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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 16:36 22/11/2007 The return of the settlers By Daniel Ben Simon Tags: Settlers Are they coming back? Are the serial episodes of building the land a challenge to the government or only fleeting mischief in the spirit of Sukkot? It seems we will know the answer very soon. Since the disengagement, the settlers have hardly been noticed. The shock of the uprooting from Gush Katif was so strong that the Jewish settlers in the territories were stricken by paralysis. Some among them disengaged from the state and its institutions. Some waited for an auspicious moment to prove that they still had their strength. This happened about two years ago, when thousands of settlers took up a violent struggle against the state in an attempt to save an isolated outpost on a hilltop. The pictures of the battle of Amona restored a bit of lost honor to the settlers. They had been so ashamed for having cooperated with the disengagement that they needed a corrective experience. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave it to them on a silver platter. He wanted to prove to them that he is hewn from the same tough material as former prime minister Ariel Sharon; they wanted to prove that they would no longer go like sheep to the uprooting. Advertisement Since then, both sides have taken a break. The government has not evacuated, the settlers have not fought. The truce suited both sides, which have used it to gain strength. The new confrontation could be closer than ever. The international summit to be held in November in the United States will raise anew the question of the legality of the settlements and the outposts. Israel will have to present evacuation maps, just as it was asked to do before the talks that led to the Wye agreement in the fall of 1998 and the Camp David summit two years later. The main result of those two summits was the high political price paid by the two prime ministers serving at the time - current opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu and current Defense Minister Ehud Barak. In May 1999, nearly half a year after he had signed the Wye agreement, Netanyahu fell from power. In February 2001, half a year after the Camp David summit, Barak followed in his footsteps. In both cases the settlers demonstrated their political muscle and made the earth tremble beneath the prime ministers' feet. Now they are nearing a similar crucial point. At this stage Olmert has not proved that he must be feared. For two years they have been thumbing their noses at him. They ascend the hilltops and descend from the hilltops. They establish outposts, they expand settlements. Every time he takes them down, they go back up again. I have seen them at Homesh and on other hills, and there seems to be a new breed of fanaticism capable of deeds the previous generation of settlers regarded with awe and fear. Among the thousands of new fanatical youngsters there is no sense of national propriety or fear of the state's authority. I have seen them cursing security personnel and spitting at them and flinging racist epithets at Druze and immigrants from Russia and Ethiopia. They did this without the slightest hesitation or fear. This is the generation that follows the generation that achieved the revolution of faith in the territories after the Six-Day War. That same messianic faith that has changed the face of the country, never mind the face of the Middle East, for many years. The latest wildcat settlement attempts - even though they look like youthful actions - are a real challenge to the decision makers, a warning lest they dare follow in the despicable footsteps of their predecessors. The attempts are also aimed at making it clear that what happened in Gush Katif will not happen again. The big mystery remains the settlers' Yesha Council. Will it line up with the extremist voices? Will it try to moderate and lower the flames as it did at Kfar Maimon, for which it has paid a high price? After all, these young people have rebelled against its authority and have accused it of collaborating with a government that uproots settlements. The international meeting in November, where Israel will play a crucial role, will apparently determine whether the Yesha Council will be swept up by the romantic vision of redemption in the style of settler activist Daniella Weiss, or try to reach an understanding with the government. Because most of the public is now prepared to arrive at far-reaching agreements with the Palestinians, the settlers are advised to adopt a moderate stance. If they decide not to play by the rules, it is doubtful they will find among the general public the sympathy they need so much. Bookmark to del.icio.us Radical redcoats U.K. radical left wing is calling for a one-state solution. Bush goes nuts U.S. demands Israel halts illegal Iranian pistachio imports.   1.   the real israel.... 09:41  |  ravi 02/10/07   2.   Unlike You, We Never Quit 09:51  |  Yishai Kohen 02/10/07   3.   Bi Ruh , Bi Dam Nafdik ya Sayun (Zion), 10:05  |  Joseph E . 02/10/07   4.   Return of the Kapos 10:21  |  Ehud 02/10/07   5.   JUST LEAVE THEM THERE 10:30  |  indrajaya 02/10/07   6.   Offer for Yishai Cohen 10:32  |  With open arms 02/10/07   7.   Joseph E 10:33  |  Anatomist 02/10/07   8.   The best laid plans .... 11:04  |  Natallie Durson 02/10/07   9.   Settlers rights 11:44  |  Suzie 02/10/07   10.   Ben Simon far reaching agreement 11:56  |  Frank 02/10/07   11.   BECAUSE WE ARE FOR G-D, LAND OF ISRAEL & BETTER WORLD!!! 12:27  |  Meir Dagan 02/10/07   12.   This is not a question of "public sympathy" 12:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 02/10/07   13.   #12 yaakov surfaces form the hudson river to protest 13:11  |  victor hardman 02/10/07   14.   9.... suzie you have a point 13:14  |  ravi 02/10/07   15.   If the settlers can not stay in a Pali state.. 13:49  |  Ofer 02/10/07   16.   leftist academics much worse than sttlers 13:55  |  zody 02/10/07   17.   No Meir Dagan, I don`t get it 13:57  |  newageblues 02/10/07   18.   Roman Hunts - Visigoths - 13:57  |  Abergil 02/10/07   19.   Ben Simon, stop trying to fan the flames of hatred towards 14:01  |  bat yam 02/10/07   20.   Support Our Heroic Settlers 14:17  |  Ali Baba 02/10/07   21.   suzie from kfar sava on eretz avot #9 14:20  |  yaakov sullivan 02/10/07   22.   ravi "will palestinians be allowed to return to their homes" 14:23  |  dehra dun 02/10/07   23.   Re # 21 yaakov Sullivan 14:46  |  Suzie 02/10/07   24.   Claiming Jewish Heritage vs Sociopathic Stupidity(S.S) 14:59  |  B 02/10/07   25.   Fanatics 15:19  |  Choni Davidowitz 02/10/07   26.   Suzie from Kfar Sava and the forest from the trees 15:35  |  Yaakov Sullivan 02/10/07   27.   "21 yaakov sullivan 15:40  |  Labhras 02/10/07   28.   #13 Victor Hardhead dips in his recycle bin again-take a peek. 15:47  |  Labhras 02/10/07   29.   No sympathy required or deserved 15:47  |  Michael N 02/10/07   30.   # 21 suzie 15:50  |  Axel 02/10/07   31.   Thank you Labhras #27 16:05  |  Yaakov Sullivan 02/10/07   32.   The PEACE PROCESS Explained 16:34  |  Linda Rivera 02/10/07   33.   fisrt time i agrees with indrajaya - we should leave them there 16:40  |  Ori 02/10/07   34.   When settlers break the law 16:48  |  Paul 02/10/07   35.   Mr. Simon, Move to Sderot - EXPERIENCE Your PEACE Process Daily 16:56  |  Linda Rivera 02/10/07   36.   The Settlers are lucky 17:12  |  Danite 02/10/07   37.   Labhras how nice for you 17:14  |  Danite 02/10/07   38.   Disturbes Minds 17:26  |  Double Click 02/10/07   39.   Deepest fears.... 17:45  |  Esther 02/10/07   40.   #25, Fanatics and DavidWitz 17:47  |  Paul 02/10/07   41.   39 Esther, 18:00  |  bat yam 02/10/07   42.   #31 yaakov sullivan. 18:19  |  Labhras 02/10/07   43.   "36 Danite starting a new approach. 18:22  |  Labhras 02/10/07   44.   settlers 18:23  |  rachel simson 02/10/07   45.   Re bat yam #41 18:25  |  Esther 02/10/07   46.   to Suzie #9 - badly informed 18:25  |  zeev 02/10/07   47.   Re Yishai #2 18:39  |  Esther 02/10/07   48.   For Joseph #3 and all subsequent denigrators 18:47  |  Esther 02/10/07   49.   For Suzie #9 19:01  |  Esther 02/10/07   50.   to rachel simson #44 - settlers 19:46  |  zeev 02/10/07   51.   Esther: You Really Need An Ejamakashun 19:53  |  Yishai Kohen 02/10/07   52.   For Yishai #51 21:25  |  Esther 02/10/07   53.   Aspiring Frenchman,Burg`s follower B.Simon teaches Israelis "pro 00:09  |  Absolute Sweden 03/10/07   54.   #23 Suzie 00:53  |  Boycott 03/10/07   55.   Daniel makes the enemy into friends and friends into enemies 01:18  |  pace306 03/10/07   56.   Nothing but IFs and WOULDs and MIGHTs... 02:41  |  Fortuna Benmayor 03/10/07   57.   Where`s the evidence that "most" Israelis want to cede our land? 03:09  |  Chaim 03/10/07   58.   The settlers vs. Yacov SULLIVAN 04:34  |  Fortune 03/10/07   59.   Israel settled by 06:34  |  Grace 03/10/07   60.   settlers 08:21  |  achel simson 03/10/07   61.   Israel`s government at a dead end 08:26  |  Moshe 03/10/07   62.   Jewish settlers settling in Judea 09:35  |  trumpeldor 03/10/07

Today Online U.S. demands Israel crack down on Iranian pistachio imports Responses: 99 Israel Harel: Time to tell Israel's Arabs they have gone far enough Responses: 76 PA source: Gaps between Israel, PA still great ahead of summit Responses: 65 Report: Syria decided not to attend Mideast peace conference Responses: 36 Study: Young U.S. Jews feel best when around non-Jews Responses: 38 More Headlines 15:41 Palestinian source: Wide gaps remain as summit nears 16:18 Syria reportedly to skip summit, as Haniyeh calls meet 'stillborn' 16:34 Ex-defense min.: IDF could have brought Hezbollah to its knees 14:53 Activists in underwear delay Peres nuclear speech in Tel Aviv 09:28 Study: Young U.S. Jews most comfortable when surrounded by non-Jews 14:35 IDF kills unarmed Palestinian along Gaza security fence 16:04 Policemen charged with planting explosives under mob boss' car 14:12 Jordan's government resigns following parliamentary elections 13:17 Egypt police discover one ton of explosives on Gaza border Previous Editions Select Day 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 16 nov 15 nov 14 nov 13 nov 12 nov 11 nov 09 nov 08 nov

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