Monday, February 06, 2006
Rally On! by Sara Layah Shomron
BS"D
Rally On!
The horrific scenes looked like a frightening remake of a "Planet of the Apes" sci-fi movie. The mounted policemen, donning black protective gear and swinging hard metal clubs, rode their brutal horses into the predominantly religious adolescent protestors. They clubbed and bruised them. Blood streamed from many a clubbed forehead including that of Knesset member Effie Eitam. The police also broke Knesset member Arie Eldad's arm. Our police, with wanton disregard, trampled our faithful, innocent children struggling in Amona. Many young protestors also suffered from head concussions.
Indecision weighed heavily upon me several mornings later, 7 Shvat (Feb. 5th, 2006). A rally calling for an inquiry into police brutality against protestors at Amona, under the slogan "Olmert is bad for the Jews" was organized by the YESHA Council for that evening in Jerusalem. On the one hand, I have no trust in this council suspecting that my Land, my Home may have been sacrificed in order to keep their homes elsewhere in Yehuda and Shomron. Yet the shocking, revolting photographs and videos emerging from the Amona struggle demanded a response; even a demonstration organized by the YESHA council.
So I decided to attend the demonstration. I made inquires about a bus going only to find out that there wasn't a prearranged bus from the Nitzan Caravilla site. Several adults here were indifferent, apathetic, and numb. Certainly understandable considering that they attended many demonstrations, blocked roads, went door-to door explaining the importance of Gush Katif – only to be banished from their beautiful homes which were then reduced to rubble. And our holy synagogues were desecrated and destroyed by savage Arabs.
While I understand my friends, I strongly believe that even from the depths of our despair our voice must still rise in outcry. We mustn't allow this painful edict to silence and destroy us. To do so would be to deny our raison d'etre.
Happily I found a ride up to Jerusalem with friends who were in a local meeting with a SELA representative. Six and -a-half months after our expulsion they, along with their 3 precious children, are still in a Jerusalem hotel trying to secure a Nitzan caravilla. Incredible! This governmental negligence is absolutely inexcusable!
Once at the crowded demonstration, a friend and I managed to maneuver our way to the front near the speakers. High level security/police officers monitored the Jerusalem Zion Square demonstration site. They didn't wear visible name tags. I suspect this was so any mistreatment by such personnel couldn't be reported.
A group of teenage boys standing by me spontaneously broke into songs and lively Hora-like dance steps. For the first time since my expulsion I felt alive! Once again I was acting in accordance with my ideology – and I wasn't alone; purportedly 100,000 people from all over the country attended the demonstration. And amongst this vibrant human flood I was able to find my eldest daughter and wave to her.
Large screens showed grotesque coverage of police brutality against Jewish protestors in Amona. Knesset members Uri Ariel and Effie Eitam spoke as did others including an articulate pretty teenage girl. The former spoke firmly of how acting Prime Minister Olmert wants our blood and we won't let him have it! He said to loud cheers that upcoming elections will see Olmert removed from office. The girl did her best to hold back her tears while she spoke. Many listeners were moved to tears as she recounted how the police maliciously swung hard metal clubs as they entered an Amona house scheduled for demolition in which she and other religious teenage girls peacefully sat. The police repeatedly clubbed them. Painfully she cried out to them: "we are girls!" Her heart wrenching outcry fell on deaf police ears.
The hard evidence is easily accessible and readily available yet acting Crime Minister Ehud Olmert refuses to make an inquiry into the police brutality at Amona. He is prepared for our Jewish Nation to sink into a deep and dangerous abyss. Indeed, "Olmert is bad for the Jews."
May this upcoming election place the leadership reins into strong and capable right-wing religious hands.
Sara Layah Shomron, a former resident of Neve Dekalim, currently resides in the temporary Nitzan Caravilla site.
Rally On!
The horrific scenes looked like a frightening remake of a "Planet of the Apes" sci-fi movie. The mounted policemen, donning black protective gear and swinging hard metal clubs, rode their brutal horses into the predominantly religious adolescent protestors. They clubbed and bruised them. Blood streamed from many a clubbed forehead including that of Knesset member Effie Eitam. The police also broke Knesset member Arie Eldad's arm. Our police, with wanton disregard, trampled our faithful, innocent children struggling in Amona. Many young protestors also suffered from head concussions.
Indecision weighed heavily upon me several mornings later, 7 Shvat (Feb. 5th, 2006). A rally calling for an inquiry into police brutality against protestors at Amona, under the slogan "Olmert is bad for the Jews" was organized by the YESHA Council for that evening in Jerusalem. On the one hand, I have no trust in this council suspecting that my Land, my Home may have been sacrificed in order to keep their homes elsewhere in Yehuda and Shomron. Yet the shocking, revolting photographs and videos emerging from the Amona struggle demanded a response; even a demonstration organized by the YESHA council.
So I decided to attend the demonstration. I made inquires about a bus going only to find out that there wasn't a prearranged bus from the Nitzan Caravilla site. Several adults here were indifferent, apathetic, and numb. Certainly understandable considering that they attended many demonstrations, blocked roads, went door-to door explaining the importance of Gush Katif – only to be banished from their beautiful homes which were then reduced to rubble. And our holy synagogues were desecrated and destroyed by savage Arabs.
While I understand my friends, I strongly believe that even from the depths of our despair our voice must still rise in outcry. We mustn't allow this painful edict to silence and destroy us. To do so would be to deny our raison d'etre.
Happily I found a ride up to Jerusalem with friends who were in a local meeting with a SELA representative. Six and -a-half months after our expulsion they, along with their 3 precious children, are still in a Jerusalem hotel trying to secure a Nitzan caravilla. Incredible! This governmental negligence is absolutely inexcusable!
Once at the crowded demonstration, a friend and I managed to maneuver our way to the front near the speakers. High level security/police officers monitored the Jerusalem Zion Square demonstration site. They didn't wear visible name tags. I suspect this was so any mistreatment by such personnel couldn't be reported.
A group of teenage boys standing by me spontaneously broke into songs and lively Hora-like dance steps. For the first time since my expulsion I felt alive! Once again I was acting in accordance with my ideology – and I wasn't alone; purportedly 100,000 people from all over the country attended the demonstration. And amongst this vibrant human flood I was able to find my eldest daughter and wave to her.
Large screens showed grotesque coverage of police brutality against Jewish protestors in Amona. Knesset members Uri Ariel and Effie Eitam spoke as did others including an articulate pretty teenage girl. The former spoke firmly of how acting Prime Minister Olmert wants our blood and we won't let him have it! He said to loud cheers that upcoming elections will see Olmert removed from office. The girl did her best to hold back her tears while she spoke. Many listeners were moved to tears as she recounted how the police maliciously swung hard metal clubs as they entered an Amona house scheduled for demolition in which she and other religious teenage girls peacefully sat. The police repeatedly clubbed them. Painfully she cried out to them: "we are girls!" Her heart wrenching outcry fell on deaf police ears.
The hard evidence is easily accessible and readily available yet acting Crime Minister Ehud Olmert refuses to make an inquiry into the police brutality at Amona. He is prepared for our Jewish Nation to sink into a deep and dangerous abyss. Indeed, "Olmert is bad for the Jews."
May this upcoming election place the leadership reins into strong and capable right-wing religious hands.
Sara Layah Shomron, a former resident of Neve Dekalim, currently resides in the temporary Nitzan Caravilla site.
