About one thousand Right activist arrived Monday night at the community of Homesh in the northern West Bank which was evacuated last summer during the disengagement.
The activists held a Hanukkah menorah lighting service at the site and announced the reestablishment of the settlement.
| 'Pilgrimage' |
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| Dozens head for evacuated West Bank settlement / Moran Rada |
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Right-wing settlers marching since noon towards community evacuated during disengagement in northern West Bank, many stopped but some reported to have reached destination. Evacuee: 'We will light Hanukkah candles there' |
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On the way the activists encountered security forces who tried to prevent them from reaching the evacuated settlement, but eventually activity at the site was permitted.
Ehud Shalem, a member of the Komemiut movement, which organized the re-settling operation, told Ynet that "despite the expulsion, eight families – some of which lived in Homesh before – have decided to reresettle it."
"We believe that when the State makes a mistake, it should also correct it, and we are the first to come out of love for the land of Israel, despite the slap we have received. God willing, a small group of people willing to settle Sa-Nur will rise in the coming weeks," he continued.
It seems that in light of the large number of people who arrived in Homesh, some by cars and others by foot, through Arab villages, commander of the West Bank division Brigadier General Yair Golan allowed the candle lighting ceremony to take place on the site, and afterwards, as was agreed upon with the organizers, he asked them to disperse peacefully.
Returning to Homesh (Photo: Amatzya Eitan)
The Komemiut movement said Monday that they were pleasantly surprised with the responses received from all those present and that they have been working towards attempting to resettle Homesh for a long time now.
"Up until today we have only organized small groups who 'have come to pray at the site' whether it was permitted or not," said Shalem.
The Movement's Chairman Moshe Cohen said during the candle lighting ceremony, "We have lit Hanukkah menorah's, we will light up the country. The territory is with us and the public is waking up."
Komemiut movement announced that the march to the settlement was done "against the police's will, and against the will of the State's Yesha Council."
During the event, extremist Right activis Baruch Marzel was arrested for investigation. The police reported that Marzel was arrested due to failing to appear for an investigation which he was summoned to, and that his arrest had nothing to do with incidents at Homesh.
Right wing activist Itamar Ben Gvir said that Marzel was arrested following a warrant for his arrest that was issued a few weeks ago after stones were thrown on his vehicle in Hebron.
Ben Gvir said the police claimed that following the stone throwing incident Marzel and others got out of the vehicle and started to smash windshields of the cars or Arab residents.
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