Closing up Amona

http://www.idf.il/
January 30th, 2006

IDF SPOKESPERSON UPDATE
Entry of media personnel into the area of Amona
In preparation for the scheduled evacuation of Amona, the IDF Spokesperson Office would like to clarify the following issues to all media personnel planning to enter Amona upon declaration of a closed military zone in the area.
Entry of media personnel into the area of Amona will be conditioned upon prior coordination with the IDF Spokesperson Unit. Media Personnel will be required to present a valid GPO card and sign the attached waiver forms (to be signed by the media company and its representatives).
These forms are to be submitted to the IDF Spokesperson Unit.
Media personnel must maintain a signed copy and present it upon request at crossing points on the routes leading to the area of Amona, along with a valid GPO card and passport/ID card.
Note: In addition to the forms designated specifically for media coverage of the evacuation of Amona, media personnel with an Israeli citizenship or dual citizenship are also requested to verify that their regular documentation for entry into Area A territories is up-to-date.
Due to space constraints, only one broadcasting vehicle will be allowed into the area. The IDF, in coordination with the FPA, has set up a media pool for TV crews wishing to receive filmed footage of the evacuation. The vehicle allowed into the closed area will belong to the AP media company. Press wishing to receive the footage should contact Tzion from APTN at 02-5376660.
Please contact the IDF Spokesperson's News Desk with any further inquiries or problems you may have, 03-6080245/248/308.

Big talk in the Beit El yeshiva high school where I work was about tomorrow, Amona. Over the afternoon students disappeared, and we knew where they were going. They were sneaking off to Amona to try to save it. Places to sleep thousands were being set up in Ofra.

I wonder if I'll be expected to get to work, since the roads will be closed. I have to pass Ofra to get to work. And there probably won't be anybody to teach. Even the kids who are afraid of the possible violence, or whose parents won't give permission, won't be hanging around the school waiting for an English lesson with me.

Will the soldiers allow buses? and private vehicles? There are people who must travel. Some people need to go to work and others to doctors appointments, and others have social and family obligations. No, not everyone, not even all those who are pained and frightened by the government's dictatorial destructive policies will be resisting the soldiers in Amona.

Amona is this peaceful hilltop near Ofra. The government's attitude is inexplicable, unforgivable.

The recent Parshot Shavua, Torah Portion of the Week, Va'era and Bo, mention how Pharoah's heart was hardened, making it more and more difficult to change his mind and free the Jewish People from slavery in Egypt. This just set him up for more and more punishment, more plagues. Is that what's going on here?

Are the politicians dictating all of these disgraceful policies, the destruction of Jewish homes and communities, part of a divine process? Are they being set up so that either their fall will be greater, or if they can overcome the evil and repent, their tshuva, repentance, will be so massive, extraordinarily large, that they will save us all?

I believe that man must take responsibility for the evil he creates. We can't expect G-d to just keep fixing everything.

We all must find a role and do something to save our Land.