Evacuated settlement 'reestablished'

The Samaria Regional Council and the Homesh First organization decided to mark the third anniversary of the evacuation of the northern West Bank in a special way Tuesday evening.

A number of Knesset members, including Yuli Edelstein (Likud), pressured Defense Minister Ehud Barak to let them hold a council meeting at the location of the evacuated settlement of Homesh, and end the event with a wedding.

"I wish the couple many celebrations – next year in the built-up Homesh," said Rabbi Yehoshua Schmidt, who wed the young couple, Assaf and Shunamit. The bride's mother, Tamar, said that "today the settlement in Homesh, in the northern Samaria and Gush Katif, returns to its place – and the boys and girls shall return within their borders."

At around 3:30 pm, 22-year-old Assaf Walberg of Bnei Brak and 20-year-old Shunamit Kirshenboim of the Hashmonaim settlement went up to the area. The two decided to start their new life in the place and time where "life was destroyed."

Following an argument at an IDF roadblock, a convoy of private vehicles and buses made its way to the ruins of Homesh.

Shortly before the wedding ceremony, the Samaria Council held a plenary session, declaring the reestablishment of the Homesh settlement.

Council chairman, Gershon Mesika, told Ynet, "After three years of an unnecessary and foolish evacuation, which contributed nothing to Israel's security, we declare the reestablishment of Homesh. To this day, the IDF roams freely here and the territory has not been handed over to the Arabs. Therefore, there is no reason not to return the resident to their homes."

'A decent gov't would acknowledge its mistake'

Yossi Dagan of Homesh First recalled that "three years ago, at the same day and same time, my friends and I were dragged by police officers from Sa-Nur and Homesh. During this day, we learned that if a public decides that the evil forces are rising up against it, it can win.

"There has been Jewish presence in Homesh for 10 months. There is nothing more suitable than building new life in Israle on the same day and same hour of the expulsion."

Benny Shalom, who was evacuated from Homesh, said, "I lived here for 25 years, since Homesh was established until the evacuation. I had many Arab friends here. After the evacuation, I received hundreds of phone calls from Arabs, who said, 'Benny, why did you go away? Things are bad for us. Come back to Homesh. When you were here, things were much better.'"

Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan added during the discussion, "Had we a decent government, it would have acknowledged its colossal and moral mistake from three years ago and apologized for the expulsion.

"A decent government would undo its actions, at least in places where this can be done, like the northern Samaria."

'The greatest betrayal was the IDF's'

Hundreds of friends and relatives, including people evacuated from Homesh and Sa-Nur and others who took part in the battle against the disengagement, arrived at the evacuated settlement on Tuesday afternoon dressed in festive clothes with great happiness in their eyes.

The bride's mother told Ynet, "I am a yuppie from the city. Before the expulsion of Gush Katif and the northern Samaria, we decided to help our brothers. After they were expelled, we felt as though we were expelled.

"My daughter Shunamit was active in the battle against the expulsion. She and her friends fought bravely with Homesh's residents, throwing food on soldiers, and they have no regrets.Tamar added, "Shunamit and her friend vowed to resettle Homesh, that the IDF would come and rehabilitate the people. The greatest betrayal was the IDF's. And today we are beginning to fix the terrible injustice committed against Gush Katif and the northern Samaria. Our first call is to our brother who were expelled – come back here, this is our land."

The happy mother said that the young couple would start its new life at the "neighborhood of the expelled" in the settlement of Shavei Shomron.

Benny Shalom concluded the event by saying, "I hope this wedding will be the beginning, and I pray to God to let this couple be my neighbors in Homesh."