On the horizon: An upcoming clash in Hebron/Kiryat Arba as outlined in Strategic Assessment IV at Network Global News. There are several articles reporting about the latest events of Hebron’s Beit HaShalom, including a post by the Women in Green, “Beit HaShalom“, saying ”thank you” from the Beit HaShalom’s residents for the encouraging support given them by the hundreds of people who attended an emergency meeting the night before.  The post talked about the events of that meeting, well worth a read. WIG’s post included links to articles by the Jerusalem Post and Arutz Sheva as well. (Updated)

The residents say they have legally purchased the building, and have the paperwork and a video to prove it, and are presently awaiting eviction orders from an Israeli Supreme Court decision this week.  Women in Green included a link to photos taken by Marcia Fremont at the emergency meeting: HERE.

Hebron spokesperson David Wilder and Daniella Weiss, former mayor of Keddumim, were interviewed by Arutz Sheva INNstaff, “Hevron: ‘The Moment is Now’“.  They both shared the many thoughts, hopes, and emotions of the residents and those who support Beit HaShalom. 

They say they have learned from the experience of the expulsion from Gush Katif. (See our previous post Expulsion 2: Preparing the People by Rachel Saperstein).

Update:  Arutz7’s Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu’s article discussed the “Media Campaign against Hevron Peace House“, and also, Tens of Thousands Stream to Hevron as Peace House Showdown Looms by Gil Ronen.  The Jerusalem Post reported about a decision to postpone evacuation of the building for the moment, “Hebron building left alone - for now“.

Of interest is a Ynetnews article by Benny Katzover ”Where is our Zionist vision? Dispute over Hebron home a new nadir in our moral deterioration“.

Time to pray for everyone involved.

Genesis 49:29-33 …”And he charged them, and said unto them: ‘I am to be gathered unto my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a burying-place. There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah. The field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth.’ And when Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and expired, and was gathered unto his people…”

and …”So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.” 2 Samuel 5:3-5

With thanks to Women in Green, Israel National News, Jerusalem Post, Hebrew Bible in English, the Freeman Center for Strategic Studies for the Ynetnews article, and to Network Global News for their helpful analysis.

Previous post about Beit Shalom HERE

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding.” Job 37:5

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Israelity blog has two interesting videos: “Foto Friday - Israel Then and Now”

Fulfilling the Dream via YouTube (or Israelity HERE) “ISRAEL21c presents WZO’s “Fulfilling the Dream - Celebrating 60 Years of Israel’s Challenges and Achievements”, posted by ISRAEL21cdotcom

And the second video gives a quick glimpse of 1968 Israel: “Nostalgia Sunday - Mommy’s trip to Sinai“, a treasured memory of a special mother, an artist.  Listen to Shulamith, a folksong singer sing “Yesh Li Kinneret” at the website “Shulamith and the Two Guitars“, containing titles to songs from her album and a short background on the musicians accompanying her.

The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever. (Psalm 29:10)

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Via YouTube:

HALELUYA - TAL HALEVYS DEBUT ALBUM, as posted by thej411 

… and a worship video - “Ein Elohim Acher” - at King of Kings Community Jerusalem

With thanks to The Life-Of-Rubin blog and the Jewish Music Review for posting the video on YouTube, and to King of Kings Community Jerusalem

“And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.” 2 Samuel 24:25

“Jewish Temples never existed, says top Palestinian negotiator   Official leading peace talks claims Israel trying to ‘invent’ historical Jerusalem link“, says a November 6th article Aaron Klein of WorldNetDaily.

“Ahmed Qurei, the Palestinian Authority official leading all peace talks with the Jewish state, made the controversial statements in a small media briefing Wednesday attended by WND as well as by a Palestinian media outlet and an Arab affairs correspondent for a major Israeli newspaper.” …”Israel is widely expected to offer the Palestinians near complete control of the West Bank and significant control of undisclosed parts of eastern Jerusalem.”  Read the rest of the article

Yet, Qurei’s claim is refuted in the 1925 guide book published by the Moslem Supreme Council, which used the Bible verse 2 Samuel 24:25.  Israel National News reported September 1, 2008: ”Supreme Moslem Council: Temple Mount is Jewish“, including photos of the 1925 document obtained by the Temple Institute. 

View the article about the guide book by the Supreme Moslem Council, with photos, at the Temple Institute website: ”The Temple Institute: The Official 1925 Supreme Moslem Council Guide Book to the Temple Mount“. 

“on page 4, “Its identity with the site of Solomon’s Temple is beyond dispute. This, too, is the spot, according to universal belief, on which ‘David built there an altar unto the Lord.’”

Several years ago the Waqf hauled lots of material by dump trunk from the Temple Mount, containing loads full of archaeological material, a veritable treasure-trove.  Today, there is an ongoing Temple Mount Antiquities Salvage Operation, sifting through those materials removed and dumped by the Waqf, and a blog about the project “Temple Mount Salvage Operation Weblog“.  Below find a YouTube video posted by Cascade47 showing ”Temple Mount Sifting Project” with Zachi Zweig and Mike Caba, done October 26, 2008:

The Temple Mount Antiquities Salvage Operation will be four years old in December (Kislev 10).  The post ”Video Clip summarizing 3 Years” includes a link to a video about the operation.  Mostly in Hebrew, the clip shows where the material came from and the dilemma of dealing with a voluminous amount of material with no physical reference as to preciseness of location, except where it came from!  Well worth a view, for sure. See http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7929937138181980966.  Gordon Govier’s article at The Book and the Spade 2008 Tour, ”Free Day in Jerusalem & the Emek Tzurim Sifting Project, March 3, 2008,” explains about the sifting project, including some photos. 

Also of interest is a National Geographic article from October 23, 2007: ”Solomon’s Temple Artifacts Found by Muslim Workers” written by Matti Milstein in Tel Aviv, Israel.

New concerns developing …

EXPULSION 2: PREPARING THE PEOPLE by Rachel Saperstein, Neve Dekalim/Nitzan: e-mail: ruchimo@netvision.net.il

   “A South African youth group came to visit us in Nitzan. I was asked to be their evening speaker. I warned their tour leaders that I was not nice. “I don’t gloss over the cruelty of the expulsion of the people of Gush Katif. I talk tough.”
   I talked about the preparation for the expulsion. I told the teenagers how the army psychologists prepared the soldiers and turned them into robots. “They were taught to avoid the eyes of mothers and infants as they begged and cried to be allowed to stay in their homes.”
   The preparation included brainwashing the general public. The people of Gush Katif were known as heroes for having withstood years of bombardment by their Arab neighbors. Now we suddenly became “evil settlers” causing the deaths of Israeli soldiers sent to protect us. We, known for having brought millions of dollars into the Israeli treasury from sales of our vegetable exports, were now called “parasites… a drain on our country.”
   We were permitted to protest but warned to “obey the law”. We must not shout “undemocratic” epithets. We were to remain polite and understanding in our sacrifice “in the cause of peace”. We were warned that no amount of protest would stop “the train that had already left the station.” Without even a vote in the Knesset our fate was sealed totally and irrevocably.
   We were enticed with promises of monetary benefits. We were threatened by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni with “swift justice”, ie, family prison camps in the Negev. Carrot and stick psychology.
   The massive influx of soldiers and police into Gush Katif made resistance useless. The destruction of our homes sent a clear message to our brothers and sisters in Judea and Samaria: get ready. We’ll soon be coming for you.
   Last week we began to see the preparations for the next expulsion. The newspapers began their systematic attack on the Jews of Judea and Samaria. [This morning's Jerusalem Post headline: "Ministers warn of political violence as they decry far-right lawlessness"] The idealistic young men and women who have gone to the strategic hilltops in Judea and Samaria are brutalized and condemned. Their homes and belongings are destroyed. Politicians routinely condemn these young people who dare to defend themselves. The army and police do not appear when settlements are attacked by Arabs bent on pillage and murder but routinely arrest Jewish youth defending themselves as “vigilantes”.
   The public is being prepared for the evacuation of Jews from Judea and Samaria to the 1967 borders. Just as in Gush Katif the government and media work together to dehumanize these heroic Jews, promising that their destruction will lead to everlasting peace.
   We must say “Never again!”
   The South African youngsters were clearly dismayed to hear these terrible facts. I urged them to come and live in Israel, for only with idealistic Jewish settlers can our wonderful Israel survive. ##
Our Gush Katif people living in scattered refugee camps have just received letters from the government housing agency informing us that effective this month they will cease all repairs on our flimsy cardboard homes. A second letter informed us that we will be evicted in 18 months. Clearly to make room for the victims of Expulsion 2.

OPERATION DIGNITY needs your help to aid the refugees of Gush Katif. Please make your checks payable to Central Fund for Israel and earmarked for OPERATION DIGNITY. Send them to Central Fund for Israel, 980 Sixth Avenue, New York, NY 10018, USA or Central Fund for Israel, 13 Hagoel Street, Efrat 90435, Israel Shekel checks can be sent directly to Operation Dignity, POB 445, Nitzan 79287, Israel”

Read previous posts about Gush Katif ‘Expellees’ - More Help Needed for the Gush Katif ‘Refugees’ (Expelees)! …Still Waiting …. (Updated), Gush Katif - 3 years and still waiting, Gush Katif (continued): 1000 Days Without a Home — still waiting …. (Updated).

Article by Mrs. Rachel Saperstein with permission, appreciation to her and her husband, and “todah rabah”.

“”Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the sight of the Gentiles, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. And they will dwell safely there, build houses, and plant vineyards; yes, they will dwell securely, when I execute judgments on all those around them who despise them. Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God.’” (Ezekiel 28:25-26)

Recently alerts have been called about the possible eviction of residents of Hebron’s Beit HaShalom (Peace House) who are awaiting an Israeli Supreme Court decision about the legality of living there. 

Nachum Segal of JM in the AM radio program interviewd ”Yossi Baumol about the latest news from Hebron and the upcoming Hebron Fund Dinner”.  (MP3 or in Real Audio) The interview begins at about 2 minutes.  Baumol discusses political activity surrounding the ’settlers’, Hebron, & recent destruction of the Federman-Tor homes [see previous post A need for prayer … (Updated)], and increasing concern about Beit HaShalom.  He notes that every year about this time tensions between ’settlers’ and the Palestinians increase during olive harvesting time.

Emotionally, evicting people from their homes is difficult issue. This possibility brings images of the recently completed ‘disengagement’ of the Jewish people of Gush Katif from Gaza which caused emotional trauma to many. [See previous post - Gush Katif (continued): 1000 Days Without a Home — still waiting …. (Updated)]

The people living in Beit HaShalom claim that this large apartment building was legally purchased from an Arab/Palestinian owner, which is the evidence recently submitted to the Israeli Supreme Court.

Eretz Israel Shelanu has sent an appeal to support the families who are awaiting the Court’s decision, referencing videos below.  Gil Ronen wrote in Israel National News that “Peace House Residents Wary as Court Decision Looms”

“…The Israeli government wants to expel all of the families that live in Peace House, despite proof that it was paid for in full and legally belongs to the Jews who bought it. The case is before the Supreme Court and as resident David Wilder says, “There is a very strong suspicion that they may try to expel the 20 or so families that actually live here.”

“But the people here have no intention of leaving,” he adds immediately and says “‘Be’ezrat HaShem’ we’re going to stay”.

According to Beit HaShalom Update at Hebron.com, the Peace House has been home for several families for almost two years, legally purchased and owned by the families living there.  The Beit HaShalom Update has two other videos:  One is a clip of an “Arab demonstration near the Avraham Avinu neighborhood, during which the scream: “Death to Israel.” can be heard; there is also an “audio recording of the conversation between the seller of Beit HaShalom and a friend with a transcription (in Hebrew) of the conversation.”

The video features David Wilder, the Shuvael family and Daniella Weiss, former mayor of Keddumim, who explains Beit HaShalom’s importance to the Jewish people.

And below, Mrs. Ruti Hizmi shares what daily life is like at Beit HaShalom, her thoughts and purpose for living there, and her belief that the Lord will assist them to succeed in the mission set before them.

Learn more about Hebron’s history from the Jewish Virtual Library, which states that “According to Jewish tradition, the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the Matriarchs Sarah, Rebekah, and Leah are buried in the Tomb”.  King David reigned from Hebron for seven years, and the City of Hebron has a website, and a live webcam of the Machpela itself at http://www.machpela.com/english/

“And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, [then] shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram removed [his] tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which [is] in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.” Genesis 13:14-18

The Google video can be found at http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4458957728003093191&hl=en

November 2nd was the 91st Birthday of the Balfour Declaration, as noted by the Jerusalem Post.

The UK’s Middle East Strategic Information (MESI)’s Aharon Ze’evi Farkash wrote in “A Reevaluation of the Balfour Declaration“ that 

“On November 2, the Balfour Declaration was 91 years old. Although seemingly irrelevant in today’s political scenery, it was the crucial first official recognition of Jewish national aspirations, much disparaged even unto this day. 

Although the declaration itself had little legal status, it was later incorporated into the Sèvres peace treaty with Turkey and the Mandate for Palestine, adopted unanimously by the League of Nations in the San Remo Resolution of 1920. This lent Zionism an international legitimacy enjoyed by few national movements before or since. 

Perhaps most astonishing today, the leader of the Arab movement, King Faisal, supported the declaration when it was referred to in the Faisal-Weizmann Agreement of 1919. “  Click here to complete reading of the the article

Now an apology is being demanded of the the British government from several Palestinian factions as reported in the Maan News Agency: ”Palestinian factions denounce Balfour Declaration; demand British apology“, saying

…”Balfour’s declaration was a pledge by to give away something which was not his,” said a statement released by the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees (PFC), the An-Nasser Salah Addin Brigades. They demanded an official apology by the British government to the Palestinian people and called on Palestinian leaders and Arab countries to stop all negotiations with Israel. 

Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Brigades reiterated the sentiments against the Declaration in a statement that said Palestinians remain attached to their ancestral lands and remember their loss on this anniversary of the issuance of the Balfour Declaration. The statement held Britain responsible for what happened to the Palestinians and demanded that the British government work to remedy its mistake.”…

The Balfour Declaration’s text is at the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, and the Jewish Virtual Library has more about the Declaration including a Commentary, giving further background.

And lastly one should recall Lord Balfour’s document in light of the written words of a Higher Authority who deeded land for a ”Jewish National Home” many many years ago:   

“And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, [then] shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram removed [his] tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which [is] in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.” Genesis 13:14-18

And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: Ezekiel 37:21

And here:
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: Now will I bring back the captivity of Jacob, and have compassion upon the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name. And they shall bear their shame, and all their breach of faith which they have committed against Me, when they shall dwell safely in their land, and none shall make them afraid; when I have brought them back from the peoples, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, in that I caused them to go into captivity among the nations, and have gathered them unto their own land; and I will leave none of them any more there; neither will I hide My face any more from them; for I have poured out My spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.’ Ezekiel 39:25-29

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Hashem, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. And you shall call upon Me, and go, and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)

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