Dear Friends and Supporters,

Three weeks ago I wrote the following words after a traumatic night in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarakh.  Although originally sent out only to our Israeli lists, they have been posted in several places and we have been asked why they were not sent out to all of our supporters.  If you have already read this, you can scroll down to some additional updates and action suggestions below:

Armageddon, Straight Ahead

It is 1:30 am, and I just came back from Sheikh Jarakh –I see Jerusalem in flames, and know than my words will not succeed in conveying the horror of what I saw or the dread in my heart.

Today the court ruled in favor of the settlers who had taken over part of yet another family’s home in Sheikh Jarakh. Because a lawyer for some of the families in the 1980′s recognized Jewish ownership in return for protected tenant’s status, the addition the El-Kurd family made to their home was deemed illegal. They had to ask permission from the “owners” to do it. Did the court order the addition demolished or a fine paid? Of course not. Why, anybody should be able to understand that the only logical thing to do was to let settlers move in to the extension.

All day the tension was palpable, sometimes breaking into physical violence. When I arrived in the evening, people warily looked at me to determine if I was friend or foe, until I got close enough to be recognized and greeted in Arabic the newcomers who didn’t recognize me. Palestinians backed by Israelis and internationals huddled around fires, keeping a watchful eye out, as Arab music reminded settlers huddled inside their new acquisition just where they were. Nasser Ghawi is closing in on his fourth month in a pitiful lean to across the street from where 6 settler families lived in his home, with a constant stream of visitors in and out. He asked me if there was any hope left. Usually full of optimism in even the most difficult situations, I could only mouth some meaningless platitudes about looking for new legal options. Yesterday Maya, our staff person who spends the most time in Sheikh Jarakh, asked me where justice was. I didn’t have an answer for her either.

All of a sudden a group of settlers and their supporters comes to the Ghawi home amidst catcalls and insults hurled by Palestinians seeking an outlet for their seething anger and pain. The settler group moves closer and wants to come in to congratulate those within. Everybody jumps to their feet and the gate is slammed shut, but there are settlers already inside as well as outside. I am amazed that no fights break out. The taunts get louder and more vicious. Some spit at the settlers. In similar situations I have urged Palestinians to calm down, but here I felt that I had no right and that it would do no good. The only comment I responded to was when somebody said in Arabic that they wished Hitler had finished the job. I tried to think of what I could do if things escalated further, and didn’t come up with any answers. The settlers keep staring at me and my kippah. They don’t get it.

The most terrifying indication that we were at the brink of conflagration was that the police were did not wade violently into the Palestinians or arrest people for having the wrong look on their faces, as so often happens in Sheikh Jarakh. I even saw one of the officers trying to clear the way for settlers to come in and out snarl at one of the settlers and tell him that he dare not touch anybody. In other situations I would have been pleasantly surprised, but here this was an indication that the police also knew that they were sitting on top of a volcano about to blow.

Maya arrives. I say to her, “It will be a miracle if the night passes without an explosion.”

Every few minutes a new group of settlers comes to look, to smile. At one point a settler inside comes demanding that the Palestinians turn off the blaring music. I have visions of what will happen if he pulls a plug or smashes something. I remind him of the Jewish teaching, “You don’t rebuke somebody in the midst of their sorrow. “   He goes back in, as Palestinians shout and rattle the windows. One woman addresses at length the Druze officer guarding the door to the captured room.   I can only imagine what she is saying.  What is said in Hebrew again and again is, “This is your system of law?” I can only answer what I learned years ago, “Not everything that is “legal” is just.”

The worst of it is that I don’t know what to suggest. Israel’s democracy has failed up until now. International pressure has failed up until now. The activist community has failed up until now.

Although his worst predictions that their actions would cause the inhabitants of the land to rise up and destroy them never came true, our ancestor Jacob cursed his sons Simeon and Levi until his dying day for their violent and brutal act of revenge in this week’s Torah portion, Their weapons are tools of lawlessness. Let not my person be included in their council,, Let not my being be counted in their assembly. For when angry they slay men, and when pleased they maim oxen.”(Genesis 45:6)

I hope that I too am wrong. What is the big deal here? Be angry and upset, but why so worried about one more incident of helpless Palestinian fury directed at an Israeli injustice?   Why should activists spend a sleepless cold Jerusalem night huddling in front of a fire? Why should the political echelons and the courts shake themselves out of their torpor? Can’t the international community feel satisfied with itself over it’s “strong protest?”

Because this is Jerusalem. As I wrote a week and a half ago, I see a Palestinian anger burning so strong that, unlike what usually happens, neither the threat of arrest or the use of overwhelming force is a deterrent. That means a third intifada. That means that the fact that the world community forcing Israel into a settlement freeze (perhaps) may be too little too late. That means that the Obama administration remains a laughingstock at best, and in many quarters the U.S. is again the subject of scorn and derision.

I see Jerusalem in flames – I see Armageddon straight ahead. I see everywhere complacent alarm. I know that tens will answer our call to demonstrate today, but we need hundreds and thousands. The diplomats will write urgent reports, but we need effective pressure. The peace and human rights community will say that this is terrible, but we need them to come out of their homes. The politicians will say that it is a matter for the courts and that they can’t interfere, while the courts will say that the law takes precedence over their personal conscience. The police will prepare emergency plans. If nothing changes (olam c’minhago noheg), Jerusalem will burn.

Postscript 9:45 am: Massive forces arrived a short while ago and again forcibly tore down the Rawi lean-to opposite their home. Just before I left last night a police officer who didn’t know Nasser (I guess the police sent in new forces, knowing that the clearly biased officers from the local police station would add fuel to the fire), asked him for his ID. I said “You don’t know this is Nasser Rawi who has been sitting here on the sidewalk for 3 months?” The officer asked if I was there to help Nasser, and I said “Yes.” The officer replied, “He doesn’t need your help.” My first thought was, “What do you mean a family expelled from their home and sitting on the sidewalk for 3 months doesn’t need our help?” Afterwards, I thought to myself, “We all need help.”   *******************

ACT

Things do not seem quite as desperate as when I first wrote these words.  However, I continue to be haunted by the fact that those of us who were predicting the second intifada a year and a half before it happened failed to convince enough people of how tense the situation was.  Seeing the warning signs today of a potential third intifada, I know we must do better this time.  We are currently discussing with our partners in RHR-North America what we can ask you to do if you too are disturbed by what you read.  In the meantime, you may wish to write to Prime Minister Netanyahu, http://www.pmo.gov.il/PMOEng/PM/Write+to+PM/, or Mayor Nir Barkat, mayor@jerusalem.muni.il.  Those of you who are U.S. citizens may wish to participate in J Street and Brit Tzedek V’Shalom’s campaign asking Secretary of State Clinton to redouble her efforts to change Israeli behavior in E. Jerusalem, http://www.jstreet.org/campaigns/current.

************

ADDITIONAL UPDATES

I myself am unfortunately just back from the police station, after flyers were distributed in mailboxes in my neighborhood and taped to lampposts by settlers from Shiloh who were angry because we accompanied Palestinian farmers last week to lands that Shiloh is trying to take over.  The flyers called on people to “talk to me” to dissuade us from “provoking” and “causing Jews to be arrested and indicted as aggressors.”

As much as we would truly prefer to protect human rights by inspiring people to uphold our highest Jewish values, unfortunately we sometimes must also “provoke” in order to effect change.  If there is a silver lining to this incident, perhaps these flyers are an opportunity to invite my neighbors to a parlor meeting.

Inspiring and provoking is not limited to Shiloh. For those of you who would like the latest updates regarding our last ditch campaign to stop the Israeli Wisconsin Plan from being expanded to the entire country, what is happening with the residents of Bir El-Id returned to their homes after 10 years, the olive tree planting season, East Jerusalem, and/or our educational programs, you can go to http://rhr.org.il/index.php?language=en.  You can also write to info@rhr.israel.net, and ask to receive the weekly updates and d’var Torah we send out to our Israeli members, volunteers and supporters.  You can also click http://rhr.org.il/page.php?name=article&id=25&language=en to read my  remarks upon receiving the Yeshayahu Leibovitch prize and/or http://rhr.org.il/page.php?name=article&id=23&language=en to get a sense of a week with RHR.

***********

As the secular year comes to a close, your contribution will help us continue to inspire and provoke.

If you live in the U.S. or Canada:

RHR-North America 333 Seventh Avenue, 13th FlrNew York, NY 10001   Online donations can be made at:

https://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5149/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=43

If you are a U.S. citizen, your contribution will be tax exempt. A portion of your donation will remain with RHR-NA in order to enable them to support our work.   If you live in other parts of the world: RHR 9 HaRehavim Street Jerusalem 93462 Israel  Online donations can be made at:

https://www.litrom.com/default.asp?artst_id=1221&L=en

In countries where the New Israel Fund operates, you can make a donor designated contribution to RHR.  Such donations may be tax exempt. We wish our Christian supporters a blessed Christmas, and a happy secular new year to all.  B’Vrakha, Arik