אל המקום אשר ...
Hilltop Foundation
Keren Gvaot
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We were honored to welcome Yosef Yitzchok and Chava Ben Dovid from Givat Geulat Zion representing the Hilltop Foundation.
The Talk was divided into 3 parts.
Part 1:
Historical Context: Lessons of the Gush Katif Expulsion - Miraglim
The presentation began with a reflection on the 2005 Hitnatkut (Expulsion from Gush Katif). Yosef Yitzchok addressed the historical mistrust formed when trusted right-wing leaders, many Rabbonim, organized tens of thousands of protesters to Kfar Maimon, where they were ultimately contained and were unable to march into Gaza. The people circled Kfar Maimon and then dispersed. The Gush Katif Expulsion went into effect the following day.
These trusted leaders led the people like sheep, who were puppets while their leaders, the puppeteers, were in fact agents of the government to implement the Expulsion Plan and neutralize protests. These leaders betrayed Israel and were then called "Miraglim" a derogatory name of the Spies, the Leaders of Israel, who sinned in the time of Moses in the Desert because they discouraged the people from entering the Land.
This betrayal led to the emergence of the "Hilltop Youth"—young patriots determined to prevent any future expulsions from our Ancestral Homeland and determined to actively hold onto the Land of Israel especially when the established ruling powers left a void.
On Tisha B'Av 2005, and the day that followed, Israel demolished 23 beautiful, flourishing communities and expelled over 8,000 people from Gush Katif.
Yosef Yitzchok tongue in cheek repeated what is said on the Gvaot, in the Hilltops, that if Israel was so determined and efficient to Expel 8,000 Jews they can be equally determined and efficient in Expelling the Arabs.
Part 2: Oslo Accords
The Oslo accords conducted behind closed doors divided Israel into 3 areas. Area A which is under Arab civil and security control, Area B which is under Arab Civil Administration but under Israel Security control and Area C which is under Israeli Civil Administration and Security.
It is noted that the Arabs never ratified the Oslo accords and from the get-go never abided to the terms set. The Oslo accords did not bring Peace but encouraged and enabled continued terror attacks.
20 years following the Oslo accords there are now thousands of illegal Arab houses in area C.
The following is an example that Yosef Yitzchok mentioned of how the ruling powers failed to claim Sovereignty in Judea and Samaria in Area C even though the terms of Oslo gave them the ability to do so.
There were constant terror attacks in an Arab village Hawara.
Almost all of Hawara is in Area C.
The IDF, without justification, decided to put a sign in front of Hawara forbidding entrance for all Jews even though it's area C.
Bh, brave Hilltop Youth Jews took away the sign. And today, Hilltop Maccabees drive through the Arab village Hawara.
A small example that says a lot.
Area C is 60 percent of Judea and Samaria
Area B is 19 percent
Area A is 23 percent
Area C Includes includes Gush Etzion bloc, Binyomin area and Bik'at Hayerden.
General consensus regarding Bik'At Hayerden is that it is part of Israel and not included in areas ABC.
If we take away Bik'At Hayerden
Area C is 40 percent of Judea and Samaria.
This is divided into Admot Medina, State Land and Admot Seker, Survey lands which are areas in Judea and Samaria whose legal status is unclear, as they do not have a recognized private ownership record and, on the other hand, they have not yet been officially declared state land.
The area that is Admot Medina, State Land in Area C also includes private Arab land.
How is there private Arab Land in Area C?
King Hussein after 67 war got scared they, the Arabs would lose land and gave presents to private citizens in area C.
It took 8 years until first Yishuv in Judea and Samaria to be established.
Until today in area C there is Arab private owned land that was actually given to Arabs as a present by King Hussein..
Within 40 percent of Area C there is only 20 percent of the Land that is government owned that Jews can build on. The other 20 percent are areas we can walk but not build, and nature reserves. There is land that is under Arab control because they built there.
Vision of the Hilltops Settlers.
Hilltops Settlers do not recognize Oslo borders and build in all areas be it
A, B and C.
Q. What is the Hilltop Youth approach to the Arabs?
Maybe there are 3 percent of Arabs that want to live in peace.
But collectively as a group they are our enemy.
We don't have to evaluate each one to find out who wants to live in peace.
We don't address what they are actively saying but what they are dreaming at night.
As a collective they are our enemy.
Q. Are there many terror attacks in Hawara since Hilltop Jews aren't afraid to enter?
A. Not more than in Tel Aviv.
In area B there is IDF army control and Arab Civilian Control.
After 1967, Tzahal closed areas where there were Jordanian citizens and they didn't know what to do with the territory.
Following the 1967 war, it took 8 years, under the leadership of Rav Levinger to made some headway to Settle in Area C. The group was called Gush Emunim. 8 times they built a community, and each time it was demolished. Finally, one by one the communities were legalized and the population of Judea and Samaria has grown due to their efforts and tremendous sacrifuce! Similar to what is happening today on the Hilltops of Judea and Samaria
That was the history in order to get a better understanding of what's happening now.
Moetzet Yesha is the Jewish Administrative Governance of legal Jewish Settlement in Judea and Samaria.
Part 3: The Hilltop Settlers:
Currently there are over 70 Hilltop communities, 350 families and
thousands of youth.
When Bibi spoke in the UN he said that there are about 150 Israeli "Juvenile delinquents" perpetrators of acts of violence etc. who are the ones causing issues among the Settlers.
Yet there are really thousands of such Settlers and they are not merely "Juvenile delinquents".
After Gush Katif expulsion in 2005, the youth were disallusioned and decided that many were determined that they would never again agree to be expelled from our ancestral Homeland.
Nowadays, when the government and army wants to demolish a tent of boys, they bring 2 busloads of Magavniks, the Israel police force, to do the job.
Within a half hour hundreds of kids come to the scene.
The media says these are kids at risk, from broken homes and delinquent but really these kids are connected to Torah and Torah values. They understand that their purpose is to claim territory and only this will bring security.
These youth come from the best of homes and even some from Shabak homes.
Most of what you hear in the global media regarding the Settlements is somehow connected to the Hilltops.
This group is changing the reality and creating facts on the ground.
This wasn't the case 10 years ago
Ten years ago there were only 4 Hilltops and 50 hilltop youth. They were persecuted.
The mindset of the Hilltop community is that there should be no fences.
Yosef Yitzchok quoted from Rashi, Numbers 13:18 where we learn that living on open areas is a sign of Strength. Moshe Rabbeinu sent spies to spy out the Land and to see if they are strong or weak.
Numbers 13:18 Rashi
"If they are strong or weak. Moses gave them a sign. If they live in open cities [it is a sign that] they are strong, since they rely on their might. And if they live in fortified cities, (within fences) [it is a sign that] they are weak. — [Mid. Tanchuma 6]
הֶֽחָזָק הוּא הֲרָפֶה. סִימָן מָסַר לָהֶם: אִם בִּפְרָזִים יוֹשְׁבִין, חֲזָקִים הֵם, שֶׁסּוֹמְכִין עַל גְּבוּרָתָם, וְאִם בְּעָרִים בְּצוּרוֹת הֵם יוֹשְׁבִין חַלָּשִׁים הֵם (שם):"
These Youth refuse to be fenced in. They live in open spaces.
Over the years the Arabs encroached towards Jewish Settlement and literally built up until the fences in Area C.
Most Settlers that live in the Settlements, the Yishuvim, feel protected within their closed fence. Only recently have the Hilltop Youth changed the mindset.
The Hilltop Settlers live in open spaces. They spend their time shepherding sheep, learning Torah, planting trees, patroling etc.... Today the Hilltops control hundreds of thousands of dunam. The shepherds take the sheep all over including vacant Arab homes. They are redeeming more and more Land each day by doing so.
Keren Hagvaot, The Hilltops Foundation.
The Arabs fear and respect these Hilltop Settlers.
Yosef Yitzchok told a story. They were hitchhiking and they saw an Israeli soldier go to an Arab Truck driver and told the Arab not to enter and to go back. The Arab argued and didn't obey. The Arab saw Yosef with Peyot and kippa who motioned with his hand to go back to where he came and only then the Arab listened while having ignored the Israeli soldier prior.
The Hilltop Youth are not willing to be sitting ducks.
Even though the IDF is doing their job, there is still a void that the Hilltop Youth are filling.
The conditions are challenging. In Geulat Zion, the Hilltop where the Ben Dovid's live, their water is literally boiling during the day since their water pipes run over ground... But they are up to the challenges.
There are presently 11 families, living in Geulat Tzion, a very developed Hilltop.
Other Hilltops have only 2 families
There is a Hilltop with 40 families.
Maot Esther has 25 families that was started by girls.
When Hilltop Settlers go to a new place, there is no infrastructure and they need to rely on gerrycans for water.
Their water now comes from 2 kilometers away.
The local Arabs have attacked shepherds and they poison their sheep by poisoning the water or by spreading out poisonous dates or fruit on grazing fields for the flock to eat. The local Arabs are responsible for many arson attacks.
Chavat Gilad for example was burnt down
The Arabs attack and throw rocks at the shepherds or the roads or on hiking groups and plant explosive devices .
In retaliation, when caught, the IDF often doesn't go far enough and destroy the entire house of the terrorist, but will demolish just a single room. This gets rebuilt the same day. There is no real deterrence. By grazing sheep and claiming territory, the Hilltop people fill a vacuum.
When there is arson, there are no normal roads, so fire fighter trucks can't get to it.
The Hilltop Settlers need fire extinguishers to extinguish fires from arson. The Keren Gvaot, Hilltop Foundation handed them out.
Solar panels cost $5,000
Security vehicles, tractors, building a house, all costs money . After getting demolished, the Keren Gvaot supplies material, clothes for the shepherds and food for 150 Hilltops. The Hilltops aren't relying on leftist orginazations with unlimited pockets to keep them afloat.
All the Equipment and supplies comes from caring Jews in Am Yisroel.
It makes a tremendous difference when people donate and keep things going for the Hilltops.
The Ben Dovid's live in Gush Shilo. Most of the Hilltops in areas A and B is empty spaces
New Hilltops are holding on to huge amounts of Land and now it is they, the Jews, who are building close to Arab villages and the Arabs are the ones living within fences.
These Hilltop farmers and shepherds are in the front line informing the army what's happening on the ground.
They report if they see anyone dumping garbage, or planting explosive devices or if they see any suspicious person or activity.
One can come and bring aid and supplies to the Hilltops if they wish.
MK Ben Gvir and MK Limor Sivan Har Melech have visited their farms and Hilltops and are supportive.
There is now a Hilltop where MK Limor Sivan Har Melech's husband was shot.
There is a strategic plan of where to go ... The Arabs try to grab Land in strategic high ground, overlooking roads, connecting Arab villages and where they can then strategically throw stones on Jews.
There is a Strategic plan of where the Hilltops Settlers go.
MK Bezalel Smotrich started 104 Yeshuvinlm and 150 farms. He legalized them.
All this is only in Area C.
The Hilltops are taking control in area A and B.
The government is demolishing their Hilltops enforcing the Oslo accords. There have been too many demolitions conducted by Israel Security forces done in a cruel fashion to discourage the Hilltop Settlers. But they are not deterred.
Q. Which party do they recommend people to vote?
A. When there is a right wing government everyone is quiet even when the right wing Government is working against the Hilltop Settlers.
With a left wing government in power everyone is protesting actions like demolitions against the Settlers even when the right wing government does the exact same thing. So a left wing government might not be so bad. ( I don't think this was an endorsement for a left wing political party but did indicate that even the right wing political parties could be problematic from the Hilltop Settlers perspective)
Q. What is their Vision and what are the long term plans.
A. Vision is Torah.
The Torah is the way of life and has the answers.
All of Israel is ours.
Revolution of Hilltops is to expand to Lebanon, Syria, in the Negev and Galil and in Gaza
Q. Who is their Rabbinic Leader?
Rav Yitzchok Ginsburg
Rav Shmuel Eliyahu somewhat..
Q. How do they have a Minyan?
A. Sometimes they can't have a Minyan , they do their best.
Q. Where can people Donate?
Hilltop Foundation
Keren Gvaot
*To make a donation now:💳*
*Our website📌:*
