TU B'SHVAT (JEWISH TREE HOLIDAY) PLANTING THURSDAY JANUARY 20TH IN MREIR:
AREA VICTIMIZED BY TREE DESTRUCTION AND OLIVE THEFT
All the trees, it is as if they talk with each other
All the trees, it is as if they talk with people
All the trees – Were created for enjoyment of humanity
Midrash (ancient rabbinic commentary) Genesis Rabah, Chapter 13)
In light of the largest wave of the destruction and vandalism of Palestinian owned trees in at least 5 years, and levels of olive theft we have never seen before, Rabbis For Human Rights, along with the "Harvest Coalition" and other partners, will launch a campaign to plant peace, communication and love of the "other" in the hearts of the residents of the Holy Land. We will plant trees on the lands of the Palestinian village Mreir, next to the unauthorized outpost Adei Ad. This is one of the areas most plagued by the cutting down and poisoning of trees, as well as olive theft. Rabbis, the author Haim Guri, Israelis from all walks of life and Palestinian farmers will participate.
On every tree we will hang a special Jewish prayer written by RHR, along with verses from the Koran, hoping to remind all the Land's residents that trees are holy and it is forbidden to harm them in the midst of conflict and war.
The campaign is a result of the failure of the Israeli security forces to honor the Israeli High Court's decision in appeal 9593/04 (Brought by RHR, The Association For Civil Rights in Israel and 5 Palestinian local councils) obligating them to do more to prevent the damage and destruction to Palestinian trees. The IDF claims that it is impossible to protect every single olive tree. RHR demands that as a minimum the IDF take significant measures in the areas such as the lands around Adei Ad, where there is a long history of repeated incidents and a high likelihood of more incidents in the future. The IDF proved what is possible when they stationed border police around the Havat Gilad outpost for several months before, during and after the olive harvest, and incidents of attacks on person and property dropped close to zero. RHR, along with ACRI, Yesh Din, and B'Tselem, recently sent the army a table of incidents in 5 areas plagued by repeat incidents, including the lands of Mreir and adjacent Turmos Aya. We will be making this table available to the press in the next few days.
Members of the press who wish to join arrive by organized transportation can join the transportation for volunteers leaving from two locations at 9:00. Please sign up in advance:
Liberty Bell Garden Parking Lot in Jerusalem
"Rosh HaAyin North" train station (Kassem Junction easily accessible from the Tel Aviv area)
Timetable:
10:00-11:30 Tree Planting and Ceremony
11:30-12:30 Journalists field tour to view tree destruction and damage
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TOUR, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH ALL INTERESTED JOURNALISTS TO THE LOCATION OF THE OCTOBOR 15TH ARSON AROUND HAVAT GILAD, PERHAPS THE BIGGEST SINGLE DESTRUCTION OF TREES, AND OTHER AREAS CITED IN OUR TABLE.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED.
Information and Registration:
RHR: 02-6482757, info@rhr.israel.net.
After office hours: RHR Spokesperson Ariel Eitan 054-7434277
From that village came the murderers of Gideon Lichterman which happened in early May 2003:
Gideon Lichterman, 27, of Achiyah, east of Shiloh, was murdered by Palestinian terrorists last night on his way to give a ride home to a fellow resident. A member of the town's secretariat, he heard that a friend - Tamir Dar, 25, a reserve soldier - needed a ride back to the community, and he volunteered to make the short trip. Gideon took along his 6-year-old daughter Moriah, as his wife was not home at the time. Along the way, terrorists waiting behind one of the bends in the road opened fire and seriously wounded both Gideon and his daughter. The waiting soldier heard the shooting from where he was standing, ran to help, and was seriously wounded himself. Several minutes later, a passing driver, Yagur Rechelim, evacuated the soldier to a nearby army position, and called a friend from the area who found and brought Moriah to the same spot. Troops then went back to the scene of the attack to search for the driver, Gideon; he was found some 50 meters away from the car, where he bled to death after he went either to try to get help or to return fire against the murderers. The search for the terrorists continued this morning, after tracks of their getaway car were noticed at the scene.
The two wounded victims - 6-year-old Moriah Sara bat (daughter of) Leah Liat, and Tamir ben (son of) Tziporah - were flown by helicopter to a Jerusalem hospital, where they were operated on throughout the night. They are listed in serious but stable condition. Fatah - the PLO faction founded by Yasser Arafat and Abu Mazen - took responsibility for the attack.
And in January 2009, Yair Hirsch was shot and severly wounded in the arm by residents of the village.
These Human Rights Rabbis really know to pick a village of peace and coexistence, don't they?
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