Whether or not the government raises Amona is yet to be seen, but one thing is clear, the village’s residents understand that their mission is not personal but one that is national. The residents of Amona rejected the deal forged between Bibi Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett last week in which the Regulation Law will be passed on the back of Amona’s destruction. The government wants the country to believe that they offered the residents of Amona an amazing deal where they would be moved 100 meters and stay on the hillside. Yet, that is not the actual deal.
Amona released a statement last night saying why they rejected the deal:
“Over the past year we led our lives with a single purpose – the desire to remain home. A desire to stay on the Amona hill.
“The struggle we led resulted in many achievements for the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria. Among other things we brought the advancement of the Regulation Law.
“Unfortunately, in the final stretch of the campaign for our homes – we were left out of the Regulation Law. We are left facing a bitter truth of an expected eviction: The destruction of our homes and community, and trauma for our children and for us.
“We were willing to accept the destruction of our private homes, and a move from place to place, if only a Jewish community would remain on the hill. But the proposed arrangement does not provide any guarantee or commitment that we will indeed receive an alternative home. In light of this and in view of the uncertainty in the proposal, the residents of Amona decided tonight, after ten hours of debate, to reject the proposed layout.”
The government is cornered now. Bennett staked his political future on standing up for the settlement enterprise and with this rejection and revelation of the deal’s finer points Naftali Bennett has far less street creds to ensure a base of support to grow on. As for Bibi, he is no Olmert interested in showing the left that he is willing to destroy Jewish homes based on a Supreme Court ruling heavily influenced by interference from countless international leftist organizations. Destroying Amona will not go without a fight. Land of Israel activists will not let his government’s betrayal of promises he made go unanswered and may end his career the next time there is an election.
Amona may be razed, but by rejecting an awful deal the residents have put Judea and Samaria first by showing the hypocrisy behind government actions in the biblical heartland. If they were to have agreed to this deal they would have been subjected to being in a constant state of homelessness and owing thousands of dollars on their homes. Their response will make the present government and future ones deal with communities in Judea and Samaria differently.
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