The Judea and Samaria Police is investigating the Gedud Ha'ivri (the Jewish Brigade), a militant right-wing group based in the West Bank settlement of Kfar Tapuach, for setting up unauthorized roadblocks in which its members randomly select Palestinian vehicles for inspection.
The US Department of State lists the Gedud Ha'Ivri, reportedly made up of former members from the outlawed Kach group, as a terrorist organization.
If the allegations prove true they would be the first time a settlement group actively assumed paramilitary responsibilities, said Judea and Samaria Police spokesman Superintendent Shlomi Sagi.
"We are currently investigating the allegations that they are setting up extra-settlement security perimeters, which is a crime," added Sagi. According to the group's own website it has extended activities outside the settlement boundaries where its armed members search Palestinian vehicles, ambulances and UN vehicles.
Sagi stressed that neither the police nor the IDF have arrested or detained any members of the group and that the investigation might take several days. IDF reservists said the group has on numerous occasions' has disregarded orders from soldiers and reservists at the key West Bank junction of Tapuach.
According to a statement on the group's website, the armed group, calling itself the Gedud Ha'Ivri -- The Zion Peace Corps and K-9 unit -- was founded to "defend Jews in Israel against Terror attacks" and they operate with a unit of 30 trained dogs, including sentry guard dogs, patrol dogs and home protection dogs. The group preaches security self-reliance and rank disdain of the government, and claims that all of its activities are in cooperation with the IDF and that it works to reinforce security in the settlements.
"Jewish Legion" photograph, appearing on page 13 of the 6 September issue of Tel Aviv Yedi'ot Aharonot in Hebrew -- independent, centrist, largest-circulation daily -- shows members of the armed group
Yet an IDF Spokesperson denied that the group coordinated its activities with the army, and said it does not recognize the group as a "lawful militia with the right to bear arms." The IDF added that the group is authorized to act only in self-defense within the boundaries of the settlements, and any activity beyond that is in serious breach of the law.
The US Department of State lists the Gedud Ha'Ivri, reportedly made up of members of the outlawed Kach group, as a terrorist organization.
The Gedud Ha'Ivri, headquartered in Kfar Tapuach, is well known to security forces and have been called on to assist IDF operations a few times in the past. With the help of their unit of specially trained dogs, the 'Gedud' aided IDF forces in preventing infiltration of terrorists into settlements, and the canine unit has been deployed at roadblocks to sniff out Palestinian vehicles for weapons.
However, the militia has lately extended its activities to outside the settlement boundaries and has set up unauthorized vigilante road blockades to randomly search Palestinian vehicles, ambulances and UN vehicles.
According to Israel Radio, army sources said that supervision over the armed group is minimal. IDF reservists reported that the militia had frequently taken over security responsibilities at the Tapuach Junction from the military forces deployed in the region and had been known to threaten and resist soldiers.
The leader of the 'Gedud', self-proclaimed "Officer" Yekutiel Ben-Yaakov (A.K.A. Mike Rosowski -- a former Kach and Kahane Chai activist), justified the activities of his organization in an interview to Israel Radio Sunday morning. He said his group operates mostly within the settlement's boundaries, but on occasion is obliged to act outside of Tapuach. "Thank God we have an excellent army, who does a great job, however there are situations which call for extra assistance to them. If we can help the army, for example, stop a car full of explosives on its way to Tel Aviv, then why wouldn't we?," Ben-Yaakov said.
Enraged over the investigation, Ben Yaakov told The Jerusalem Post Sunday that the Gedud has never acted in violation of the Israeli law.
"I'm very upset about this investigation," Ben-Yaakov stated Sunday. "Anyone trying to prevent us from acting is an accomplice to murder. To stop us from providing our humanitarian services is a sick and demented thing to do," Ben-Yaakov responded regarding the inquiry into the Gedud's activities.
He emphasized the ease with which terrorists can infiltrate into the grounds of the settlements and pointed out that to fully secure the settlements would necessitate an impossibly massive military force, and therefore settlers needed to arm themselves for protection.
"Two reservists at the entrance to a settlement in no way deters terrorists or effectively prevents attacks. Walking onto settlement and killing a Jew is real easy," he said.
In response to the IDF spokesman's denial that the military operated in coordination with the Gedud's men, Ben-Yaakov suggested that the IDF was humiliated by what he called "its inability to protect Israel's citizens by preventing intrusions into settlements where Jewish people are massacred on regular basis," and therefore refused to admit to receiving help from outside sources.
"There is an obvious need for help on the part of the IDF and they aren't proud of that reality," he said. "We don't want to clean up after the terrorists by picking up corpses. We want to prevent massacres. It's a very positive thing that we do and we can't think of any reason not to do it."
To support his argument, he cited several specific occasions when the Hebrew Legion, their special canine unit and their medics aided IDF soldiers to thwart Palestinian violence and treat victims on the scene of attacks. He claimed that they had even received letters of praise from soldiers declaring, "One of your dogs is worth twenty of our soldiers."
MK Ran Cohen: An organized, violent extremist group Two months ago, when MK Ran Cohen (Yahad) learned of the group's activities, he appealed to ex-internal security minister Tzahi Hanegbi to dismantle the group.
Cohen has been inquiring into the group's activities for the past two months and has now turned to the government's legal advisor, Attorney General Menahem Mazuz, to demand that the group be dealt with.
"It was completely clear to me that we were dealing with an organized militia, a violent extremist group, with funding from abroad," Cohen said. "And it was clear that they were falsifying claims that they work hand in hand with IDF forces when they were obviously extending their activities beyond self-defense," Cohen said.
"This is an armed militia, whose existence is unthinkable in a democratic country. These fanatics would use their dogs and weapons without hesitation against IDF soldiers if they so decided, and will doubtless try to as soon as the army begins to clear illegal settlements," Cohen added.
"These people have no God and no democracy. They are anti-Semitic, anti-human, they don't recognize the legal authority of the state of Israel," he railed against them on Israel Radio Sunday morning.
Cohen demanded that legal action be taken immediately against the Gedud and against similar underground militias who "pose a serious threat to the state of Israel, to its citizens and to its soldiers."
Legal analyst Moshe Negbi confirmed that the militia's activities were in serious breach of the law. One of the first laws passed with the establishment of the state of Israel, he pointed out, forbade the existence of any armed military groups besides the IDF. He noted that any military training unaffiliated with IDF is a crime punishable by seven years imprisonment.
However, Negbi expressed skepticism that any action will be taken against the Gedud and similar underground militias. The authorities have been consistently wary in dealing with extreme right-wing elements, Negbi told Israel Radio, and incidents of right-wing extremists physically attacking soldiers have rarely led to any recourse.
Talkback (moderated). Please include your first and last names, your city and country.
Marya Steiner, Sacramento, California, USA: "These people have no God and no democracy. They are anti-Semitic, anti-human, they don't recognize the legal authority of the state of Israel."
MK Cohen's words aptly describe the party Yahad who aren't satisfied the Jewish people weren't totally wiped out by Oslo but continue to work for ways to turn the safety of Israel over to bloody thirsty, Jew hating Palestinian terrorists. If MK Cohen had his way Israel would cease to defend herself and lay down voluntarily for the final death blow. He is a disgrace as he grovels to kiss the feet of Yasser Arafat.
Al Geiersbach, Milwaukee, WI, USA: I'm tempted to say "Palestinian terrorism begets Israeli terrorism," but then I think back to terrorism against the British before 1948. I don't think the British can be accused in any way of having committed acts of terror against the Yishuv. Today's settler terrorism should come as no surprise to people who elected Yitchak Yzernitsky Shamir, terrorist par excellence, as their Prime Minister.
David Gerzvolf, Manaus Amazonas, Brazil: It's very difficult to expect that the IDF will be able to watch hundred of thousands Israel enemies. We should congratulate and respect anyone who has the courage to stand against those criminal enemies of Israel in the way the Jewish Legion is trying to do; Instead of speaking about human rights and peace with our beloved neighbors.
Avi Coldagi, NY, New York: The members of Jewish Legion have never involved themselves in any acts of terror. They are brave men and women who left their comfortable homes in exile and came home to Israel to defend their brethren. They risk their lives on a daily basis without receiving any compensation, aside from the merit of defending G?d's people. (so much for Ran Cohen, who would not know a Jew (or a democrat for that matter) concept even if he tripped over one). Don't learn from about the Legion from Jpost's biased and inaccurate article. visit www.defenisrael.com and see what these holy Jews say about themselves. Join them and give them your support. Together we can make a difference! Joseph Lev, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: As a former member of the Jewish legion I can fervently say that the Jewish Legion has never been involved with any illegal activities. These allegations are not only insane but they are completely derogatory. It brings pain to my heart to see other Jews speak such nonsense. The Jewish Legion has supported the Israeli soldiers and, on top of that, they provide assistance to any Jew that needs a helping hand. The Israeli authorities are ungrateful and ignorant of the situation. The true anti-Semites are the ones who have the audacity to spit on the hands that try to help them.
Nathan Kohn, G.G, Sycamore, L.A. CA 90036: Anybody who is truly proud of the Jewish legion's heroic work in the face of Arab and Labor Zionist terror, should put your money where your mouth is, and visit their website at http://www.defendisrael.net/ Any way you can be of help is urgently needed. As you see, not only do we have to fight to survive the Arab terror, we need to defend ourselves from treacherous backstabbing by our own brothers. Please heed this cry! Mauricio Kaplan, Bertioga, SP, Brazil: The Arabs use to say and actually live for what they say, that all the Israelis, in particular, and Jews, in general, are soldiers of Israel. Well, with the enemies we have, a Jewish Legion is expected to exist. After all, Jews, in general, and Israelis, in particular, have the right to live like anybody else.
Michael Levin Scarsdale New York, USA: The voluntary service which the Jewish legion provides for Jewish residents in the territories is praiseworthy. The truth of the matter is that many settlements lack sufficient security, and clearly the recent terror attacks prove that the roads of Yesha need more patrols. Therefore, groups like Gedud, are not only exemplary forms of loyalty to the State of Israel, they are essential to the defense of Israel. MK Cohen, is not only way out of line for his illogical naive statements, he is also completely wrong. The fact that a member of the insane left-Yahad is raising an inquiry into the legitimacy of Gedud leads me to believe that the Gedud is accomplishing its goal, securing the citizens of the State of Israel.
Ariel Auerbach, Los Angeles, CA, US: While I would not support anyone who attacks the IDF, I strongly support Israelis who have the courage to defend their families from genocidal terrorists. When there are no more terrorists, let comrade Cohen dismantle the Legion, until then let's all support them. Why are there not more groups like this set up to help Jews at risk defend themselves? Rachel Kennedy, Glasgow UK: How easy it is to condemn terrorism when it comes from the "other side". How easy it is to find excuses when it's our own. How hypocritical we are! Miriam Davidowitz, South Africa: Mr Cohen you have me left me disgusted and sick. You are the one who is Anti G-d. May the Jewish Legion go from strength to strength.
Dovid Ben Chaim, NYC: Ran Cohen and his breed are the mongrels in this story.
Steve Gure Coconut Creek, Fl.: It is strange to witness the great celebrations witnessed after each successful atrocity by many Palestinians. It might just be time for the Israeli people to show that they are going to do something about it.
S.R , UK: The only Jewish anti-Semites here are the unrepentant Oslo architects who continue to spout disgraceful anti-Israel diatribes around the world. Before calling fellow Jews anti-Semites perhaps these self styled Oslo 'architects' should take a hard look in the mirror. Who exactly is giving ammunition to the real anti-Semites -- the Gedud who put their lives at risk to prevent the Arabs doing what they like to do best or themselves who have their strange moral values posted worldwide in such 'respectable' papers such as the Guardian and the BBC? I'm looking in the mirror for them and would like to ask -- How can I join the Gedud? Shmuel Brody, Cochav Yakov, Israel: I am first and foremost impressed by the world-wide feedback to this article: I really didn't think that Diaspora Jews had such a firm understanding of the situation here! The Jewish Legion should be thought of as more of a private "chesed" organization, much like Hatzala or Zaka, rather than an enemy of the IDF. We're talking about a group who dedicates themselves to providing an extra layer (sometimes the only layer) of protection on a professional level. What kind of perverted ideology can view the safeguarding of life as a national threat?
(Description of Source: Jerusalem The Jerusalem Post (Internet Version-WWW) in English -- Right-of-center, English-language, independent daily; root URL on filing date: www.jpost.co.il)
toolkit.dialog.com.proxy.swarthmore.edu:2048/intranet/cgi/present?STYLE=73931801E-mail this article