 |
 |
 |
|
|
MK Effie Eitam: "hundreds of thousands of citizens whose right to vote in a referendum was denied will vote with their feet in Gush Katif, and will prove that the majority of the nation is against the disengagement."
|
|
|
|
|
|
| By Jerusalem Newswire March 28, 2005 |
|
| |
Responding to the Knesset's overwhelming decision Monday to deny Israelis the chance to vote on surrendering land to the Arabs, the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip (Yesha) said it would prevent the planned retreat nonetheless.
Spokespersons for the council said on the day Prime Minister Ariel Sharon orders his forces to implement the "disengagement" plan, Israeli Jews will swarm Gaza and northern Samaria and passively block the expulsion of the local Jewish populations.
The Council "is transferring the struggle to the people and to the field, and is intending to turn up, along with more than 100,000 other people, in Gush Katif and northern Samaria, in order to prevent the implementation of this plan," Arutz 7 quoted them as saying.
Knesset member Effi Eitam echoed that sentiment, stating that since the Knesset had "voted against democracy and against the will of the people . . . hundreds of thousands of citizens whose right to vote in a referendum was denied will vote with their feet in Gush Katif, and will prove that the majority of the nation is against the disengagement."
Monday's 72-39 Knesset vote against a referendum on the retreat was a major blow to diplomatic efforts to prevent Sharon's plan and avoid a growing national rift.
"The prime minister today prevented, in a pernicious way, the chance to turn the plan over to the judgment of the people and to prevent civil war and violent confrontation," the Yesha Council stated.
National Union MK Tzvi Hendel lashed out at Sharon following the vote saying, "It is to the nation's shame that the man at the head of the government is a coward, afraid to accept the people's decision, [and] buying votes by dictatorial and intimidating means."
While Sharon insists the vast majority of Israelis support a retreat from Gaza and northern Samaria, he has fought against holding a national referendum and ignored the results of two Likud referendums held last year.
"Sharon may have succeeded in burying the referendum, but I have no doubt that ultimately truth will win out and the disengagement will be buried," Hendel said.
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
