'Homesh First' Declares Victory

Peace Now's activists demontrating opposite the new settlement in Hebron


Hillel Fendel. IsraelNationalNews.com. 23/07/07. The army says it prevented the planned ascent to the ruins of the Jewish community of Homesh in Samaria, 18 miles east of Netanya, but hundreds of pioneers made their way up at night. They built a water tower and the beginnings of a makeshift synagogue. The security forces are planning ways to remove the hundreds, and destroy the makeshift structures. "The event has been successful, and continues." So states a recorded announcement from the headquarters of Homesh First, the grassroots organization dedicated to rebuilding the destroyed town of Homesh. Homesh was one of four Jewish communities in Northern Samaria razed by Ariel Sharon's Disengagement plan two years ago, but its residents have never given up the idea of rebuilding it.

An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people have tried to make their way by foot to Homesh since Sunday morning. Many of them were stopped at several blockades set up by the army along the way, and many others were forcibly removed after reaching the ruins.

The pioneers reported that one person was knocked unconscious during the eviction, and five others were injured by security forces in violence reminiscent of Amona. Nearly a year and a half ago, hundreds of youths required hospital treatment after police used excessive violence to remove them from a hilltop in Amona in order to enable the razing of nine Jewish houses.

Limor Sohn Har-Melekh, from the Homesh First task force, announced Sunday night, "Army and police spokespersons say they have defeated us, but the fact is that more people are marching towards Homesh right now than this morning... The police were very violent, breaking cameras, using clubs, and pushing people from terraces. But our spirit is so strong that people who are taken down right away try to come back up..."

In addition to the many hundreds of youth who participated, several families planning to live in Homesh were removed from the hilltop in the afternoon hours, while others who were on the scenic hilltop ran away. The army bused some of them to Rosh HaAyin and there dropped them off, and took the others to nearby Kedumim.

Several dozen youths were attacked by Arabs from a nearby village, and the security forces intervened.

MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union), who moved to Homesh three months before its destruction in 2005, also took part in the ascent on Sunday. This, after initially being told that even his Knesset Member privileges would not suffice to allow him passage to the area. "The manhunt that the Border Guard policemen are waging after the youths who have come to rebuild Homesh," he said, "will not break the spirit of those who still believe that the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish People and not the Arabs."

Organizers were very happy at the way the event was developing. "This is a rolling event, not a one-time thing," they said, "and it is not yet over. This is our climactic moment in the struggle for Homesh. It began last week when we pulled a good trick in announcing that Tuesday's planned ascent would not take place - while ever since then, hundreds have made their way up."

"The point is to show the Prime Minister that we are not planning to ever give up the plan to return and rebuild Homesh. We have changed the rules of the game, and the government is unable to deal with the great amounts of people that keep coming here."

The first ascent to Homesh took place seven months ago, on Chanukah, when 1,000 people evaded army checkpoints and lit holiday candles there. A few months later, shortly before Passover, 3,000 people attempted to settle the site, but were thrown out after three days. A month later, on Independence Day, 20,000 people marched to Homesh, in an event permitted at the last moment by the security forces. On June 12, thousands made their way to Homesh in a government-authorized visit, marking the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the area, and of all of Judea and Samaria.