Leap of Faith: Israel's National Religious and the Israeli ... - ReliefWeb

Leap of Faith: Israel’s National Religious and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Crisis Group Middle East Report N°147, 21 November 2013 Page 16
outposts in exchange for consent to their relocation. 80 In response to the Yesha Council’s
agreement with the government regarding relocation of Migron, two action
committees ideologically close to Tkuma 81 were established outside the framework of
the council in order to oppose its conciliatory position. 82 Those rejecting compromise
held that religious principle forbade giving up even a centimetre of land, 83 that
the government of Israel does not have the right to remove people from their homes 84
and that such a compromise would legitimise concessions in general and endanger
the thousands of settler homes that watchdogs argue are built on private land. 85 Ultimately,
pressures by Tkuma-inspired activists – not least the campaigns of the action
committees – helped foil implementation of the relocation agreement.
Yet, despite the fiery rhetoric of those opposing compromise, 86 their widespread
support among the national-religious rabbinic establishment 87 and enormous pressure
on the government to legalise the outposts en masse, the efforts failed. As a 2012
deadline set by the Supreme Court approached, many of those who had opposed the
compromise drifted to the pragmatist camp and opted for consensual relocation,
“the same position they [had] recently criticised so forcefully”, said a veteran settler. 88
80 “After Amona both the government and our leaders wanted to avoid a clash. That could have
weakened the important cooperation with the government”. Crisis Group interview, settler activist,
Jerusalem, October 2012. In 2007, the Yesha Council consented to relocate the outposts so ordered
by the court and negotiated with the government toward that end, agreeing to move to West Bank
land the government claimed was not privately owned by Palestinians. In 2008, defence ministry
advisers and the Yesha Council concluded the “Adam agreement”, which was to relocate Migron’s
residents to a hill near the Adam settlement (east of Ramallah) into which it was to be incorporated.
The agreement also allowed construction of additional residential units in Adam, beyond those necessary
for Migron’s 45 families. “The Migron Petition”, Peace Now website, peacenow.org.il/eng/
content/migron-petition.
81 According to Benny Katsover, a Gush Emunim founder, Tkuma member, and the first chairperson
of the Binyamin Action Committee, the establishment of the action committees was based on a lesson
of the Gaza withdrawal: that the regional councils making up the Yesha Council cannot “fight with
all [their] strength” since they are part of the governmental establishment. Shalom Baer Krombi,
“Indicting people for espionage fits Russia”, Beit Mashiach (Chabad journal), 4 January 2012.
82 Tkuma’s prominent rabbis rejected the agreement even if that meant foregoing the settlement
established in Migron’s stead. Daniella Weiss, “Between Kfar Maimon and Migron”, NRG-Ma’ariv,
20 August 2008.
83 Crisis Group interview, Binyamin action committee member, Beit El, January 2012.
84 “Put religion aside. For years we have been arguing that in a democracy the government does not
have the right to evict a citizen who owns private property. It would have been inconceivable to
evict someone who bought a house in Tel Aviv”. Crisis Group interview, Tkuma Rabbi, Hebron,
January 2012.
85 Crisis Group interview, Migron settler, Migron, January 2012. Crisis Group interview, Binyamin
rabbi, Givat Assaf, October 2011.
86 A Tkuma rabbi declared, “we should not fear a confrontation with the government. God will be
on our side. Modest beginnings in Jewish history became tremendous successes”. Crisis Group interview,
Tkuma Rabbi, Jerusalem, March 2013.
87 Rabbinic calls against giving up even “one centimetre” gathered hundreds of signatures and were
published and posted around the West Bank. Crisis Group observation, January 2012. By 2012 even
the majority of Binyamin rabbis – a rabbinic council advising the head of the Binyamin Regional
Council who had supported a deal in 2008 – no longer publicly advocated it. Crisis Group interview,
Binyamin settler, January 2012.
88 Crisis Group interview, veteran settler activist, Ofra, May 2012. All deals were scorned by activists
of a younger rebellious generation. Hilltop youth shouted “Shame on you” and “Offence to the Torah”
at Givat Haulpana’s residents as they packed their belongings before the evacuation. Crisis Group
observation, Beit El, 26 June 2012.