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Dear Friends (from Nadia Matar), Never a dull moment in the struggle for a Jewish Shdema! Below is the translation of a letter we wrote to Prime Minister Netanyahu after finding out, a few days ago, that the Civil Administration has told the Arabs to correct the plans that they submitted for building in Shdema, demanding the Arabs erase the top of the hill. In other words, the Civil Administration plans on allowing the Arabs to build on most of the hill except on the top of the hill, where we have been conducting our weekly activities and which even the civil Administration admits must stay in Israeli control. Some people might portray this as a victory of ours, for before we came into the picture, the entire hill was planned on being given away to the Arabs. We on the other hand do not plan on accepting that. Receiving the top of the hill is not enough! The entire hill of Shdema is area C and should stay in Jewish hands. The Arabs have, unfortunately, control over tens of thousands of dunams of area A where they can build whatever they please but no, they focus on Shdema to try and take away the little land left that Jews control in that area. The struggle is far from over, for the decision whether to allow the Arabs to receive Shdema or not has not been given yet. The problem is that the person in charge of deciding whether to give Shdema away or not is Ehud Barak. Not many people are aware to the fact that all that is happening in Judea and Samaria is decided by one man: Ehud Barak. A structure in Judea and Samaria is labeled "illegal", not because it really is illegal but because Ehud Barak, for political reasons, has not given his final signature for that structure. In other words, in any other area of Israel, buildings are built, porches are closed, structures go up, after receiving permits from the local council and from the Housing Ministry. In Judea and Samaria, Jews are demanded to also receive the approval of Ehud Barak. And thus, plans for building get stuck even though they have all other permits needed, but they lack Ehud Barak's signature. In our letter we raise this scandalous situation saying it is unacceptable that Ehud Barak, representing a minority party, is the man in charge in Shdema, in particular, and in Judea and Samaria, in general. Ministers and tens of Members of Knesset, including members of the Knesset Subcommittee of Foreign Affairs, have visited Shdema and have clearly stated that Shdema, all of it, must stay in Israel's control and that the illegal Arab structures at the bottom of the hill must be destroyed. It is inconceivable that their demands are being ignored and overruled by Ehud Barak! At the end of our letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu we posted the contact information to ministers and members of Knesset. Be a partner in the struggle for a Jewish Shdema. Write letters, faxes and emails demanding they raise their voice even higher, that all of Shdema stay in Jewish hands and not only the top of the hill. This week we have been going up to Shdema for two hours every day to show a Jewish presence and to do some painting and fixing up. This coming Friday we will, please G-d, go up to Shdema, as every Friday, at 9:30am, for a shiur by Ruthie Wallfish. Please join us! With love for Israel, Nadia Matar, Women in Green 050-5500834 Yehudit Katzover, The Committee for a Jewish Shdema 050-7161818 --------------------------------------------------------------- To: Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel re: 1) Jewish Shdema     2) Divesting the Defense Minister of authority for safeguarding Eretz Israel To our Prime Minister, Shalom u-berachah             On the eve of your trip to Europe, we wish to draw your attention to the struggle that is taking place at Shdema, that is very close to Har Homa, a neighborhood that was established in the south of Jerusalem, thanks to you, thanks to your firm stand on the Jewish people's right to build in Eretz Israel.             The story of Shdema encapsules the problematic Eretz Israel reality. What happens in Shdema is happening in all the areas of Judea and Samaria, and is indicative of a very grave problem: the policy of surrender and concessions conducted by a single individual: Ehud Barak.             Shdema, a hill with a military camp located on the outskirts of Bethlehem, 5 kilometers from Har Homa (Jerusalem), and 8 kilometers from Tekoa, that was abandoned three years ago by the IDF, is in Israeli-controlled Area C.             The Beit Sahur municipality submitted a request to the Minister of Defense to build a park and hospital on the entire area of the camp. The request is on  Ehud Barak's desk; permission has still not been granted. This did not bother the Arabs of Beit Sahur, with the encouragement and funding of European organizations and USAID, to build an entire complex of structures and installations for various activities on the northern area of the camp, at the foot of the hill. In a report that appeared in the Jerusalem Post two weeks ago, USAID admits to have mistakenly contributed to the illegal Arab construction in Shdema. The Arabs are not satisfied with that. They want to erect a hospital on the rest of the area of Shdema.             It is interesting that the Arabs want to build specifically in Shdema, when around Shdema, the Arabs control tens of thousands of dunams in Area A, on which they can establish a hospital and whatever they wish. But no, they insist on taking over our Area C, the minuscule area in the region that belongs to Gush Etzion.             A year and a half ago we established the Committee for Jewish Shdema. Since then, every week, we conduct activities at Shdema (lectures, concerts, exhibitions, classes) to demonstrate a Jewish presence and safeguard the site. If not for the activity by the Committee for Jewish Shdema, in cooperation with the Gush Etzion Regional Council and with the support of Women in Green, the entire area of the camp would already be in the hands of the Arabs. Our natural and simple demand: that the entire Shdema hill (Area C) remain in the hands of the State of Israel and the people of Israel.             Shdema is situated at an extremely strategic location, that enables Jewish continuity between Jerusalem and eastern Gush Etzion, and provides security for those traveling on the eastern Gush Etzion road. The IDF is aware of the strategic need for Shdema, but Ehud Barak's political considerations apparently overweigh Israel's national and security considerations, and endanger our continued control of Shdema.             We alerted the IDF that the Arabs are building at the bottom of the hill without permits and are taking control of Area C. The subcommittee of the Knesset Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee, that already visited Shdema twice, specifically ordered not to allow the transfer of Shdema to Arab hands. Coalition chairman and subcommittee chairman MK Ze'ev Elkin demanded that the brigade commander and the Civil Administration not allow the Arabs to continue building and using the structures. But the Arab construction continued, and still continues, despite the cessation of work orders and demolition orders, and ramified Arab activity continues at the site every day, despite the order to cease use of the structures.             In contrast, the enforcement of the "law" against the activities of the members of the Committee for Jewish Shdema continues in full severity. Except for permission to stay at the site for a few hours once or twice a week, we are not permitted to renovate the site in a serious way or to remain there on a permanent basis.             This week we were informed that the building plans that the Arabs submitted for the construction of a hospital on the entire hill were returned to them by the Civil Administration, to amend the plan, to remove from it the top of the hill, for the IDF's operational needs. The area of the hill is minuscule, and if, Heaven forbid, it will be surrounded by Arab construction, the top, as well, will not remain in our hands. (Attached is a letter by Shaul Goldstein, the head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, warning of this.)             The reality at Shdema reflects the harsh reality throughout Eretz Israel. A reality in which Arabs, funded and helped by international organizations, take over our land and the Israeli authorities do not stop them. A reality in which Jews on the other hand are not allowed to build anything because one man, Ehud Barak, refuses to give his signature.             In light of this, we wish to correct matters. * It is inconceivable that the policy of a minority party will decide on the transferal of the people of Israel's possessions to the Arab enemy! * It is inconceivable that the legality or illegality of an area, activity, outpost, or structure are dependent on Ehud Barak's signing or not signing his approval! * It is inconceivable that basic powers pertaining to the existence of the people of Israel and the State of Israel will be exclusively in the hands of Ehud Barak!             Prime Minister, we appeal to you to apply all your national and Zionist influence so that the minority position among the people will not be decisive, but instead, the policy of the majority, whom you represent. The majority of the people voted for a policy of safeguarding Eretz Israel. The majority of the people understands that, without Eretz Israel, without the actual territory, without the earth under our feet, we are in retreat from our spiritual and strategic assets, and we will not be able to survive.             Shdema is a microcosm of what is happening throughout Eretz Israel. Restoring Shdema to Jewish hands and to full Israeli control will deliver a clear message that the people of Israel is safeguarding  its homeland. With the blessing of building, growth, and strengthening throughout Eretz Israel, The Committee for a Jewish Shdema and Women in Green Rabbi Yaron Durani (El-David, Nokdim), Zuri Botusch, Shdema Youth (Jerusalem), Igor Bialski (Tekoa), Elisheva Ginsberg (Alon Shvut), Orly Glauber (Maaleh Rehavam), Ruti Wallfish (Tekoa), Ina Vinyarski (Tekoa), Yehudit Tier (Beit Horon), Timna Katz (Neveh Daniel), Nadia Matar (Efrat) - 050-5500834, Gedaliah Friedman (Neveh Daniel), Yehudit Katzover (Kiryat Arba-Hebron) - 050-7161818, Eli Rodan (Elazar) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTACT INFO With thanks to Arlene Kushner who provided this info See Arlene's website http://www.ArlenefromIsrael.info All phone and fax numbers from the US: 011-972, then drop the "0" and proceed with the rest of the number. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (Likud) Fax: 02-670-5369 Phone: 03-610-9898 E-mail: pm_eng2@it.pmo.gov.il (underscore after pm) Minister for Strategic Affairs Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) Fax: none provided Phone: 02-6408891 E-mail: myaalon@knesset.gov.il Defense Minister Ehud Barak (Labor) Fax: 02-6496117 Phone: 02-6753223 E-mail: ehudb@knesset.gov.il Interior Minister Eli Yishai (Shas) Fax: 02-6662909 Phone: 02-6408406/7 E-mail: eyishay@knesset.gov.il Construction and Housing Minister Ariel Atias (Shas) Fax: 02-6753934 Phone: 02-6753934 E-mail: aatias@knesset.gov.il Minister Benny Begin (Likud) Fax: none provided Phone: 02-6408022 E-mail: bbegin@knesset.gov.il National Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau (Yisrael Beitenu) Fax: none provided Phone: 02-6408055/4 E-mail: ulandau@knesset.gov.il Science and Technology Minister Daniel Hershkovitz (Habayit Hayehudi) Fax: 02-6496159 Phone: 02-6496100 E-mail: dhershkovitz@knesset.gov.il Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beitenu) Fax: 02-6408921 Phone: 02-6408388/9 E-mail: aliberman@knesset.gov.il Minister of Information Yuli Edelstein (Likud) Fax: 02-6758919 Phone: 02-6408392 E-mail: yedelstein@knesset.gov.il Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) Fax: 02-6496579 Phone:02-6408044/5 E-mail: ysteinitz@knesset.gov.il Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) Fax: 02-6496525 Phone:02-6408172/4 E-mail: yiskatz@knesset.gov.il Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch (Yisrael Beitenu) Fax: none provided Phone: 02-6408825 E-mail: iaharon@knesset.gov.il Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov (Yisrael Beitenu) Fax: 02-6753372 Phone: 02-6408111/2 E-mail: smiseznikov@knesset.gov.il Immigrant Absorption Minister Sofa Landver (Yisrael Beitenu) Fax: 02-6496744 Phone: 02-6408183/2 E-mail: slandver@knesset.gov.il Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) Fax: 02-6753525 Phone: 02-6408131/375 E-mail: gsaar@knesset.gov.il Communication Minister Moshe Kahlon (Likud) Fax: 02-6408902 Phone: 02-6408365 E-mail: mcachlon@knesset.gov.il