"Human Chain" Connects Gaza to Jerusalem 

Jul 26, 2004 
8 Av 5764
Arutz Sheva

"Nothing can break this chain because it is reinforced with the 
faith and unity of the Nation of Israel," marveled Al Nachom, 
a participant who came all the way from California together 
with tens of others to take part in the 'human chain' stretching 
from Gush Katif to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, today.  

Hundreds of thousands (130,000 according to police estimates, 
200,000 according to Israel’s Channel 2) linked arms to form 
a 56-mile continuous human chain from the northern Gaza 
community of Nisanit to the Kotel - the Western Wall of the 
Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site. The chain was the third 
largest such event in world political history.

From 5:00 PM crowds of people gathered, lining the streets of 
Israel - from Gush Katif, along highways, through cities and 
lining the streets of downtown Jerusalem all the way to the 
Western Wall Plaza. At 6:45 PM the thousands of participants 
clasped one another’s hands and prepared for the singing of 
'Hatikva' - 'The Hope', Israel's national anthem. At seven, 
ram's horns were blown at some points in the chain and the 
words of Hatikva echoed across the country. 

On one end of the chain were Yitzchak and Shlomit Shamir, 
residents of the original pre-state Kfar Darom community in 
the 1940's - a reminder that Jewish settlement in Gaza began 
long before the liberation of Judea, Samaria and Gaza in 1967. 
The Shamirs' granddaughter, 6-year-old Yael Better, who is now 
a resident of N'vei Dekalim, completed the chain - slipping a 
note into Western Wall on which was written a prayer asking 
the Creator to nullify the decree of expulsion of Jews from 
their homes in the Land of Israel. 

Also at the Kotel was bereaved father and husband David Hatuel, 
whose pregnant wife and four daughters were murdered in their 
car in Gush Katif the day of the Likud referendum a few months ago. 
Hatuel told reporters that he was overwhelmed by the magnitude 
of the event. "Sadly, I came alone," said Hatuel, "but the 
connection I felt from everyone here on erev Tisha B'Av is 
quite amazing. This will broadcast to everyone that we have 
the will to continue to pursue our lives in all parts of the 
land of Israel."

INN correspondent Ezra HaLevi stood beside the Old City in 
Jerusalem, at Kikar Tzahal - IDF Square - and described the 
scene on Israel National Radio’s live broadcast of the event: 
"I'm looking at more than a single-file human chain here," said 
HaLevi, "there are enough people here to make ten parallel chains. 
The atmosphere is one of exuberance. Everybody I talk too is just 
overjoyed that there are others - thousands of others - who, like 
them, refuse to believe that a retreat from Gush Katif is 
'inevitable' or 'a done deal.' Every person I interview has the 
same underlying message: 'The Nation of Israel is proud and 
strong and willing to stand up for what is good and right 
despite the weakness of our elected leadership.'"

Former government Minister Rabbi Benny Elon (National Union) 
was nearby, at Kikar Safra - adjacent to Jerusalem's City Hall. 
"This chain is a form of prayer," said Elon, "on the eve of 
Tisha B'Av [the 9th of the Jewish month of Av, a fast day 
mourning the destruction of the Temple -ed.] the Jewish people 
have come together to cry out to heaven against the latest 
attempt to expel us from our land." 

Elon told HaLevi that the 'human chain' had great significance 
on many levels. "First of all, the fact that we can link arms 
and divide the country in half, reaching from Gaza to Jerusalem 
gives some perspective to Israel's situation. From the amount 
of news that comes out of the Holy Land most Americans don't 
realize that we can fit our tiny country inside Lake Michigan. 
Second of all, this chain is a tremendous show of strength. 
I think that this is just a prelude to what the people of Israel 
are capable of doing to demonstrate their refusal to relinquish 
parts of the Land of Israel."

Although police refused to shut down many of the main 
intersections, hundreds of demonstrators blocked traffic - sitting 
down in the roads in a show of civil disobedience reminiscent of 
the 'Zo Artzeinu' movement during the early years of the Oslo 
Accords.

HaLevi asked Elon, who was convicted of 'sedition' for taking part 
in Zo Artzeinu's demonstrations in the mid 90s, whether he would 
like to see the human chain moved a few meters forward so as to 
bring the country's traffic to a halt.

Elon said that the time for non-violent civil disobedience is 
drawing closer. "If indeed Prime Minister Sharon is enabled to 
keep moving ahead with his plan [to expel the Jews of Gaza -ed] 
then I will be the first to engage in civil disobedience - 
I would sit in jail if that's what it takes."

"I don't think the time for civil disobedience has arrived yet," 
said Elon. "We can still bring Sharon down with our fingers 
[i.e. votes in the Knesset -ed] if only my friends and colleagues 
in the National Religious Party would join us. It is shameful 
that they refuse to act to bring down the government - with their 
help it could be done today."

National Religious Party Chairman Effie Eitam stood nearby, 
away from a crowd of pro-NRP participants. "What makes this 
incredible demonstration bittersweet for me is that the members 
of my party who remain in this government are a missing link 
in the chain," lamented Eitam, whose party remains in PM Sharon's 
coalition despite Rabbi Yitzhak Levy and Eitam's resignation. 
"I hope that they will hear the strong voices of our young people 
who have come out together with all segments of Israeli society 
to say that we are strong and we are proud - and that they will 
take the necessary steps."

Human chains were simultaneously formed across the globe - in 
New York, Washington D.C., Tokyo and Sydney - and elsewhere as well.

A bus with 'Americans For Gush Katif' emblazoned on it was parked 
next to City Hall. INN's HaLevi spoke with Al Nachom, one of the 
participants who, with tens of others, flew in special for the 
event. "We came here to show that we are really, truly one 
people - an unbreakable chain," said Nachom. "The incredible 
event we just witnessed is an inspiration not only to the Jews 
of Gush Katif but to Jews in all of Israel and all of the world - 
reminding us that our people are alive and well."

'Americans For Gush Katif' dialed their home communities prior 
to the singing of the national anthem - and were put on 
speaker-phone in synagogues and community centers across the 
United States. "I called my synagogue, the West Coast Torah Center 
in Beverly Hills and could hear the crying on the other end of 
the line as those assembled heard thousands of their brothers 
here in Israel singing the Jewish national anthem."

Also participating in the historic chain were many of the new 
immigrants from the United States who arrived, last week on the 
first of three flights bringing 1,500 Jews from North America, 
organized by Nefesh b'Nefesh.