Being Exact in A Message

In an otherwise very good op-ed, I spotted this section:

"As one looks out from Rimonim, the most telling fact is what one does not see. Over the miles of rolling hills that unfold across the landscape, there is not a village, building, home or even a herd of sheep to be seen. The scene is the same at other Jewish settlements as well."

That statement is a bit problematic for me, one who has been living at Shiloh for 28 years and very much involved in getting the Yesha message out.

I know Rimmonim and if I am not mistaken, it all depends exactly from where you are looking if you don't want to see any Arab presence. Moreover, even from Shiloh, there are angles of view where no Arab village can be seen - and many other angles where they can be seen.

That was a bit too sweeping a generalization. It would be too easy to mount a rebuttal. Especially when it is asserted that: The scene is the same at other Jewish settlements as well.

I wouldn't have written that as it simply isn't true. I can't think of a single Jewish community where, no matter where you stand, you cannot see an Arab village, field or herd.

What could have been claimed truthfully is that in terms of demographic density, many visitors would be surprised to find large areas of Judea and Samaria where not a single indication of an Arab presence can be seen. Jews have not "taken over" Arab lands but have moved in. Except for Hebron and two building in Bethlehem, Jews do not live among Arabs but alongside, and in 95% of the cases, that "alongside" is kilometers apart. Some roads bring us close but that's just driving by.