Marwan, Yigal, and Akiva

Marwan, Yigal, and Akiva

December 4, 2006

 

Absurdity levels are difficult to measure. Today Defense Minister Peretz gave orders forbidding apprehension of terrorists in Judea and Samaria without the expressed permission of the commander of forces in Judea and Samaria. In other words, if a wanted killer is seen standing on a street corner in downtown Jenin, an official request has to be issued before he can be arrested.

 

In addition, should Israeli forces view terrorists in Gaza preparing to shoot a Kasam missile at Sderot or elsewhere in southern Israel, the terrorists may not be stopped. They must be allowed to finish what they started, i.e, attempting to kill Israeli civilians in the state of Israel.

 

And finally, Olmert, speaking in the Knesset committee for defense and security promised that Israel will 'pay whatever price is necessary in order to release the POWs be held in Gaza and Lebanon.'

 

What are the implications of the above three paragraphs?

1.     Israel is opening coffee shop chains throughout Judea and Samaria, providing wanted terrorists a place to rest while the request to arrest them is processed.

2.     Israel is opening coffee shop chains in Gaza for terrorists to rest and relax at following a hard day (or night's) work shooting missiles at Israeli citizens.

3.     Rumor has it that the PA has included Yigal Amir's name on the list, right after Marwan Barghuti.

 

However, this is just the beginning. Just how far does Israeli theatre of the absurd reach? A few days ago, our friend Akiva Lebovitch received a military order, signed by General Yair Naveh, commander of the Central region, ordering him to report to …. Ma'aleh Adumim. [See: http://www.hebron.org.il/hebrew/article.php?id=308]

 

Akiva, married less than three months ago, [http://www.hebron.org.il/hebrew/gallery.php?id=191] lives with his new bride in the Yitzhar Community in the Shomron. There he studies in the local Yeshiva, while his wife travels daily to the city of Ariel, where she attends the College or Judea and Samaria. Akiva, twenty two years old, grew up in Hebron. His parents and younger siblings live in the Avraham Avinu neighborhood. Late Friday afternoon, on July 26, 2002, one of Akiva's older brothers, Elazar, was driving his friend Neria ben Yitzhak and his new bride Sarah to Hebron, to celebrate the first Shabbat following their wedding. Terrorists opened fire on their car, killing Elazar. Only minutes earlier the same terrorists shot and killed three members of the Dikstein family from Psagot.

 

Last week security forces delivered a military order to Akiva which forbids him from being anywhere in Judea and Samaria for the next three months. He may not live in his new home in Yitzhar, nor may he visit his parents in Hebron. He can't even take a trip to Tel Aviv. The military order commands him to reside in Ma'ale Adumim, just south of Jerusalem. For the next three months.

 

Why? According to the command: "after having studied the security material which has piled up against Akiva Lebovitch, I am of the opinion that it is necessary for definite security reasons that he be placed under special surveillance."

 

Just what is the 'security material which has piled up' against Akiva? Ahh, that's a state secret, material compiled by the 'Jewish department of the Shabak,' the Israeli security force, an organization which more resembles Stalin's secret police than a Jewish intelligence agency in Israel, 2006.

 

Where in Ma'ale Adumim must Akiva reside? Is the army providing him with an apartment, or a hotel room? Are they providing free transportation to his wife everyday to Ariel? (The order was addressed only to him, not to her.) What about his monthly stipend/salary from the Yeshiva?

 

Of course, the answers to the above questions are clearly understood: Sleep in the street, eat air for three months, and forget about your wife. She's not dangerous; you are.

 

The restricting orders shocked the entire Lebovitch family. Akiva's father, Yossi, told me that the last time Akiva had any contact with the law was over three years ago, after participating in a Hebron demonstration. Since then, nothing. "They have no reason at all to restrict my son's movements. He hasn't done anything and was just married. Why should they make his life so difficult for him now, at this special time in his life. It was hard enough following the murder of his brother Elazar. But we've tried to mend our lives, putting them back together again, not an easy feat. Akiva and Moria (his wife) are so happy together. What did they do to deserve this?"

 

"If the security forces have information which incriminates my son, let them arrest him, present evidence, and give him a chance to defend himself. If they don't have any evidence against him, why should he be punished, for not only something he didn't do, but for what he is not even able to know about?  His alleged crime is so horrendous that it is a secret, even from him!?"

 

Akiva isn't the first young man placed under 'military house arrest' for unknown and undefined crimes against humanity. Over the past few months 20 others preceded him, also receiving such military orders, expelling them from any presence in Judea and Samaria.

 

Of course, protests against such deviations of justice are also illegal. Last Saturday night, Hebron resident Noam Federman, as he left his car in the vicinity of the residence of General Naveh, was immediately arrested, together with two young children and held until four in the morning. Another of the apprehended was Rabbi Shmuel Yaniv, a well-known Torah scholar, who was disgraced by the police.

 

So let it be known by one and all: It is forbidden to arrest Arab terrorists without permission, or to stop them from attacking Israelis, even when the missile is in the launcher. However, harsh restriction orders against Israeli citizens who have absolutely no idea what they've done wrong is perfectly OK.

 

Maybe we can get Marwan to add Akiva's name to the list too, after him and Yigal?

 

 

 

Anyone desiring to express an opinion directly to General Yair Naveh may fax him at:08-8680240  

or phone him at:02-5305738  or  02-5305294