Kibbutzniks help Palestinians restore destroyed olive groves
Kibbutz Movement volunteers assist farmers at village of Salem whose trees were destroyed by settlers.
By Eli Ashkenazi and Haaretz CorrespondentTen volunteers from the Kibbutz Movement's assignment division, headed by Yoel Marshak, arrived Saturday at the olives grove of the West Bank village of Salem, in order to help its Palestinian residents restore the olive groves that were destroyed by settlers from Elon Moreh a month ago.
The Palestinian farmers have not tended the groves since they were destroyed for fear of being attacked by the settlers.
Throughout the mission, Marshak was in touch with Israel Defense Forces troops to ensure that the restoration would go ahead without any violent clashes. "The Kibbutz Movement assists any farmer in distress out of social solidarity. The same way we helped Gush Katif farmers during the evacuation, we are now helping Palestinians prepare the ground for planting the olive trees after they were destroyed," Marshak said.
Marshak also called on settlers to stop harassing Palestinians and to avoid disrupting the preparations for planting the trees. He called on the army to act more aggressively toward any further attempts to harm the Palestinian farmers. He said that Palestinian farmers were unable to go near their olive groves since the settlers destroyed them, and that this caused them great economic distress.
The volunteers plan to help the Palestinians in the upcoming weekends to prepare the ground for the planting of the olive trees, scheduled for December 24.
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Elon Moreh, huh? Isn't that where Rachel Gavish, her husband, son and father were all murdered by Palestinians? And too, wasn't the daughter of the Chief Rabbi of Elon Moreh also murdered by Palestinians? Oh, and the son-in-law of the mayor, wasn't he murdered in his parents' house? What were you saying about trees?
I doubt I'm the only one who thinks this item should have contained the response of Elon Moreh and perhaps judicial or military authorities. Haaretz editor: don't let your political agenda get in the way of professional reporting. In the same vein, one has to wonder about the following sentence: "The Palestinian farmers have not tended the groves since they were destroyed for fear of being attacked by the settlers." How does one 'tend' destroyed groves? What really happened a month ago?
It is so wonderful to see Israelis and Palestinians working together in Peace. If only those settlers (not all) that horder hatred and venom, have another read at the Tora ...perhaps they might change their evil minds and hearts, and stop destroying other people' lives.
In any country, there are always some people like these Israelis, and they and people like them will do far more for Israel's future prosperity and image abroad than your leaders and armed foarces have done for far too many years. Perhaps they have recognised that Palestinians are human too, and have learned what I understood the word "shalom" to mean. Peace? They need all the support they can get from the Israeli authorities, and I sure hope they prevail over the rednecks in your country.
May Allah/G-d/God reward the good people of the Kibbutz Movement who are doing this. More people like these and like the parents of the dead Palestinian boy who gave his organs to Israelis, and the world would be much better off. As for those who only destroy, may Allah forgive them.
It's assuming the trees were really uprooted by the "settlers"
Praise to Yoel Marshack and his fellow kibbutzniks for making a positive step towards peace,reconciliation,and the allieviation of human misery. Dignity, compassion,and the putting away of sometimes well justified hatreds is not easy,only the great and the blessed follow such paths.These attitudes make life for all more of a joy than a duty or an unfortunate occurrence. The romantic idealism and the beauty of the kibbutzim has been an inspiration since their inception,now we have new cause to admire them.
Those settlers who destroyed the olove groves should be removed from the West Bank, irrespective of whatever settlement the Israeli government and the PA may reach. If the culprits themselves cannot be apprehended, then the entire settlement of Elon Moreh should be evacuated.