Not a lot of motivation to help the Palestinians
Labor Party minister Yuli Tamir recommended putting forth the demand that the prime minister renew negotiations with Syria and Lebanon in the Sareinu forum of ministers
By Akiva EldarLabor Party minister Yuli Tamir recommended putting forth the demand that the prime minister renew negotiations with Syria and Lebanon in the Sareinu forum of ministers . Minister Ophir Pines-Paz told Labor activists in Tel Aviv over the weekend that Ehud Olmert's references to the road map (among others) were nonsense. He suggested immediately opening the blocked Israeli-Palestinian channel. But, in the occupied territories, the domain of the party chairman, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, it's business as usual. A non-law abiding group in the settlements continues to cut down olive trees and confront Palestinian farmers. A report prepared by the organization Yesh Din relating to a period in which Peretz was responsible for the welfare of residents of the territories, lists three serious incidents of felled olive trees in Salam (45 trees) and Sinjil (140 trees.) As in all previous instances, no arrests were made. Another report by the organization's volunteers tells of an illegal outpost whose residents mock the law and those in charge of enforcing it.
At the end of June, the High Court of Justice panel, led by then vice president, Justice Dorit Beinisch, ruled there could be no acceptance of "the unbearable situation," in which Palestinian farmers were afraid to harvest their olives. The High Court ordered the security authorities to act more diligently against offenders to uproot the phenomenon at its source. Subsequently, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz approached Peretz and Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter. He told them to "immediately order the implementation of a general plan" to fulfill the court's directives," and to address "specifically" how to beef up enforcement units in the territories as recommended. He told the two officials to keep him updated.
A document Haaretz received from a legal source, entitled "Recommended Directions of Activity," reveals that the problem is not "staff work" nor even a manpower shortage, but the authorities' level of effort in meeting the obligation to protect helpless farmers. The term "effort" (in other words "motivation") appears five times in the document, which was prepared last January by the office of the coordinator of activity in the territories, Major General Yosef Mishlav.
Below are its main points: "Very serious incidents, involving damage to some 2,300 trees require urgent measures, and that the guilty parties be brought to justice, to serve justice, serve as a deterrent and prevent acts of revenge."
The document notes it is necessary to act on three planes simultaneously:
* Investigative efforts, under the auspices of the Israel Police and the Shin Bet security service - intensive work by the designated investigation team with the aim of linking suspects to events or their surroundings in order to produce evidence for an indictment
* Operational-command level effort - the OC Central Command allocated a specific force for this objective, the "patience" objective, until all the guilty parties are caught red-handed. This will require a coordinated effort by the intelligence-investigative team and the operational team.
* Legal efforts: convening a committee chaired by the Defense Ministry's legal adviser to consider within the strict letter of the law the granting of compensation to tree owners, as was done at Inbus [hooligans destroyed an entire orchard in Samaria, and compensation was granted after MK Efraim Sneh intervened - A.E.] A legal opinion is needed for issuing removal orders and restraining orders against suspects from the Scali Farm and the Arussi Farm immediately after the evacuation of the Hebron wholesale market and the caravans at the Amona outpost. The legal advisers must help the OC Central Command."
This document was sent to then-defense minister Shaul Mofaz for the lessons from the shortcomings in the preceding olive harvest. Peretz says that in the coming season, which starts at the end of the month, things will be better to the extent they depend on him. Defense Ministry officials say that it does not depend solely on the IDF. Check how much "effort" the police and Shin Bet's Jewish division are investing, they suggest, in protecting residents of the territories.
Among the possible steps recommended by the coordinator of activities in the territories are "evacuation actions" at the two "farms" - the term that illegal outposts hide behind. Such items are popping up under the nose of the defense minister, who once protested against previous defense ministers over the establishment of new settlements. Apparently the changeover in justice ministers and heads of the ministerial committee for the implementation of the report on outposts, are providing the government with a new excuse for stalling. The new justice minister, Meir Sheetrit, assures the few interested in the fate of the promise Ariel Sharon made to the U.S. in 2004 to dismantle the illegal outposts built during his term that he is "studying the matter."
Mazuz still has not formulated his position on the document prepared by his deputy, Mike Blass, which among other things proposes "whitewashing" the illegal outposts and even providing them with public funding. Mazuz wants to review the responses of all relevant parties to the new proposal, says the Justice Ministry spokesman. That's what Shaul Mofaz said when he was appointed defense minister a few months after leaving the post of chief of staff. Someone should open a school of outposts. Attorney Talia Sasson, who wrote the report on illegal outposts at the request of then prime minister Ariel Sharon, could be the principal. She explains that with every day that goes by without any action being taken by the authorities in the face of the massive invasion of private lands is another day of collaboration with criminal elements, at least by default.
The case of the El-Matan outpost in Samaria demonstrates brazen violation of the law by settlers. Ten days ago, Ibrahim Alem of Tulat found that an electric cable had been laid on private lands owned by village residents. The cable led from the community of Ma'ale Shomron to the El-Matan outpost. Yesh Din volunteers found a group of residents from the outpost with a tractor out in the field working on laying a pipe and summoned representatives of the Civil Administration. A young settler named Eitam Luz said into the volunteers' microphone that he was aware he was standing on Palestinian land, but the state was refusing to supply the outpost with electricity, and bypassing the land to run cable would be more expensive.
The Judea and Samaria Police district said in response that this was indeed private land and an investigation has been opened of possible trespassing. The work in the field was halted but the Civil Administration released a statement saying that it did not have the authority to issue a stop-work order, because this was not infrastructure building or a case of unapproved work.
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Are you saying you believe it is okay to break your own country's laws during 'wartime?" Sure sounds like it to me. Did you ever consider that the settlers and therir illegal taking of land helps to fuel the death and destruction against you?
Simply amazing that when one points out a truth, he is labeled as anti-semetic. Yes, it IS time for Israel to get out of the west bank and allow NATO to occupy it so that the millions of palestinians can have homes built. A world boycott of Israel may be the only way to achieve this, and I would add that the US should also join said boycott. Nuclear oblivion could well be the result of continued inaction.
"I have no comment, but only a question. Why are Jewish settlers cutting down these trees? What are their reasons or goals?" I think, Mr. Baiter, they lack the capacity for reasoning and have only one goal, making life as miserable as possible so the indigenous population of the land will leave. Clearly, not much effort is made to punish them and, equally clearly, the vandals do not love the land and its bounty.
Why should we do anything but KILL those Arabs trying to kill us and throw us out of our own Jewish Land of Israel?
Read the article, it is about claims that “non-law abiding” vandals are alleged to have cut down trees. There is no mention of an IDF bulldozer or any action by Israel.
israel left 2 olive trees standing. "IDF" BULLDOZER could not get to them...
That is an entirely unfair equivalency. Hezbollah has members of parliament, they are part of the government. These vandals do not have representatives in government, they would be arrested if they where caught. That they are allegedly cutting trees, not attempting to kill people, is a slight difference you are overlooking? Secondly, while Israel “held the Lebanese Government responsible” it did very little to harm the government, the vast majority of all Israeli response directly targeted Hezbollah, not the Lebanese government.
"Holding a state responsible for the actions of those violating the states own laws is ignorant." - David from Houston. Tell that to the Israeli's holding Lebanon responsible for the actions of Hezbollah and perhaps you will begin to understand the frustrations of the Lebanese.
Israel isn't South Africa! There are courts and free press in Israel! Mayby Arab residents want to get compensation or blame Israel
What purpose is served by allowing monomaniac anti-Israeli bigots like Stephen Murray post their vile hatred so routinely? They have no connection to the issues, hearing their views does nothing to further dialog or understand. Just obscene anti Semitic rhetoric. I is interesting and valuable to hear from those with opposing views as this can lead to dialog. But to host the endless drivel of committed bigots like Stephen Murray is obscene.
How typical of Stephen to view the activities of a few vandals as being justification for his routine calls for boycott against Israel. Would he call to boycott Holland if a few Dutch criminals uprooted some Tulips? Holding a state responsible for the actions of those violating the states own laws is ignorant. That Stephen comes to this forum every day to call for boycott and slander Israel with wild allegations proves that he is a highly motivated bigot.
Typical, if bizarre, bigotry by those who hate Israel. The word “atrocities” applied to the vandalism of trees? Almost comical. Then typical lies “”But hey, the Jews are above the law” Foolish man, the article is clear in stating that the vandals are criminals, subject to arrest and prosecution. Then some ridiculous historical revisionism, claiming the Palestinians are descendents of the Jews? That the Jews “chose” to leave Israel “looking for a better life elsewhere” Does Andrew actually believe this nonsense?
who cares
Hi Bat Yam, your potted history was a bit off mate but pretty good. Did you know that 14 of the first fleet in 1788 were Jews? Criminals the lot of them. The aborigines who won back their land today in Perth though would be very surprised to know that none of the 500,000 aborigines exist - although I agree with the notion that what some of my ancestors and maybe yours did was a form of genocide. Now to the Afghans - you are sort of right again. Afghans first came to Australia in the mid 19th century so they have been here longer than most of my own families who came from Germany, England, Wales, Scotland, France and Ireland with some Cornish thrown in for good measure. However, those Afghans we wouldn't let in are mostly here or in New Zealand. I guess I am a wasp but that is not my fault any more than it is your fault you are an Israeli. Now to these olive groves - let the people farm them and leave them alone.
It was not enough to have Peretz as Defense Minister. He is not a leftist enough. I am proposing that Azmi Bisharu made Defense Minister in Olmert's cabinet. Is he any worse than Peretz? How is he different from him anyway?
The Arab farmers should also do some efforts toward the Jews. Is this really a one-sided issue ? The article would be more credible if it would give the arguments of both parties. The readers can certainly build up their own opinion if they get the facts. Mr Eldar gives his conclusion and the view on one side. I think that we should get more facts and less demonstration of an opinion as is often the case in Haaretz.
The danger for any society - and Israel is no different from other countries that have occupied land for any number of reasons - is that if one section of the society is not given the benefit of the full protection of the law, they have no choice but to take the law into their own hands. And that's bad news for everyone.
Around much of the Mediterranean, olive trees and the olive oil they produce are the basic staple of agrarian life. I have no comment, but only a question. Why are Jewish settlers cutting down these trees? What are their reasons or goals?
In teh absence of official legal sanctions we must all boycott Israeli goods and services as was done during the Apartheid era in South Africa
The issue is the blatant disregard for private property under Israeli control. The settlers might be an embarassment to civilised Israeli society, but how can we trust its claims to be a democratic society when this is allowed to happen time and again? Do you hope the problem will somehow go away at a time when the world is actually beginning to look more closely at Israeli actions? It's a judgment that is not necessarily in Israel's favour. If the El-Matan settlement is "refused" electricity, I would presume that it has no bulding permit and is therefore an illegal construction yet is still allowed to vandalise other people's land? Something basically wrong there. I'd be interested to hear an explanation.
Are a million trees worth a single kiss by Haim Ramon? If it was a million trees planted by Keren Kayemet would the security organs be too busy? If law and law enforcement are impartial, as they must be, then Jewish terror is as urgent as Arab terror. Let someone draw a swastika on a wall and see how everyone jumps!
It is pathetic to read how Akiva Eldar complains that the IDF, Shin Bet etc don't have the motivation to stop people cutting down olive trees.Maybe it's because they have their hands full trying to stop suicide bombers killing innocent Israeli, Arab and Christian lives...! A million felled olive trees isn't worth even one injury let alne a life. Get some sense of proportionality Mr Eldar!
I'm afraid that Israeli shilly-shallying over illegal outposts and Wild West Bank banditry and vandalism is symptomatic of Israeli commitment to the peace process. This is one social cancer (but not the only one) that can't be blamed on anyone else. If the state can't manage this problem, no wonder they made a mess in Lebanon!
I frequently hear from antisemites quoting Hertz " For people without land to the land without people". The Aussie revsionism: No the Palestine land was populated(total of 650 000) and Zionist strategicaly chased the Pals out.Oups, The Palestinians are actully Jews descendants of those Jews who decided 2000 years ago to emigrate to Rome to the land of plenty like the "Khazars" calling themself Jews went to America 100 years ago. Interesting to note that the Australian settlers from England were not above the law, but criminals sentenced to spend the life in the penal colony called Australia.They were legaly then authorized to "ethnically clean the Aboriginals.And this they did very effectively with murder and esease.Once the Aussie land was cleared the "aboriginals" they promptly established immigartion policies barring the Jeudeans Roman descendants to eneter and settle in Australia.Recently,when Moslems(Afganis)tried to enter Aussie land,they stopped of shore. Aussie History 101.
Israel, which does very little, to prevent or stop settler attacks on Arab civilians, will do next to nothing to prevent settler vandalism. In fact, one would exaggerate littel by saying that the settlers receive a green light from Israel's so-called law-enforcement authoriteis to do as they like...as long as the actions don't hurt Israel's PR image.
When will Ha'aretz have the guts to report that this "unbearable situation" goes on daily under the protection of the IDF? When will the lies stop?
Or he left the business of publishing unqualified statements to a very simple computer programm.
So, Israel accused the Lebanese government of allowing Hezbollah to kidnap Israeli soldiers. By the same token one should accuse the Israeli government of allowing the Jewish settlers to set up a state within a state in the occupied Plaestinian territories. But hey, the Jews are above the law when it comes to terrorising the Palestinians. After all, the Zionist movement has been built on the concept of driving the native Palestinians, many of whom are the descendants of the Jews who became part of the Palestinian people, from their homeland to make room for the descendants of the Jews who chose to leave the Roman province of Palestina looking for a better life elsewhere some 2000 years ago.
Number of olive trees,"ancient",of course,"felled by vile settlers" éxceeds the total number of olive trees in Spain and Francce altogether,if one should believe pals and Akiva.