By Rachel Saperstein
July 17, 2005
The noose is tightening around the people of Gush Katif. A month before their scheduled expulsion the army and the police have been given the go-ahead to put Gush Katif under closed military rule. The area must be 'sterilized', kept clean of visitors so that it will be easier to go from house to house, cleansing the area of Jews.
"I'm filled with shame," L. wept. "They are humiliating me. My country is doing this to me. I no longer live in Israel. I need a magnetic card to get in and out of my home. I'm examined and questioned at three different checkpoints. The cars are backed up. Tour buses are turned away. Buses filled with elderly women are told they cannot visit Gush Katif for the day. We have to call a special number to ask permission for a family member to visit. And it takes twelve hours until we get that precious permission...
"Restrictions, red tape, begging, pleading with the army. The police beat our children. What country is this? Do you know, Rachel, that a policeman gets a bonus of NIS 18,000 for working on the "disengagement"? Imagine, "chai" shekels to destroy the lives of decent people. What kind of Jewish policeman would take this money?"
I met C. at the health clinic. Her shoulder was broken. "I can't get out. The roads are blocked and I need to get to the hospital. How can Israel do this to me? I come from France. Sharon tells the Jews of France to come live in Israel so they will be safe from attack. And now I am treated like a criminal. Chirac is not expelling his Jews but Sharon is expelling fifty French families from Gush Katif."
One of our bus drivers walked into the health clinic, fuming. "I drove my bus to one checkpoint. I was checked, as were all of my passengers. Same thing at the second checkpoint. By the time we got to the third checkpoint I became enraged. I parked in the middle of the road, took my bags and walked off the bus leaving the passengers behind. The soldiers ran after me. I told them I refuse to continue playing their game. 'Okay,' they said, 'take your bus and go.' So I did."
N. asked, "Is this how Jews in Europe felt when restriction after restriction was placed on them? When their enemies attacked them at will and the authorities did nothing? Now I understand what is meant by 'a ghetto'."
A few nights ago at our Town Hall meeting we were told about the three-day march scheduled to begin Monday, July 18th. Thousands will start the trek from the southern city of Netivot to Gush Katif.
The Sharon government is terrified that these thousands will enter the Gush and remain, making the planned expulsion of Jews from Gush Katif that much harder -- thus the early closure of the roads.
May the Almighty empower the Good with the strength to overcome the massed forces of Evil.
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