The Sebastia syndrome (Ha'aretz editorial)

[Violet_Crumble]

Most of the soldiers who will have to evacuate settlers from their houses next week do not remember Sebastia, but the evacuating forces' conduct toward both the evacuees and those who have infiltrated into Gush Katif is beginning to recall those dark days the first days of the emotional manipulation of the government and the Israel Defense Forces by members of Gush Emunim. The illegal settlement in Sebastia was evacuated six times, amid fierce clashes with the IDF, until in winter 1975, when the compromising, hypocrisy and understanding began, and continued until the state and the law were completely defeated by the campaign of thousands who came from all over the country to prevent the evacuation.

Now as then, thousands are continuing to enter Gush Katif despite the fact that it was declared a closed military area. These thousands are not cutting through fences; they walk boldly through army checkpoints, holding permits that were issued to them legally.

They deceive the soldiers manning the checkpoints, pretending that they merely came to say good-bye to Gush Katif and promising to leave again in a few minutes, and then remain in order to be there on evacuation day and sabotage it. They make a mockery of the permit-issuers, and the latter submit to them willingly.

Entire yeshivas have recently moved to Gush Katif, openly, with a permit, because of the weakness of the army and police. The seminars aimed at heightening the evacuating forces' sensitivity have succeeded beyond expectations. The settlers are not the enemy, and the army is not preparing for war against them, said the chief of staff without understanding that that this equation is true in only one direction. The army is not preparing for war against the settlers, but the settlers are preparing and how.

This is the approach that Gush Emunim used for years, with great success: tears and pleas for mercy on one hand, adherence to the goal and willingness to cut through fences on the other, all while cultivating the belief that they are right, whereas the evacuating forces are merely doing the dirty work.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/611590.html