Far-right activist: I didn’t run away
Baruch Marzel rejects criticism regarding last week's 'Maoz Hayam' hotel evacuation; says, 'There is no doubt that we could have reached a level of bloodshed with the army and security forces that were dispatched against us last Thursday. We took a cool, calculated decision and concluded that for the good of the struggle for Gush Katif, there will not be bloodshed'
Since the clearing of the ‘Maoz Hayam’ hotel of extreme right-wing activists last week by the IDF, Baruch Marzel and other far-right leaders have faced harsh criticisms.
The attacks have come from the right-wing Council of Gaza Settlements, who along with Marzel occupied and fortified the hotel, and from the Gaza Regional Council.
Ami Shaked, head of security for Gush Katif, said, “What really annoyed me is that the minute before the IDF burst into the hotel, all of the big provocateurs disappeared."
"These people certainly found enough idiots to agitate the area for them, both in the hotel and in Tal Yam, but they weren’t there when the army and police entered the hotel and cleared the outpost," he said.
"This is how it came to be that only those with families, people who came to innocently support us, ended up being on the receiving end of the security forces’ evacuation operation.”
The rabbis of Kush Katif concurred with Shaked’s statement.
“It was obvious to everyone, and it was stated clearly by the regional council’s security people, that a number of inciters have arrived on the scene with the intention of heating up the area, and to harm the positive image of Gush Katif residents," one rabbi said.
"Somebody had a very clear vision of blood and violence, but it seems that their bubble burst. The families that came to support Gush Katif practically left voluntarily, to save their children from scenes of violence. The inciters left hours before, and the so called ‘fortress of violence’ was cleared within half an hour.”
Baruch Marzel, you were seen as the unflinching leader of the “Maoz Hayam” hotel, and when the security forces came to evacuate the site you simply were not there. What kind of leader vanishes on the day of the evacuation? Did Baruch Marzel run away?
Marzel didn’t run. During the hours of the evacuation, I went to the High Court to prevent the evacuation. To my great sorrow, the evacuation was conducted in an illegal way, because at 2 p.m. the court was supposed hear our appeal against the evacuation.
There was no hearing, the legal proceedings were skipped, and the security forces burst into the hotel. By the time I knew this, it was too late, the area was closed.
This sounds like an excuse…
It is not an excuse. It is not an excuse. Believe me, if there were to be a battle there, I would be standing at the frontline.
Why wasn’t there a battle?
There wasn’t a battle because we did not want to see the shedding of blood. We knew that the authorities were seeking bloodshed and we didn’t want to give that to them, at this stage.
Aren’t you saying all this in hindsight?
No. You are aware of the unequivocal, harsh orders given to soldiers in the area. You know that between 50-100 of our people left the area hours ahead of the evacuation, in protest of those orders.
Was that a protest, or an escape?
Protest… it was a protest.
Because they say that you ran away for fear of being arrested…
What do you mean ran away? I was not there for 2 to 3 days before this. I don’t live there, I live in Hebron. I deal with different aspects of the struggle.
What is your opinion of Ariel Sharon following the clearing of the hotel last Thursday?
I think he is an insane man. He has always been insane and he is insane now. I became familiar with his madness in the Lebanon war. I knew his madness in the settlement of Judea, Samaria, and Gaza. I knew his madness in the evacuation of Yamit, and his insanity continues to this day. This is an insane man. Insane.
Why are you not seen in Gush Katif? Where are you these days?
I’m not there because they are looking for me. I know that they want to put me in administrative detention, like they did to Itamar Ben-Gavir. I don’t want them to find me. With that though, since the evacuation of the hotel I have managed to be in Gush Katif. I’m happy to inform you that most of the families in the hotel have not been arrested, and have returned to their homes in the existing settlements. We will continue our struggle from there.
What do you say to those who claim that since Maoz Hayam, the right of Marzel, Ben-Gvir, and company, has sustained a knockout blow?
There is no doubt that we could have reached a level of bloodshed with the army and security forces that were dispatched against us last Thursday. We took a cool, calculated decision and concluded that for the good of the struggle for Gush Katif, there will not be bloodshed. Therefore we did not respond to the provocation by the authorities, who want bloodshed.
Can you promise that there won’t be future bloodshed in Gush Katif, as the disengagement date approaches?
When I see how the army and police handled the evacuation of Tal Yam and Maoz Hayam, I get very worried about future bloodshed. I think we have acted with responsibility up until now. We will continue to try and be responsible in the future.
I’ll clarify the question: In a similar future scenario in Gush Katif, will you clear the area of weapons and people, in order to avoid bloodshed?
I’m not making future commitments. I act upon every situation according to what’s best for the Israeli nation.
