At least six people are wounded in the rocket strike that hit a community center in the northern border community of Arab al-Aramshe, first responders say.One is listed in serious condition, and the other five are in moderate and good condition, according to initial reports cited by medics.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
- Wednesday, April 17, 2024
- Elder of Ziyon
- Arab al-Aramshe, Bedouin, drone, Hezbollah, Hezbollah war crimes, Israeli Arabs, northern border
Wednesday, December 20, 2023
- Wednesday, December 20, 2023
- Varda Meyers Epstein (Judean Rose)
- foreign workers, interview, Israeli Arabs, Judea-Samaria, Judean Rose, Stephanie Treger, Varda, work permits
Residents of Efrat Concerned for their security say yes to only Jewish and foreign workers
Interview with Stephanie Treger
Stephanie Treger is determined to keep her family safe by keeping Arabs without Israeli citizenship out of Efrat where she lives. Here in Efrat, in the heart of Judea, we know what happened on October 7th. Regular Gazans stampeded that fence, alongside Hamas, and joined right in with the slaughter.
From Treger’s point of view then, there is no choice. We
have to stop letting them in to clean our schools; build our homes; and fill
our prescriptions at the pharmacy. To be clear, “them” means non-Israeli Arabs.
As such, Stephanie Treger has sparked a modest grassroots effort
to explore the exclusive use of Jewish and foreign labor in her town. She began
by gathering the opinions and ideas of lots and lots of women. A petition was carefully
composed in language hopefully inoffensive to all, and circulated in both
Hebrew and English.
Will Treger succeed in her mission? Where are things going, and how will it all play out? Will the residents of Efrat be forced to allow the entry and use of non-Israeli Arab labor?
Stephanie Treger |
A busy mother of eight, Stephanie gave graciously of her time to answer my many questions about this initiative. As I always do with interview subjects, I asked her for a few lines of biographical data from which I would cobble together my intro. What she wrote was so cool, I’m quoting it here verbatim:
My name is Stephanie Treger, I am 36 years old. I live in Efrat, Gush Etzion, Israel, with my husband Brandon and our eight children. We made aliyah seven years ago from South Africa, Cape Town. We own Power Coffeeworks, a coffee roastery in Shuk Machane Yehuda in Jerusalem. We made aliyah based on our Zionism and belief in the Jewish people, our past, present, and future.
Varda Epstein: You’re
one of the women at the forefront of the effort to bar non-Israeli workers from
Efrat. The petition has been up since December 7th, a full two
months after the October attacks. Why now? Were the attacks the impetus for
this effort or had you already been working on this?
Stephanie Treger: Correct, I am. It did take some time to
get the ball rolling to start this initiative. I believe the women who have
started this organisation together with me were in survival mode for some time after
7/10. Most of our husbands and partners are serving, which left us alone, and
once the true magnitude of the devastation became apparent, we got right on it.
It also took time to go public; even with a simple petition
it had to be done slowly, the wording of our letter needed to be politically
correct. We took opinions from many women at the start. This is a very large
issue, politically and emotionally. There are over 3 million Arabs living in Judea
and Samaria who need jobs, and who also fulfill jobs that keep our cities
running. Before the attacks on 7/10, this was a background issue for us all,
but we just carried on as normal, it was just too big to deal with.
Varda Epstein: Efrat
is a very modern town with many professionals among the residents. Are you
meeting any resistance to your campaign? Can you talk about that? What
percentage of Efrat residents would you say support allowing in only Jewish and
foreign workers?
Stephanie Treger: In all honesty, I am shocked at the lack
of support to date. At the same time, though we have not yet opened the tables
for discussion, we are at least not in argument with or meeting resistance from
non-supporters. Still, nearly two weeks after launching a simple petition, we
have only retrieved 650 odd signatures in a city of over 14,000 residents.
After the 7/10 massacre by thousands of non-Israeli Arabs, I
am surprised that this community, made up of extremely intelligent
professionals, would want to resume “the norm” and continue bringing in
non-Israeli Arab workers. At two months after 7/10, our eyes have been truly
opened, watching the videos and testimonies of the survivors as they are
released. We know how horrific this infiltration was and how it was planned. The
intelligence collected to launch such an attack took a certain kind of evil
genius. This was planned meticulously and we have proof of that from a variety
of sources.
How can we possibly stand by and say “Never again”? More
like “again” every few years, if we continue on in this way.
Varda Epstein: Some
would say the idea of barring entry to your town of a specific ethnic
demographic is racism. What would you say to them?
Stephanie Treger: I am a non-racist South African. I was
raised in a racist country, and this is not racism. This is not an issue of
color or ethnicity. This is an issue of protecting our families from a cult of
terrorists whose sole intention is to murder us. If that were not the case, we
would be living in peace. Simple.
We Jews cherish life. We want peace, we do not want war and
we do not want poverty, but sadly, until Hamas and the other terrorist cells
seize to exist, we have to protect our people.
Varda Epstein: Arab
workers can only enter and work in Efrat accompanied by a security guard. Why
is this measure not enough to keep the residents of Efrat safe?
Stephanie Treger: Since this rumor was brought to the fore,
I have documented many occasions where Israeli Arabs were not accompanied by
armed guards. So no, the measure is not enough to keep us safe.
The problem here is manpower and I don't personally blame
the municipality or the mayor as some do. We have a huge problem on our hands.
Our resources are low, we have zero manpower and I have no doubt that our local
government is trying to find solutions. But we also need to take responsibility
as a community.
We have to mobilize and work within the system to find
solutions. There are many residents in this community who do not work. These
residents could pull together and assist in cleaning the schools or work at
local cafes. There are ways to create solutions but we need all hands on deck.
Varda Epstein: What
types of work have Arab workers performed in Efrat, up until now?
Stephanie Treger: This exact question is what prompts my
concerns for our safety. The Arab workers who have previously worked in Efrat
have been able to cover every corner of our city possible. From cleaners in
homes, to cleaners in schools and emergency departments; from workers in our
cafes and restaurants to garbage disposal to street cleaners; and from handymen
to construction
workers.
There is an endless untold amount of intelligence that might
have been and probably was collected by Arab workers, endless over the passing
years. The workers are often unaccompanied by security, and safety checks are
lax, in my opinion.
Varda Epstein: Why would
a mostly right-wing populace hire Arabs to begin with? Why not Jews—their own
people?
Stephanie Treger: This seems to be the crux of our struggle.
We are not hiring Jews because Jews are more expensive. Jews need to shell out
for taxes, arnona, and pensions. At
the same time, the incomes of prospective Jewish employees are low because they
must pay the same taxes as their prospective (Jewish) employees.
Arabs, conversely, can charge below half-price; be paid in cash;
they have no amenity payments; and do not contribute to our society. This is
something that needs to be dealt with at government level. Government now has
this issue on its table. Cabinets are approving “no entry”. Now they need to
find the solutions to manage it.
Varda Epstein: The
petition appears to distinguish between Israeli and non-Israeli Arabs. Why? Are
only non-Israeli Arabs dangerous? You don’t want to keep out the others?
Stephanie Treger: Personally, I see no difference at
present. Even if Israeli Arab X doesn't want to be a terrorist, Hamas is
holding guns to the heads of X’s children. Should he refuse to comply with the
cult of Hamas, his entire family will be annihilated. I too, would surrender if
my children's lives were at risk.
I may want to keep them out, but it’s illegal to keep them
out. Israeli Arabs with ID cards cannot legally be held back from entering any part
of Israel.
Varda Epstein: This
campaign was started by women. Why do you think that is? Are men less concerned
with this issue?
Stephanie Treger: Men are at the forefront on the borders;
we women are at the forefront of our homes. It's pointless having the men
protect our borders if we are not doing the same in our communities. I live in a
35-year-old home. My doors are not secure, and my window frames are old. I do
not have a safe room. I am home alone, with 8 children under 13.
Gd forbid there was an infiltration of Efrat. I, as a woman,
armed or not, would not be able to protect my family. We women want to serve
and protect and it begins every time we wake up alive.
Varda Epstein: Is
there some kind of precedent that led to this effort? Are non-Israeli workers
known to attack their Jewish employers?
Stephanie Treger: My sister sat in her safe room for 23
hours with her baby and husband in Kibbutz Kfar Azza on 7/10, while her
sister-in-law, cousins, and friends were raped, beheaded, burnt alive, and brutally
murdered next door. Some taken hostage. My passion for this initiative is
personal. I also have a love for my people. Never again is NOW.
Varda Epstein: There are Arab
businesses that have cropped up right on Efrat’s doorstep, just outside the
northern gate, and many Efrat residents appear happy to frequent them. But recently,
a video was released showing one of these new business owners calling for
settlers to die. How do feel about that?
Stephanie Treger: When you see videos of neighboring Arabs promote the death of "settlers" we naturally get concerned. Videos such as those directed by Corey Gil-Shuster are eye-openers to us all. The specific video I have in mind is of a man who lives adjacent to Efrat. His property borders that of our beautiful coffee shop that we and our children love to enjoy during the day and in the evenings.
In this man's driveway is a car wash and a laundromat which
until 7/10 were used by the Jews of Efrat. He was earning his living
from the Jews of Efrat. Since 7/10 he has closed his gate and is not earning a
salary to support his family. So to what extent do we believe that at some
point the consequences of poverty will kick in?
When will he get angry enough with the Jews of Efrat that
eventually he will fall in with a terrorist organisation to have revenge on the
people he hated before we even shut him down.
This new reality is sad but true. We Jews who live in Judea
are at risk for terror and we must not take risks in protecting our families
and our people.
Varda Epstein: Do you
think that there is a reluctance among the residents of Efrat, even after the
events of October 7, to adopt a general attitude of distrust toward non-Israeli
Arabs, especially those with whom they’ve formed casual relationships? Is there
a feeling of, “Oh, he’d never do something like that. He’s always polite and
friendly, and gives me good service.”
How would you
illustrate the dangers of this outlook, from your perspective?
Stephanie Treger: I would point them to the words of Professor
Arye Eldad, who headed the plastic surgery and burns unit at Hadassah Medical
Center, and is also a former member of Knesset:
I was instrumental in establishing the Israeli National Skin Bank, which is the largest in the world. The National Skin Bank stores skin for every day needs as well as for war time or mass casualty situations. This skin bank is hosted at the Hadassah Ein Kerem University hospital in Jerusalem where I was the chairman of plastic surgery. This is how I was asked to supply skin for an Arab woman from Gaza, who was hospitalized in Soroka Hospital in Beersheba after her family burned her. Usually, such atrocities happen among Arab families when the women are suspected of having an affair. We supplied all the needed Homografts for her treatment. She was successfully treated by my friend and colleague Prof. Lior Rosenberg, and discharged to return to Gaza. She was invited for regular follow up visits to the outpatient clinic in Beersheba. One day she was caught at a border crossing wearing a suicide belt. She meant to explode herself in the outpatient clinic of the hospital where they saved her life. It seems that her family promised her that if she did that, they would forgive her.
This is only one example of the war between Jews and Muslims in the Land of Israel. It is not a territorial conflict. This is a civilizational conflict.
Varda Epstein: Is
this campaign going to continue to be a local, Efrat phenomenon, or do you have
bigger plans for this—perhaps to take this national?
Stephanie Treger: We will see; we can't manage alone. We all
need to hold hands. We were lucky to see that it went to government last week.
We will take it day by day and do our best to succeed. It's all we can do
really.
NOTE: Go to PETITION to see, sign, and share.
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
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Wednesday, September 13, 2023
- Wednesday, September 13, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- apartheid lies, Arab Israeli, Area C, Israeli Arabs, Safa
In the last five years, the demand of Palestinians from the occupied interior to buy land and real estate in the occupied West Bank has increased.The western towns of Ramallah, some villages of Salfit, the city of Rawabi, and Jericho witnessed a great demand by internal Palestinians to buy lands, own homes and apartments, and reside in them.Palestinian citizens of the interior told Safa Agency that they resorted to buying land in the West Bank, due to the insane increase in land prices inside, as the price of one dunum jumped to one million dollars, which is equivalent to buying 30 dunams in some areas of the West Bank.
[One resident] says that he needs 20 years to be able to buy a house inside Israel, so he bought a small plot of land in Area C in the West Bank and built a modest house on it....Ahmad Melhem, head of the Land and Housing Defense Committee in Aara, says: “The phenomenon of Arabs from inside [Israel] tending to live in the West Bank has been present for several years and is expanding and increasing.”Melhem explains to Safa some of the reasons and motives that lead the people of the interior to move to the areas of the West Bank, specifically Area C, which are due to the housing shortage and that 60% of the people of the interior do not own land, even one square meter, for building, and if they do exist, they are very expensive.Melhem added, "The widespread crime, the lack of personal security, and the escalating cases of murder created a psychological factor that forced a number of citizens to seek refuge in the West Bank."
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
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Thursday, August 24, 2023
- Thursday, August 24, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Arab Israeli, blame Israel, Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, Israeli Arabs, murder, Palestinian media
Thursday, August 03, 2023
- Thursday, August 03, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- 2006 Terror, 2012 Terror, 2019 Terror, anti-Israel left, Israeli Arabs, JVP, Ori Ansbacher, propaganda, sex crimes, terror victims, Terrorism, violence against women
On Sunday, the Israeli Knesset passed a shockingly racist law — even by the standards of Israel’s apartheid government.Under the new "sexual terrorism" law, Palestinian citizens of Israel convicted of rape, sexual assault, or sexual harassment can receive double the sentence of Israelis found guilty of the same crimes. The law passed in a bipartisan vote of 39-7, and received immediate condemnation from journalists, Israeli feminist groups, and Palestinian lawmakers.This law manufactures an image of Palestinians as more violent and more dangerous than Israelis. According to the law, a crime is inherently worse simply because a Palestinian committed it. This puts a target on the back of Palestinian men and boys, intensifying the constant threat of violence that Palestinians already live under.
The Knesset on Monday passed a right-wing-backed law that makes terrorist, nationalist or racist motivations an aggravating factor in crimes of sexual harassment and sexual assault.Aggravating factors come into play during criminal sentencing and are a consideration that can push judges toward issuing a sentence closer to the legal maximum.The law would double compensation fines for sexual harassment motivated by racism or hostility toward certain groups.
The entire intent of the law is to ensure that in cases like the rape and murder of Ori Ansbacher, where the smiling terrorist admitted that his attack was for nationalist reasons, that the sentence would be stricter.
The only bigots here are the members of JVP. Notice their wording, defining Israeli Arabs as "Palestinians" and saying that "Israelis" are all Jews. Even though very few Israeli Arabs define themselves as "Palestinian," JVP is telling them that they are not really Israeli, dismissing their own self-definition. And then JVP calls Jews racists for passing a law against terrorism and racism.
Buy the EoZ book, PROTOCOLS: Exposing Modern Antisemitism today at Amazon! Or order from your favorite bookseller, using ISBN 9798985708424. Read all about it here! |
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Monday, July 03, 2023
- Monday, July 03, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- Amnesty-UK, Arab League Boycott Office, BDS, BDS is antisemitic, boycott, double standards, Hypocrisy, Israeli Arabs
The [UK Anti-Boycott] bill gives special status to Israel, making it the only country in the world which cannot be excluded from its provisions, and treats Israel and territories it occupies in the same way, contrary to the UK’s long-established policy and international law.The bill is intended to stifle principled opposition to Israel’s illegal settlements and the Israeli authorities' racist system of apartheid against Palestinians.Boycotts, divestment & sanctions are forms of peaceful protest that have been used to press for human rights change.Think:✊The Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa🚌The Montgomery Bus Boycott🛢️The BP oil spill
Sunday, January 22, 2023
- Sunday, January 22, 2023
- Elder of Ziyon
- anti-normalization, Arab education, Arab media antisemitism, BDS, Can't have nice things, Dori Media, Fawzi Saeid, Fozi Mozi and Tutti, Good news, Israeli Arabs, jew hatred, Mememe Studios, Nadav Palti, Ultrapal