the IDF will withdraw from Judea, Samaria,
and Gaza, we will be forced to defend our settlements, our children,
our homes, and our lands. It is well-known that the settlements are
not prepared for an Arab military attack and prolonged siege.
We therefore demand that the government supply the settlements with
arms and ammunition, immediately, this very day, at a level that will
enable us to face the enemy's forces and his weaponry. This is in
tandem with the combat training of the inhabitants. The program must
make possible the survival, development, and continuation of normal
life in the settlements and on the roads.
If we will not receive an answer within a few days, we will regard
this as confirmation that the government intends to abandon us and
leave us at the mercy of the enemy, without protection. We will be
forced to take steps to ensure our self-defense.
With the blessings of the People and the Land,
"FORTY THOUSAND MOTHERS"
Efrat: Nadia Matar, Naomi Baruchi
Kiriat Arba: Naomi Frankel, Bellah Gonen
Tekoa: Anitah Finkelstein, Shaine Ben-Gershom, Yael Ami-El
Maaleh Hever: Limor Sadeh
Mitzpeh Jericho: Faniah Schiffman, Rinah Marks
Ofrah: Irena Kobos
Bat Ayin: Avivah Karpel, Keren Neturah
Beit Haggai: Hanny Lior
Otniel: Nehamah Amitai
Kedumim: Esther Krish, Shosh Shilo, Hannah Gofer
Ariel: Tammy Cohen
Beit El: Ninah Mann
Gush Katif: Ayalah Azran
Alon Shvut: Elisheva Ginsberg, Yehudit Dasberg
--------------------------------------------------
A demonstration of mothers and children, along with supporters, will
be held, God willing, on Sunday, June 11, 2000, at 8:30 a.m., opposite
the Prime Minister's Office, while the government is in session, under
the slogan: "Barak, stop! - We Are Not the SLA!"
for details: tel. (02) 993-2083, (050) 500834, fax: (02) 930-9148
Newspaper clips:
"Evaluation: The Authority Is Preparing for the Establishment of an
Army" (Haaretz, May 31, 2000)
"The Palestinians Threaten: We Will Conquer the Settlements"
(Maariv, May 31, 2000)
"The IDF Is Distributing Rifles to the Residents of Metullah"
(Haaretz, May 29, 2000)
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Jerusalem, June 6, 2000
Albright Go Home,
Or why Madeleine is not at all bright, and refuses to learn from the past!
In a recent book published about Madeleine Albright, the present
U.S. Secretary of State, it is revealed that her Family Tree lists over
thirty relatives (who were Jews) who lost their lives at the hands of
the Germans. Apparently unfazed by the fact that she was fortunate to
have escaped a similar fate, she now is being called upon by the Barak
Government to induce Arafat not to resort to violence to obtain
concessions, and to finally have him make a few minor concessions as
gestures that he is truly interested in "peace" with the Jews.
Albright is arrived in Israel late Monday afternoon to try to get
the leopard murderer Arafat to change his spots. Women In Green
greeted her arrival at the Hilton Hotel on King David Street in
Jerusalem, with appropriate placards and giving her the following advice:
"Madame Secretary Go Home! The majority of the Jewish People
resent your presence here. You may be able to wring concessions from
Barak but wily Arafat is an entirely different story. He hates Jews,
and teaches Arab children to hate Jews. Arafat even teaches Arab
children in his schools to commit suicide, if necessary, in order to
kill Jews. If the Holocaust hasn't been able to teach you that you
can't make peace with murderers, then why have the Jews of Israel suffer
the severe consequences of your blindness and self-denials."
Ruth and Nadia Matar
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Jerusalem, June 7, 2000
Not Just Like Sheep
When the Government closes down a plant in Ashkelon there is a stormy
protest by the workers, and the Government is understanding. Ehud Barak
and his Government, are preparing to destroy the settlements throughout
our historic homeland, and to turn them over to the murderer Arafat and
the PLO.
Should we, like sheep, go to our predictable slaughter?
Has the time not come to stop being silent and submissive???
DEMONSTRATION OF "The 40,000 MOTHERS"
WHEN: SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 2000, AT 8:30 A.M.
The protest will be held during the time of the weekly
Cabinet meeting of the Barak Government
WHERE: THE ROSE GARDEN IN JERUSALEM
opposite the Prime Minister's offices
Telephone (02) 624-9885 or (02) 624-9887, fax (02) 624-5380
for further information.
Ruth and Nadia
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, June 8, 2000
Reminder: Demonstration on Sunday
Don't forget to have you and your entire family and friends
attend the DEMONSTRATION OF FORTY THOUSAND MOTHERS
at the ROSE GARDEN IN JERUSALEM, opposite PM Barak's Government offices,
on Sunday morning at 8;30 A.M on JUNE 11, 2000. BARAK has no right nor
mandate from the Jewish People throughout the world to turn over any
part of the PROMISED LAND to the murderer Arafat..
Ruth and Nadia
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, June 14, 2000
Forty Thousand Mothers Keep the Pressure on Barak
On Sunday morning, June 11, in the Rose Garden, outside the
offices of Prime Minister Barak at his weekly cabinet meeting, the group
founded by Women In Green and known as Forty Thousand Mothers,
voiced their strong disapproval to the intended abandonment by the Barak
Government of their dwelling areas to the murderer Arafat. Not only was
this act of the Barak Government an abandonment of long cherished
accomplishments of these pioneers, and a realization of Zionist dreams
and aspirations, but it was in fact placing the lives of their children,
their families and themselves in mortal danger. It was a similar act of
disloyalty that the Barak Government had recently committed in their
abandonment of the SLA, in Lebanon.
Led by Nadia Matar, who spoke eloquently, along with others,
they raised their voices in protest against the insane policies of the
Barak Government. They cogently pointed out that this action by Barak
of abandonment of settlements to the murderer Arafat would not bring
peace any closer. In fact, the opposite was true. Predictable warfare
would break out, when the Palestinian (ARMY) Police would join with
other terrorists in attacking Jews in their homes, and on their way to
and from their dwelling places.
The demonstration of the Forty Thousand Mothers, was the first
of a series of weekly demonstrations to be held during the Cabinet Meeting
of this Government. Nadia pledged that the mothers of Israel would not
rest until these dangerous Barak policies were reversed
Actually, there are more than 400,000 mothers who are opposed
to Barak's intended move. These mothers represent the majority view of
the People of Israel. These mothers are vigorously opposed to Barak's
capitulations to Arafat and his dictatorial policies in this matter. It
is these mothers who are truly following in the path of the Matriarchs
of their People, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah. Our loving forebears
were loyal, devoted and believed in the Promises which the God of Israel
made to His People and to their respective husbands. We, the descendants
of these distinguished ancestors, should be no less committed to
realizing such goals.
NEXT DEMONSTRATION ON SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2000
8:30AM-10:30AM (DURING WEEKLY CABINET MEETING)
ROSE GARDEN (JERUSALEM)-- OPPOSITE PM'S OFFICE
BRING POTS, PANS, WHISTLES
Nadia and Ruth
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Jerusalem, June 21, 2000
Panel Discussion
The Foundation for Constitutional Democracy proudly announces a panel
discussion with Knesset Member Dr. YURI STERN and Women-in-Green
Co-Chairperson NADIA MATAR on the topic "The Arab-Jewish Problem."
The discussion will be chaired by Prof. PAUL EIDELBERG,
Time: Wednesday, June 21, at 8 p.m.
Place: The Israel Center, 10 Straus, Jeusalem.
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, June 21 2000
Op-Ed: Finally, the Truth about the Pollard Affair
Aaron Lerner
(Originally appeared in The Jerusalem Post on 20 June -available also
in Hebrew and Russian)
I would like to share some shocking information that recently came to
my attention regarding the Pollard Affair. This new information not
only makes the already-powerful arguments for Pollard's immediate
release just that much stronger. It also raises serious questions
about US-Israel relations and provides further evidence of Israel's
own role in undermining Pollard's position.
I recently obtained a copy of the May 26, 1987 Eban Commission Report
on the Pollard Affair that was prepared by a subcommittee of the
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset.
I was astounded to find the following passage under the heading "The
Decision to Cooperate with the US."
Israel agreed to return the American documents it obtained through
Pollard, but "conditioned the cooperation on the granting of immunity
to the three persons involved in the affair and on the consent of the
Americans to the fact that the documents returned would not be used to
convict Pollard... " That's right. The United States agreed NOT to use
the documents in the case against Pollard.
How important were those documents to the case?
Let's look at what Assistant U.S. Attorney John R. Fisher wrote on
page 10 in the June 17, 1987 "Government's Opposition to Motion to
Reduce Sentence": "Cooperation was not forthcoming in this case until
several months after defendant's arrest. Indeed, defendant agreed to
enter a guilty plea and cooperate only after government attorneys and
investigators returned from Israel with additional evidence of
defendant's guilt."
Not only did the Americans break their agreement with Israel and use
the documents to prosecute Pollard, the government's own lawyer states
for the record that Pollard pleaded guilty thanks to those documents.
America broke its word and Pollard went to prison.
And what about Israel? In the same section of the Eban Report, which
was written just after Pollard was sentenced, three members of the
Eban Commission condemned Israel's return of the documents and
concluded, " ...These documents constituted the basis for the
conviction and life sentence that Pollard received, in spite of... an
American commitment not to use the documents against Pollard." When
Israel handed over the documents to the US in 1985, it did not advise
Jonathan Pollard of the American agreement not to use the documents
against him. So he had no way to keep them out of court.
In the summer of 1991, four years after the Eban Report was issued, as
Jonathan Pollard prepared to appeal his case, he still did not know
that that evidence had no place in the courtroom.
Not only did Israel provide America the gun to shoot Pollard, their
silence denied Pollard the opportunity to defend himself against it.
Israel did not stop there.
When Jonathan Pollard signed the plea agreement, he was explicitly
defined in the plea agreement as an official agent of the Israeli
Government, a status that makes clear Israel's obligations to him.
After Pollard signed the plea agreement, that passage was crossed out
with two different colors of ink by two different representatives - an
American and an Israeli.
So, rather than stand by their agent when the US violated an
agreement not to use the documents Israel had returned to America, and
press for the deal to be honored ex post facto, Israel opted to turn
its back on Pollard.
The severity of Jonathan Pollard's sentence bears no relationship to
either the terms of the plea bargain or the crimes he was prosecuted
for.
>From day one, proponents of the sentence have defended their position
by claiming that the damage assessment in Pollard's classified file is
so shocking that it justifies the sentence.
For years this "if you only knew what we know" argument has provided
refuge for people who, for whatever reason, did not want to help put
an end to this grossly disproportionate punishment.
But now we do know.
New York Senator Charles Schumer did not rely on what others claimed
was in the classified Pollard file. He saw it himself. And after
reviewing the "if you only knew what we know" file, he revealed the
shocking truth - There was nothing to know! That's right. Schumer,
after seeing the file itself, states that there is nothing in it to
justify the harsh and unprecedented sentence that Jonathan Pollard is
serving.
This revelation raises several questions:
One: Why did the US intelligence community misrepresent the damage
caused by the Pollard affair?
Two: What does this tell us about the nature of US - Israel
intelligence (and other) relations?
Three: What does this tell us about the senior actors - such as US
President Bill Clinton - who most certainly must have been aware that
the "if you only knew what we know" line was just that - a line.
Hillary Clinton says that she is "open to learning more (about the
Pollard case) and thinking harder about what I think is the right
thing to do." Well the right thing to do today, with the "if you only
knew what we know" line excuse demolished, is to set Pollard free. And
that's today- not tomorrow.
++++
Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-9-7411645
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
pager 03-6750750 subscriber 4811
Website: http://www.imra.org.il
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Jerusalem, June 22, 2000
Fax Ovadia Yosef--Don't Betray Eretz Yisrael
The coming hours are crucial for the talks between Barak and
Shas. As we know, Meretz -in a very smart move- resigned and put the
ball in Shas's corner. Shas has to decide now whether or, better
said, how it will join a coalition with Barak and if, yes or no, they
will agree to Barak's catastrophical plans.
Eli Yishai claims Shas's return to the Knesset will not force them to
automatically support the so-called "peace process". Their first test
will be the "chok shiryun Hagolan" - the law for the protection of the
Golan. As we recall, Shas voted in favor of it a few weeks ago and it
is clear that Barak will demand from Shas that they withdraw their
support for that law.
If Shas withdraws their support for that law, then this will be a pure
betrayal and we can then expect that Shas will also, support
the creation of a PA state in Yesha. If Shas refuses to withdraw their
support for that law, then it will be joining the government on an
equal base as the NRP and Yisrael Ba'aliya and it will be our job to
put equal pressure on all three parties. Their next test will be
Abu Dis and then soon after the planned summit in the US in Camp
David.
We will have to tell these three parties clearly that if there will
be a "Camp David" in the US....we expect them to leave the government
BEFORE Barak's trip. Knowing that Barak plans to go to the
States with a clear willingness to hand over more than 95% of Yesha -
and, as was announced today, even have the Palestinian flag on Har
Habayit - any party that stays in the government during those talks,
will be as if they are willing to give away Yesha and transfer
Jews from their homes. Barak is dreaming to go to the States with
Mafdal, Shas and Yisrael Ba'aliya in the government, claiming he "has
a mandate"... IT IS CRUCIAL THE MAFDAL AND THE OTHERS LEAVE THE
GOVERNMENT BEFORE ANY CAMP DAVID .... Saying that they'll stay, wait
to see what agreement will be reached and only then resign is not
acceptable.
IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY TODAY:
Rabbi Ovadia Yossef's fax is 02-6513655
THEY ARE MEETING THERE TODAY, THURSDAY AT 1:30pm
bombard his fax saying:
Don't betray Eretz Yisrael!
Creating a PA state is pikuach Nefesh and will endanger us all
In addition:
Organize groups of 10 or more people and stand in front of Shas,
Mafdal and YB homes. Moetset Yesha has the home adresses of all the
ministers- their phone is 02-5810624.
Eli Yishai lives in Har Nof -
Jerusalem, Katzenelebogen 58
Minister Rabbi Yitzhak Levi (Mafdal) fax:02-5824111
Nadia
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Jerusalem, June 23, 2000
The Great Ruse
The utter contempt of Ehud Barak and Yossi Sarid for the intelligence of
the Israeli electorate is well demonstrated by the gimmick they have
come up with about Meretz resigning their Ministerial portfolios in the
present Barak Government. The calculated deception which hides the true
motives of those involved has fooled a great many people, not the least
of whom is the politically naive 17 SHAS contingent.
The major objective is to prepare for the upcoming Beilin arranged
debacle of Israel turning over to PLO and the murderer Arafat over 90%
of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. The upcoming trip of Barak to
Washington will effectuate the ethnic cleansing of Jews in these areas,
and seal their doom. All this in the hypocritical name of the "peace
process" to which the myopic policies of Sarid and Barak blindly
adhere. Never mind that Barak and Sarid scorn and scoff at the Lord's
Biblical Promises to the Jewish People. Accoding to them only the simple
minded believe in such promises. Although they now speak of the need for
unity, they completely disregard the fact that the only factor that
unified the Jewish People throughout the ages was their common religious
outlook based on their Bible. At the center of such beliefs is the fact
that all of the Biblical Land of Israel is holy to the Jewish People.
Barak is using SHAS to enable him to make this Washington trip, and come
back with a fait accompli. He will then tell to the Israeli public that
it is mandatory for them to approve the "deal" lest they want a
catastrophic war. Waiving the bait of temporary benefits to SHAS,
Barak, Sarid and Clinton have pulled off the great ruse. By re-joining
the Barak Government, SHAS is allowing Barak to fulfill the Barak-Sarid
game plan, detrimental to physical and spiritual Israel.
That is why it is more important than ever to be at the demonstration of
the FORTY THOUSAND MOTHERS, this SUNDAY, JUNE 25, between 8:30 and
10:30 in the morning at the ROSE GARDEN, opposite the offices of the
Prime Minister, where Barak’s Cabinet Meeting will take place. Any
further turnover of our Jewish homeland to the murderer Arafat will
bring about the creation of a Palestinian State, with accompanying
bloodshed, and the loss of the lives of the Children of Israel.
Ruth and Nadia Matar
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Jerusalem, June 23, 2000
The following article was written in Hebrew in "Hatzofeh" by Haggi
Ben-Artzi, Sara Netanyahu's brother.
The English translation is brought to you as a public service by
Women in Green.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Hatzofeh, June 22, 2000
Waste Water!
Haggi Ben-Artzi
Water your gardens with copious amounts of water, in the most
demonstrative fashion, and thereby declare: If you, the heads of the
country, have an extra billion cubic meters of water, there is no
reason in the world why I, the little citizen, should save water
The national system is all astir: the (lack of) water has reached our
neck. The water crisis has reached such a point that it can no longer
be hidden. At long last, the government has decided to wage a
tremendous advertising campaign for saving water (that will give us
20-30 million cubic meters per year, at best), to begin the process
of desalination in Israel (that will yield, at very high cost, about
50 million cubic meters in three to four years from now), and
possibly also to import water from Turkey (an extremely high cost
project, that will provide about 50 million cubic meters per year).
From all these projects the Israeli water system will gain at the
most about 150 million cubic meters annually, with some of this
yielding results only in a few years.
On the other hand, the Israeli government is about to sign a
permanent-status agreement with the Palestinians, that will transfer
to their sovereignty the decisive majority of the areas of Judea and
Samaria (excluding several small Jewish enclaves, at best). Even if
the Palestinians will compromise and agree to accept "only" about
90-95 percent of the area of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, they will
control the hill country aquifer, that is Israel's primary source of
water, and that yields about 750 million cubic meters of excellent quality
water per year.
You understand the total madness in this: on the one
hand, the State of Israel is trying to scrape the bottom of the
barrel, and with a tremendous effort of public relations and economic
investment hopes to increase the water supply by a quantity that does
not exceed 10 percent of the annual consumption; while, on the other
hand, it is about to hand over to the Palestinians a tremendous and
superb reservoir of underground water, that provides about 40 percent
of the yearly consumption.
There is no rational person who could deceive himself that the
Palestinians will not use the underground water reservoir upon which
they sit in Judea and Samaria. It will be their legal right, by
international law, to do so, to the same degree that it will be their
human-moral right to do so. Already at the present time the
Palestinians are using around 250 million cubic meters from the hill
country aquifer for a population of about 2,000,000.
According to the accepted criterion of quantity of water per capita
in Israel (about 2 billion cubic meters for 6,000,000 people), they
are already entitled now to double and triple the amount of water that
they pump. If "only" 1-2,000,000 people will be added to the existing
population by a limited and restricted flow of refugees, they will be
able to demand the entire hill country aquifer, and they will receive
sweeping and universal international support.
Whoever is prepared to establish a Palestinian state that will
control the area in whose soil is located Israel's largest
underground water reservoir [thereby] proclaims that he intends to dry
up all the agriculture in the country, that he plans to limit in
dramatic fashion the green areas in the country, and possibly also to
harm household consumption. Not to mention, that if tomorrow the
Syrians will return to the negotiations and consent to receive "only"
the Golan Heights without the Sea of Galilee, the latter will suffer
irreparable damage, and, in the best-case scenario, the Syrians will
use at least half of the water that flows into the Sea of Galilee.
This will be their legal and moral right to use the water that flows
down the Golan Heights, and no one will be able to deprive them of
this sovereign right.
A country that conducts negotiations for the transferal of between
750 million and one billion cubic meters of water to its
neighbors/enemies, and at the same time wages a public relations
campaign for the civilian saving of about 50 million cubic meters is a
state that has gone off the rails. In the face of this madness, we
have no choice but to respond with a step that will emphasize the
grotesqueness, the ridiculousness, the madness in a propaganda
campaign to conserve water. This response is: to waste a lot of water!
Water your gardens with copious amounts of water, in the most
demonstrative fashion, and thereby declare: If you, the heads of the
country, have an extra billion cubic meters of water, there is no
reason in the world why I, the little citizen, should save water. And
if you are indeed sane, and if you really seriously intend that your
children also will live here, and not in America, let's see you, first
of all, declare that the sovereignty over the hill country of Judea
and Samaria will remain forever in the hands of the State of Israel,
for only in this manner will you be able to ensure the water supply
that is vital for our existence.
*******************************************************
Jerusalem, June 29, 2000
Demonstration Reminder
This Sunday morning, as for the past three weeks, the "Forty Thousand
Mothers" will be demonstrating outside the Prime Minister's office, at
the Rose Garden, from 8:30 am to 10:30 am.
This week's topic is "Barak is drying up the country."
You are all asked to bring empty plastic bottles (Coke, Mei Eden,
Neviot...)and fill them with a little gravel....it makes noise and the
message is clear: Soon we will have no more water. Barak, stop giving
our water away to our neighbors / enemies.
We urge you to help us in bringing people to that demonstration.
We have a contact inside the PM's office and she told us that
everybody in the offices hears us. Please call at least another 5
friends and make sure they come and call others.
Thank you,
Ruth and Nadia Matar
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