CPTnet
January 22, 1998
HEBRON: Four Days After the Death Threat: an Update from CPT Hebron team

We want to thank everyone for the outpouring of prayer-support. We do
believe that the battle is a spiritual one, that the forces of Evil in
structural form are what we are against. We pray for those who threaten us,
and pray for a transformation of the structures which hold them in bondage to
fear. Prayer has an immense role in this struggle.

We think the people threatening us found the three names from one of our many
releases; we take the threat as directed against the entire team. It has
interrupted our regular work and derailed us emotionally.

We're scared. But we refuse to let this fear stop our witness against
injustice and domination. As much as possible we are trying to use this
threat as an tool to illustrate the often-overlooked right-wing Jewish
extremism that exists in this conflict.

We also recognize that the fear we feel is only a taste of the fear that
Palestinians live with every day under Israeli occupation, fear that soldiers
might beat them, fear that bulldozers might arrive at their door to knock
down their family home. It is also the fear some Israelis have when they
walk through Machane Yehuda mall in West Jerusalem, site of the most recent
suicide bombing. It's the fear that mothers and fathers around the world
have when they send their sons off to war, or Israeli parents have when their
children serve in
Lebanon. It's the fear moms and dads in North America have knowing their
children might not live through another day in the inner city.

This event has put us in touch with emotional elements of terrorism. After
reading Mr. Shekhtman's most vituperative message, one team member's mom
wrote, "I was terrorized." CPTer Sara Reschly says she will not look at any
more of Al's notes, refusing to dignify future postings with her attention.

We thank everyone for their prayers and support. Those of us in Hebron and
those in North America are overwhelmed by the love and concern you have shown
Please continue to remember us, but more importantly, please remember the
scores of Palestinians who live everyday, all the time, with an even greater
degree of threat to their safety from the Israeli occupation.

A BRIEF BACKGROUND ON KACH

[Note: The Chicago office continues to receive inflammatory messages from
Mr. Shekhtman, who identifies himself as a Kach supporter]

Kach was an Israeli political party founded by the late Rabbi Meir Kahane
that advocated the deportation of all Arabs from Israel, the West Bank and
Gaza. For an overview of its philosophy, read Kahane's book _They Must Go!_
(New York: Grossett and Dunlap, 1981)

Because Kach members have been involved in bombings and other crimes against
civilians, both Israel and the U.S. have classified Kach as a terrorist
organization.

Even though membership in Kach is against Israeli law, there are many
prominent settlers in Hebron and Kiryat Arba who are affiliated with the
organization. Team members in Hebron have been threatened many times in
English by settler men, women and children. There is no telling how many
times they have been threatened in Hebrew.

On four occasions, Hebron CPT members have been physically
attacked by the Hebron settlers or their supporters, but were not seriously
injured. It is much more common for the settlers in Hebron to attack
Palestinian men, women and children.

False rumors about the CPT-Hebron team have been circulated by settlers since
the beginning of CPT's project there. One settler told a Washington Post
journalist that a CPT member was a Muslim American from Chicago who had come
to raise money for Hamas. One of the settler spokespeople, David Wilder,
told a BBC journalist that CPT hides guns in its apartment for Palestinians.
Another settler spokesperson, Noam Arnon, wrote in a settler press release
that CPT has links with Hamas. CPT was told by an acquaintance in the Kiryat
Arba settlement outside of Hebron that rumors were circulating that two
CPTers were deported for trying to smuggle weapons into Hebron.

In another incident, a young settler girl was stabbed. CPTers were nearby
soon after this incident. On numerous occasions since then, settlers have
told soldiers and other visitors to Hebron that one of the CPT members hid
the knife used in the attack.

Team members have consistently reported these rumors to Israeli and
international journalists who visit them in Hebron - none of whom took the
rumors, or our offers to let them search the apartment, seriously.

CPT's experience with the settlers in Hebron had taught us to take Jesus's
command that we love our enemies very, very seriously.

Useful references:
Sprinzak, Ehud. _The Ascendance of Israel's Radical Right._ (New York:
Oxford University Press, 1991.) A good academic and historical overview.

Friedman, Robert. _The False Prophet: From FBI informant to Knesset
Member._ (Brooklyn: Lawrence Hill Books, 1990.) A biography of Meir
Kahane and his influence among American Jews and in Israe