Nationalist activists in Judea and Samaria (Yesha) plan on establishing 11 new outposts on Monday and Tuesday this week. They say the move is in defiance of international pressure to freeze construction in Yesha, and hearkens to Zionist history in 1946, when Jews set up 11 outposts in the Negev in defiance of the British Mandate.
“The nations of the world don’t want us here,” say flyers publicizing the 11 new outposts. “We will answer by strengthening our ties to the Land of Israel and building new communities.” The flyers urge activists to participate in founding the new neighborhoods.
The 11 new neighborhoods are to be established as follows:
Inbalim (Bells)– next to Maaleh Michmash in Binyamin
Oz Yonatan (Jonathan’s Might)– near Kochav Yaakov in Binyamin
Givat Egoz (Nut Hill) – near Talmon in Binyamin
Tzurya (The Rock of G-d) – near Avnei Hefetz in Samaria
Mitzpe Avichai (Avichai’s Lookout) – near Kiryat Arba/Hevron
Netzer (Stem) – near Efrat in Gush Etzion
Reches Sela (Boulder Cliff) – south of Shechem in Samaria
Gat Yosef (Joseph’s Winepress) – south of Shechem in Samaria
Nofei Yarden (Jordan Horizons) – near Shilo in Samaria
Maalot Hevron (Hevron Heights) – near Hevron
Havat HaRo'im (Shepherds' Farm) – near Susya in Judea
“We call on the entire public to come and support the new communities,” said Daphna Ronen, a member of the Land of Israel Faithful, which is organizing the new outposts. “We are sending a strong message to the people of Israel and the people of the world that we love the land and we are here to stay.”
The 11 outposts are meant to mirror the 11 Negev communities Zionist activists set up in 1946 in defiance of the British Mandate, which had recommended earlier in the year that most of the Negev be partitioned to an Arab state. Overnight, the activists managed to change the situation on the ground in the Negev, and the UN ultimately recommended in 1948 that the Negev be included as part of the Jewish state. Most of the 11 are now flourishing communities.
“Just as then, so it is now,” the flyer reads. “Building new communities throughout Judea and Samaria is the only way we can return the State of Israel to being independent, flourishing and growing, protect our national interests, and stand up to international pressure.”