Davka, Ofra

Evacuation of Amona in 2006,
Nati Shohat/Flash 90, Arutz 7

Ever since the Israeli Government's destruction of nine permanent, sic, houses in Amona, a "suburb" of Ofra, eleven years ago, I've been troubled by the fact that davka Ofra, which has always been a "conventional" government supporting aka mamlachti community has become the target of "Peace Now's" favorite weapon, the Israeli Supreme Court.

On February 1, 2006, after a protracted legal battle, some 10,000 Israeli police officers, border guards and soldiers arrived at the illegal Amona outpost in the central West Bank to demolish nine of the settlement’s buildings, in accordance with a court order. (Times of Israel)

Ofra, the first post 1967 Six Days War Jewish community in Samaria, the hills north of Jerusalem, where the Kingdom of Israel had been located after it split from Judea as told in the Bible, Kings, Chronicles and Prophets, has never been known for anti-government extremism.

Although the original garin, group of people, who had planned a Jewish residential presence in Samaira had wanted to live in Biblical Shiloh, they cooperated with the government and moved to what is today Ofra. That decision/concession is a significant cause/source of today's problems. There is not enough unclaimed government land in that area. Davka, there is more than enough unclaimed government land in the Shiloh area.

A couple of days ago, the unthinkable happened. Lovely new Jewish homes, owned and lived in by Israeli families were seized and destroyed by the Israeli Government.

A bulldozer destroys a home built on private Palestinian land in the West Bank settlement of Ofra on March 1, 2017. (AFP Photo/Menahem Kahana) Times of Israel

Protesters on the rooftop of a home during an operation to evacuate nine homes in the Jewish settlement of Ofra, in the West Bank, February 28, 2017. (AFP Photo/Menahem Kahana) Times of Israel

For those who managed to survive the trauma of Disengagement still trusting the Israeli Government, I wonder if they have finally realized, accepted the frightening fact that the government is working against its best interests, against the raison d'etre of the Zionist Movement and the Establishment of the State of Israel.

By dividing the Land of Israel into different "priorities" and levels of "legitimacy" the government has caused the legitimacy and existence of the entire of the State of Israel to be endangered.

Davka the community of Ofra which began by symbolizing Jewish strength, pride, settlement and renewed Zionism has now become an endangered community, davka, endangered by its very respect for and obedience to the State of Israel.