The Accidental Empire: Israel and the Birth of the Settlements, 1967-1977 (66 page)

84.
“Speech by PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat.”

85.
YTA 15Galili/4/10/3, Galili memo to Rabin, Oct. 20, 1974, with handwritten notation on meeting of Oct. 21.

86.
YTA 15Galili/4/10/4, Galili-Rabin memo, Nov. 1, 1974; YTA 15Galili/4/10/10, Galili-Rabin memo, Dec. 16, 1974; Ad. MS 74:49.

87.
Demant, 358.

88.
YTA 15Galili/4/10/8, Galili-Rabin memo, Dec. 8, 1974; 15Galili/4/10/9, Galili-Rabin memo, Dec. 9, 1974.

89.
E.g., 15Galili/4/10/10, Galili-Rabin memo, Dec. 16, 1974.

90.
YTA 15Galili/4/10/13, Galili-Rabin memo, Jan. 7, 1975; DC 96, “Din Veheshbon Al Matzav Hagarinim” (Report on the status of settlement groups), n.d. Content places the report in Jan.–Feb. 1975.

91.
Demant, 362, citing an interview by Demant with Netzer.

92.
The exact date when the work began is unclear. The best estimate, in Hemdat Shani, “Mekimei Hagader—Hasipur Hamale,”
Et Ofrah
, Sivan 5765 (June 2005), is that it started just before or after Rosh Hashanah in mid-September 1974.

93.
Porat, interview; Etzion, interview.

94.
Ma’ariv
, Jan. 6, 1975;
Davar
, Jan. 7, 1975.

11. Last Train to Sebastia

1.
Gush Emunim—Dapei Meda
, No. 2, Adar 5735 (Feb.–Mar. 1975), 1; cf. Yehudah Litani, “Hitnahalut Besebastia,”
Ha’aretz
, Mar. 6, 1975.

2.
Gush Emunim—Dapei Meda
, No. 1, Tevet 5735 (Dec. 1974–Jan. 1975), 2. The Elon Moreh group’s March settlement bids were code-named “Operation Dedication” and “Operation Stubbornness,” indicating the message the group wished to convey. Shafat, 148, 152. Shafat also links the settlement attempts with the Kissinger shuttles, 142–43.

3.
Demant, 352–53. Citing other activists but not Levinger himself, Demant asserts that Levinger backed Porat. If so, it was a step back from the stance he took earlier regarding Kfar Etzion and later during the final Sebastia bid.

4.
Demant, 361; Shafat, 143–49.

5.
DC, 139. The Hebrew phrase,
“limsor et nafshenu,”
can figuratively connote intense dedication, but literally means readiness to die, especially in a religious context.

6.
Ha’aretz, Davar, Yediot Aharonot,
Mar. 7, 1975; Shafat, 152; Henry Kamm, “Israelis Report Capturing Ship Used by Guerrillas,”
New York Times,
Mar. 7, 1975, 1; John M. Goshko, “Hotel Raid Aimed at Egypt,”
Washington Post,
Mar. 9, 1975, 25.

7.
Ma’ariv
, Mar. 11, 1975. The group arrived on the night of March 10.

8.
The group arrived on March 14 and was evicted March 15.
Yediot Aharonot, Ha’aretz
, Mar. 16, 1975.

9.
Ma’ariv, Yediot Aharonot, Hatzofeh, Ha’aretz
, Mar. 19–21, 1975; DC 16.

10.
Quandt, 235.

11.
Saunders, interview.

12.
Saunders and Albin, 46.

13.
Kissinger,
Years of Upheaval
, 397, 416; cf. Saunders and Albin, 46–47, 62–65.

14.
Kissinger,
Years of Upheaval
, 412–24; Saunders and Albin, 55–59.

15.
Kissinger,
Years of Upheaval
, 388; cf. 416, where Kissinger himself attributes that view to Israel’s leaders.

16.
OA 2, Garin Shilo membership list, dated “1974.” Membership may have grown by winter 1975.

17.
Etzion, interview.

18.
OA 2, Tevet 5735 (Dec. 1974–Jan. 1975).

19.
Joshua 18:23.

20.
OA 2. A handwritten notation dates the flyer as Adar 5735 (Feb.–Mar. 1975).

21.
OA 2, Tevet 5735 (Dec. 1974–Jan. 1975).

22.
Netzer, 290.

23.
Netzer, interview; Admoni,
Asor
, 144.

24.
DC 96, “Din Veheshbon Al Matzav Hagarinim” (Report on the status of settlement groups), n.d. Content places the report in Jan.–Feb. 1975.

25.
OA 2.

26.
Yehudah Etzion, Feb. 10 and Mar. 2, 2004; Admoni, 151.

27.
Etzion, interview.

28.
Yoram Rasis-Tal, “Mitel Aviv Hama’atirah El Mahaneh Ein Yabrud,”
Et Ofrah
, Iyar 17, 5743 (Apr. 30, 1983).

29.
Netzer, 290; Etzion, interview; Porat, interview.

30.
Rasis-Tal, “Mitel Aviv.”

31.
Yosef Tzuriel, “Ba’u Kefo’alim—Vetaku Yated Shel Keva,”
Ma’ariv,
June 5, 1975, records conflicting accounts from residents six weeks after the incident. Demant, 372–73, describes Porat as driving to the Defense Ministry on April 20 and interrupting Peres in the midst of another meeting. Netzer 290 describes a memo he wrote to Peres on April 21 stating that “approval of establishing a civilian ‘work camp’ next to the the IDF camps at Ba’al Hatzor” was in progress.
Gush Emunim—Dapei Meda
, No. 3, Sivan 5735 (May–June 1975), refers to two days of negotiations. DC 122, “Ofrah—Gader Shehekimah Yishuv,” an early pamphlet produced at the settlement, describes Porat as meeting “a high-ranking military man” the first night, who in turn spoke to Peres and received permission for the group to stay.

32.
Netzer, 290.

33.
YTA 15Galili/2/2/52, Apr. 29, 1975.

34.
YTA 15Galili/2/2/107, handwritten note to Rabin’s military secretary, Oct. 1975, regarding a conversation with Netzer.

35.
Ad MS 75:22, citing the full text of a note from Galili to Moshe Kol, July 8, 1975. Kol had sent Galili a copy of
Gush Emunim—Dapei Meda
, No. 3, describing Ofrah.

36.
The picture of Galili’s younger and older selves at war is based on Demant, 461–65.

37.
Netzer, 290.

38.
DC 30, “Elon Moreh—Pnimi Lehavrei Hagarin Bilvad,” late April 1975, states that “about a week” after the group’s arrival at Ein Yabrud, residents included three families.

39.
Etzion, interview.

40.
Rasis-Tal, “Mitel Aviv.”

41.
Netzer, 291. Admoni,
Asor
, 146, 150–54, also cites assistance that Peres and his aides gave to Gush Emunim settlement efforts, particularly Ofrah.

42.
Demant, 364.

43.
Shafat, 160–61; OA, minutes of general meeting, Sivan 17, 5735 (May 27, 1975);
Gush Emunim—Dapei Meda
No. 3; Etzion, interview; Porat, interview. The general meeting minutes show a consensus that the settlement would not be a commune.

44.
Dapei Meda
, No. 3. The content indicates it was written after the May 27, 1975, general meeting and before Yossi Sarid’s early June visit.

45.
Ran Kislev, “Hitnahalut Emunim Hukmah Mizrahit Leramallah Behashai—Lifnei Hodesh Vahetzi,”
Ha’aretz
, June 4, 1975; Sarid, interview; Etzion, interview.

46.
Yediot Aharonot, Ma’ariv,
June 18, 1975; Netzer, 291, Ad. MS 75:22.

47.
Ad. MS 75:22.

48.
Shafat, 160;
Dapei Meda
, No. 3. Admoni,
Asor
, 150, comes to the same conclusion.

49.
MEI-MR, Hanan Porat, “Ki Ayin Be’ayin Yiru Beshuv Hashem Tzion,”
Emunim
, no. 1.

50.
Sharon, 341, 346–47.

51.
Golan,
Shimon Peres
, 166–69. Officially Sharon was to be a “general adviser,” but his areas of responsibilities were well known. Cf. YRC shomarc 2 0014, Mapam political committee meeting June 4, 1975.

52.
Gouri, interview.

53.
Golan,
Shimon Peres
, 169; Demant, 375–76.

54.
Ad. MS 75:24.

55.
Ad. MS 75:28–29.

56.
Demant, 361–62.

57.
MEI-MR
Emunim
, No. 1, 15, says 38 square meters; OA 6/5 “Du’ah Tzevet Hahityashvut Shel Gush Emunim” (Gush Emunim settlement team report), autumn 1975, 4, says 23 sq. mi.

58.
Demant, 508.

59.
YAOH VI:17.

60.
Ad. MS 75:28–29.

61.
Ad. MS 75:42–44.

62.
Admoni,
Asor
, 160–61.

63.
Admoni, interview; Sarid, interview.

64.
Oded Lifshitz, private papers, Rafiah journal, Feb. 9, 1975, and photographs of Sukkot demolition work from “Leket Itonut Benose: Pithat Rafiah” (Hashomer Hatza’ir: 1975); Douer, 225–27; Lifshitz, interview.

65.
Kissinger,
Years of Upheaval
, 428.

66.
Quandt, 238–41; Saunders and Albin, 73–84, 91–98.

67.
Shafat, 168–71; Harnoy, 16–17; Henry Kamm, “Israelis Are Found Anxious…,”
New York Times,
Aug. 25, 1975, 1; Kissinger,
Years of Upheaval
, 452. Harnoy’s description relates to protests during various Kissinger visits.

68.
Saunders and Albin, 78–84; Quandt, 242–43.

69.
Paul Hofmann, “Why and How Anti-Zionism Move Won,”
New York Times,
Nov. 12, 1975, 17.

70.
“General Assembly Resolution 3379. Elimination of all forms of racial discrimination,”
domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/761c1063530766a7052566a2005b74d1?OpenDocument
.

71.
Hofmann, “Why and How.”

72.
“General Assembly Resolution 3375, Invitation to the Palestine Liberation Organization,”
domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/7e0524b7ead4a9e4852560de004efdc7?OpenDocument
.

73.
YTA 15Galili/4/10/32, Galili to Rabin, Nov. 24, 1975; Ad. MS 75:45–48.

74.
Ma’ariv,
Nov. 26, 1975; Demant, 380–81;
Elon Moreh: Hiddush.

75.
MEI-MR, unnumbered files and OA 6/5;
Ma’ariv,
Nov. 30, 1975.

76.
Yediot Aharonot, Ma’ariv, Hatzofeh
, Dec. 1–2, 1975; Yosef Walter, “Kol Haderakhim Holikhu Lesebastia,”
Ma’ariv,
Dec. 5, 1975; Shafat, 180–83.

77.
Rabin, 550.

78.
Peres, 169–70.

79.
Terence Smith, “In Israel After U.N. Vote, Feelings of Isolation and Frustration,”
New York Times
, Dec. 3, 1975, 2.

80.
Ha’aretz, Ma’ariv
, Dec. 3, 1975. Rabin, 550, cites the conference as reason for delay.

81.
Ad. MS 75:50; cf. Netzer, 293.

82.
Shafat, 189;
Gush Emunim,
Adar Bet 5736 (Mar. 1976), 6.

83.
Alon Ofrah
, Hanukkah 5736 (Dec. 1975).

84.
Ad. MS 75:23; Netzer, 292.

85.
Ma’ariv, Ha’aretz, Yediot Aharonot, Hatzofeh,
Dec. 3–7, 1975.

86.
Ma’ariv,
Dec. 4, 1975.

87.
MEI-MR, unnumbered files of newspaper advertisements and press releases. The quotation is from an ad published during the Sebastia confrontation. The idea repeats itself in various formulations in other advertisements and statements that week, e.g., DC 111, Dec. 3, 1975.

88.
Ma’oz, 115–18, 124–25; Menachem Klein, interview.

89.
Ma’ariv
, Dec. 5, 1975.

90.
Ma’ariv,
Dec. 7, 1975.

91.
Ma’oz, 104.

92.
Ha’aretz,
Dec. 3, 1975.