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{{Short description|Group of councils of Jewish settlements in the West Bank}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{pp-30-500|small=yes}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Recentism|date=September 2010}}
{{Infobox organization {{Infobox organization
| name = Yesha Council | name = Yesha Council
| native_name = מועצת יש"ע | native_name = מועצת יש"ע
| native_name_lang = heb | native_name_lang = heb
| named_after = ] | named_after = ]
| logo = YESHA_Council_LOGO.png | logo = YESHA_Council_LOGO.png
| logo_size = | predecessor = ]
| formation = {{start date and age|df=yes|1980|12|24}}
| predecessor =
| merged = | founder = {{ill|Yisrael Harel|he|ישראל הראל}}
| headquarters = ]
| formation = <!-- use {{start date and age|df=yes|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| founder = | region = ]
| merger = | leader_title = Chairman
| leader_name = {{ill|Israel Ganz|he|ישראל גנץ}}
| type =
| status = | leader_title2 = CEO
| purpose = | leader_name2 = Omer Rahamim
| affiliations = ]
| headquarters =
| coords = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LON|display=inline, title}} --> | website = {{URL|http://www.myesha.org.il/}}
| region = ]
| sec_gen =
| leader_title = Chairman
| leader_name = David Elhayani
| leader_title2 = CEO
| leader_name2 = ]
| board_of_directors =
| key_people =
| main_organ =
| parent_organization =
| subsidiaries =
| affiliations = ]
| budget =
| budget_year =
| revenue =
| revenue_year =
| expenses =
| expenses_year =
| website = {{URL|http://www.myesha.org.il/}}
}} }}
The '''Yesha Council''' ({{lang-he|מועצת יש"ע}}, ''Mo'etzet Yesha'', which is the Hebrew acronym for '''Ye'''huda '''Sh'''omron, '''A'''za, lit. "Judea Samaria and Gaza Council") is an umbrella organization of municipal councils of ] in the ] (and formerly in the ]), known by the ] acronym ].


The '''Yesha Council''' ({{langx|he|מועצת יש"ע}}, ''Mo'etzet Yesha'') is an umbrella organization of municipal councils of ] in the ] (and formerly in the ]). The ] acronym '']'' is created from '''Ye'''huda '''Sh'''omron, '''A'''za (], ], ]).
The Chairman of the Yesha Council is David Elhayani, elected in November 2019. Elhayani is the Head of ], resident of ]. The CEO of the Yesha Council is ], appointed in 2019,<ref>{{Cite web|title=יגאל דילמוני מונה למנכ"ל מועצת יש"ע|url=http://myesha.org.il/?CategoryID=187&ArticleID=9347&dbsAuthToken=|access-date=2021-12-21|website=myesha.org.il}}</ref> who previously served as deputy director of public relations.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-09-21|title=With wineries and tourism, settlers try to rebrand settlements for Israeli public|url=https://www.jta.org/2010/09/21/lifestyle/with-wineries-and-tourism-settlers-try-to-rebrand-settlements-for-israeli-public|access-date=2021-12-21|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|language=en-US}}</ref>

{{as of|2024}} the chairman of the Yesha Council is Israel Ganz, and Omer Rahamim is CEO.


==History== ==History==
The council was founded in the 1980s<ref name=about/> as the successor to ] ("Bloc of the Faithful"),<ref name=jvl>{{cite web |title=Yesha Council |website=] |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/yesha-council |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref> a religious ] advocating Jewish settlement in territories captured by Israel in the ].<ref name=harel2010>{{cite interview |title=Interview with Yisrael Harel |first=Yisrael |last=Harel|website=Dr. Ariel Zellman |date=2 December 2010 |url=https://arielzellman.wordpress.com/2010/12/02/interview-with-yisrael-harel/ |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref> that is, the ] and ]. They regarded this as the return of Jews to their Biblical homeland.<ref>{{Cite web|date=18 July 2005|title=שאלת תם מה זה מועצת יש"ע? - וואלה! חדשות|url=https://news.walla.co.il/item/748187|access-date=21 December 2021|website=וואלה!|language=he}}</ref> Gush Emunim became a formal organization after the ]. {{ill|Yisrael Harel|he|ישראל הראל}} was active in this movement, and was a co-founder of the Yesha Foundation as well as founder editor of ''Nekuda'', a monthly journal for Israeli settlers.<ref name="g988"/><ref name="g988">{{cite book |last=Taub |first=Gadi |title=The Settlers: And the Struggle over the Meaning of Zionism |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-300-14101-6 |jstor=j.ctt1npbg0 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1npbg0 |access-date=4 October 2024 |page=}}</ref>{{efn|In2019, Harel was a columnist for the daily newspaper '']''.<ref>{{cite web |title= Yesha Council founder: Unite with Otzma Yehudit|website= 7israelnationalnews.com |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/en/news/259178|date=Feb 17, 2019 |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>}} The name of the organization, "Mo'etzet Yesha", is the Hebrew acronym for '''Ye'''huda '''Sh'''omron, '''A'''za (Judea, Samaria, Gaza).<ref name=hazon2019>{{cite web |last=Ḥazon |first=Brit |title=The Yesha Council Leadership Misses the Larger Struggle |website=VISION |date=26 September 2019 |url=https://visionmag.org/yesha-council-leadership-misses-larger-struggle/ |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref><ref name=melson2004>{{cite web |title=What is the Yesha Council? |first= Richard |last= Melson |date= September 2004 |website=New Page 2 |url=http://www.cambridgeforecast.org/richard863/MIDDLEEAST/YESHA.html |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>
The Council was founded in the 1970s as the successor to ] ("Bloc of the Faithful"), an organization formed to promote Jewish settlement in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which they regarded as the return of Jews to their Biblical homeland. The Council consists of 24 democratically elected mayors and ten community leaders,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2005-07-18|title=שאלת תם – מה זה מועצת יש"ע? - וואלה! חדשות|url=https://news.walla.co.il/item/748187|access-date=2021-12-21|website=וואלה!|language=he}}</ref> representing municipalities with a combined population of around half a million.<ref>{{Cite web|last=פורשר|first=אפרת|title=המהפך הדמוגרפי של יהודה ושומרון|url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/article/730075|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-21|website=www.israelhayom.co.il|quote=בסך הכל מונה אוכלוסיית יש"ע בשנת 2019 463,901 תושבים אשר מתגוררים ב־150 יישובים.}}</ref> Its resettlement policy was criticised by the Sason Report.<ref>, ], Adv.]</ref> Its mandate is to assist Jewish settlements in every possible way. The Council works to improve security by, for instance, arranging the acquisition of bullet-proof ambulances and buses. The Council works with the Israeli government to provide roads, electricity, and water to the settlements.


Pinchas Wallerstein was head of the Yesha Council after Harel.<ref name=harel2010/>
In addition to municipal and security issues, the Council serves as the political arm of the Jewish residents of Yesha.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-09-21|title=With wineries and tourism, settlers try to rebrand settlements for Israeli public|url=https://www.jta.org/2010/09/21/lifestyle/with-wineries-and-tourism-settlers-try-to-rebrand-settlements-for-israeli-public|access-date=2021-12-21|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|language=en-US}}</ref>The Council lobbies for their interests with the ] and the government. The Council carries on public relations campaigns for the settlements and has organized several large public protests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Settlers, Palestinians dream of joint Hebron hotel at kosher Iftar feast|url=https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/settlers-palestinians-dream-of-joint-hebron-hotel-at-kosher-iftar-feast-665892|access-date=2021-12-21|website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com|language=en-US}}</ref>


Yesha Council's resettlement policy was criticised by the 2005 ], an official Israeli government report commissioned by the Prime Minister ]. The report found that settlers had constructed 105 illegal outposts, over half of which were built on land that did not belong to the state, in collusion with government ministries and other public bodies.<ref>{{cite web |last=Izenberg |first=Dan |title=Yesha calls for investigation of Sasson Report |website= ]|format=text + video |date=27 December 2005 |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel/yesha-calls-for-investigation-of-sasson-report |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref><ref name=un2012>{{cite web |title=Israeli government challenges the law to embrace illegal settler outposts |website=Question of Palestine| publisher=United Nations |date= 14 May 2012 |url=https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-200715/ |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>
==Activism==
=== Protest Campaign ===
In 2005 the Council led the protest campaign against the ] with peaceful mass protests: the ] of 130,000, the ] march of 50,000, the ] rally of 70,000, and the ] rally of 200,000. The council was praised by centrists for refraining from the use of violence—although some right-wing activists did resort to violence. It was also criticized by the right for failing to prevent the disengagement.


In 2012, ] reported that the Yesha Council, along with the regional councils, were focusing more on advocacy. Among other activities, they arranged talks by politicians, and aimed to attract Israelis to the settlements through tourism and volunteering.<ref name=un2012/>
===Rejection of Violence===
The council chairman ] said that settlers must not use violence to advance their means. He said that such actions were "]" and only serve to "hinder the settlers' struggle."<ref>, Jerusalem Post 12 August 2009</ref>


In October 1999, Yesha Council came to an agreement with the government under prime minister ] to dismantle some of the settlements. This met with opposition from a group of young ] activists called Dor Hemshech, ("the Continuing Generation"), who lay down in front of bulldozers sent to do the work in protest.<ref>{{cite web |last=Balint |first=Judy Lash |title=Behind the Headlines in YESHA |website=Jewish Action |date=7 June 2000 |url=https://jewishaction.com/jewish-world/israel/behind-headlines-yesha/ |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>
===Misplaced Pages editing course===
{{Undue weight|date=July 2017}}
On 3 August 2010, it was reported that the Yesha Council together with ], a network of online pro-Israel activists committed to spreading Zionism online, were organizing people at a workshop in ] to teach them how to edit ] articles in a pro-Israeli way.<ref name="sheva" /><ref name=Haaretz1/><ref name=Guardian>{{Cite news|title=Misplaced Pages editing courses launched by Zionist groups|author=Rachel Shabi, Jemima Kiss|newspaper=Guardian|date=18 August 2010|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/18/wikipedia-editing-zionist-groups}}</ref> Around 50 people took part in the course.<ref name=Haaretz1>{{Cite news|title=The right's latest weapon: 'Zionist editing' on Misplaced Pages |first=Nir |last=Hasson|newspaper=Haaretz|date=18 August 2010|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/the-right-s-latest-weapon-zionist-editing-on-wikipedia-1.308667}}</ref>


In 2009, council chairman ] said that settlers must not use violence to advance their means. He said that such actions were "]" and only serve to "hinder the settlers' struggle."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Yesha-Council-chair-Dayan-condemns-recent-settler-violence|title=Yesha Council chair Dayan condemns recent settler violence|website=]|date=8 December 2009}}</ref>
"We don't want to change Misplaced Pages or turn it into a propaganda arm," commented ], director of the Yesha Council. "We just want to show the other side. People think that Israelis are mean, evil people who only want to hurt Arabs all day."<ref name="ynet">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3944937,00.html|title=The battle for Misplaced Pages: Palestinians counter Israeli editing group|date=28 August 2010|website=Ynetnews}}</ref> "The idea is not to make Misplaced Pages rightist but for it to include our point of view," he said in another interview.<ref name=Haaretz1/>


From 2008 until 2010,<ref>{{cite web |last=Weiss |first=Efrat |title=Pinchas Wallerstein leaving Yesha Council |website=Ynetnews |date=11 January 2010 |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3832594%2C00.html |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref> Pinchas Wallerstein, who was seen as a moderate by some because he had been critical of extremists attacking Palestinian villages, served as director of the Yesha Council. He resigned in January 2010 after falling out with Dani Dayan. He said, however, "the differences between us are more about quantity and timing and less about issues of essential content". The secretary-general of Israeli pacifist organization ], ], said that Wallerstein was no moderate, having been a major force behind the illegal expansion of settlements.<ref>{{cite web |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |title=Settler leader resigns in row with Yesha council |website=The Jewish Chronicle |date=24 November 2016 |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/settler-leader-resigns-in-row-with-yesha-council-jdmm2kpt |access-date=4 October 2024}}<!---this article date appears to be wrong - other sites report his resignation as 2010.---></ref><ref name=levinson2010>{{cite web |last=Levinson |first=Chaim |title=Wallerstein Quits Yesha Council, Citing Ideological Differences With Leadership |website=Haaretz.com |date=12 January 2010 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/2010-01-12/ty-article/wallerstein-quits-yesha-council-citing-ideological-differences-with-leadership/0000017f-e925-da9b-a1ff-ed6f5ea70000 |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>
The project organiser, ] was interviewed on ]. She emphasized that the information has to be reliable and meet Misplaced Pages rules. She cited some examples such as the use of the term "occupation" in Misplaced Pages entries, as well as in the editing of entries that link Israel with ] and ].<ref name="sheva">{{Cite news| last=Benari | first=Elad | title=Zionist Internet Struggle to Hit Misplaced Pages | url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138917 | publisher=Israel National News | date=3 August 2010 | access-date=18 August 2010 }}</ref>


In 2019, Yesha Council was presided over by chairman Hananel Dorani and CEO Yigal Dilmoni. They planned to double the Jewish population of "Judea and Samaria" (then 450,000) to a million, within ten years: ''Hazon Ha-Million'' – the "vision of one million".<ref name=rosenbaum2019/> Dorani believes that they need to "fight for full Israeli independence from the United States", so that foreign leaders are not able to influence Israeli policies with regard to the settler communities in the West Bank.<ref name=hazon2019/>
A course participant explained that the course is not a "Zionist conspiracy to take over Misplaced Pages"; rather, it is an attempt to balance information about disputed issues presented in the online encyclopedia. <blockquote>he goal of this workshop was to train a number of pro-Israelis how to edit Misplaced Pages so that more people could present the Israeli side of things, and thus the content would be more balanced... Misplaced Pages is meant to be a fair and balanced source, and it is that way by having people from all across the spectrum contributing to the content.<ref> By ROBERT MACKEY August 23, 2010, 1:12 PM</ref></blockquote> Another participant was not positive about the publication of the initiative, warning that going public in past occasions has had a bad effect, and recommending that the initiative would be better taken underground.<ref name=Guardian/>


In May 2023, Yesha reported that by October 2022 over half a million Israeli settlers were living in the West Bank, which comprised 5.2 percent of the total population of Israel. The growth rate of the settler population was around 2.2% in 2022, with 10,755 Israelis moving to West Bank communities. The settlers are overseen by the military and the ], as this territory is not officially a part of Israel.<ref>{{cite web |last=Fabian |first=Emanuel |title=Yesha settler umbrella group says over half a million Israelis live in West Bank |website=The Times of Israel |date=12 May 2023 |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/yesha-settler-umbrella-group-says-over-half-a-million-israelis-live-in-west-bank/ |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>
Following the course announcement, the head of Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said there were plans to set up a counter group to ensure the Palestinian view is presented online as the "next regional war will be media war."<ref name="ynet"/>


==Aims and description==
In 2011, Misplaced Pages co-founder ] stated in retrospect about the course organized by Israel Sheli, "we saw absolutely no impact from that effort whatsoever. I don't think it ever – it was in the press but we never saw any impact."<ref name="Haaretz2">, Haaretz</ref> Wales, who himself is a supporter of Israel, insists on neutrality when editing articles related to Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.<ref name="Haaretz2" /> At a speech at Tel Aviv University when accepting his ] in May 2015, Wales insisted to avoid conflicts of interest is to provide as many facts as possible while maintaining neutrality, aiming to overwhelm any chance of bias and imbuing political ideology. Wales also stated that editors have to present what all sides have said and ultimately leave it to the reader to make their own judgments and have their own opinions regarding the conflict.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/wikipedia-founder-jimmy-wales-likes-israel-but-stays-neutral/|title=Misplaced Pages founder Jimmy Wales likes Israel but stays neutral|last=Sales|first=Ben|date=19 May 2015|work=The Times of Israel|access-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>
The stated aims of the Yesha Council are "to promote Israeli communities in ], ]{{efn|The West Bank<ref name=un2012/>}} and the ] as the heart of the ] and the birthplace of the ] and its heritage".<ref name=about/> They want to see Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.<ref name=rosenbaum2019/>

Their stated strategic objectives are:<ref name=about/>{{blockquote|
* To secure the borders of the State of Israel
* To safeguard Israel's strategic expanses–between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea
* To ensure Israel's right to the Land by strengthening Israeli settlement in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley}}

The Council aims to assert Israeli sovereignty, to develop transport and other infrastructure, to increase tourism from all over the world, and "to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea". It also aims to create master plans for the whole area.<ref name=about/>

In addition to municipal and security issues, the Council serves as the political arm of the Jewish residents of Yesha.<ref name="jta.org">{{Cite web |date=21 September 2010 |title=With wineries and tourism, settlers try to rebrand settlements for Israeli public |url=https://www.jta.org/2010/09/21/lifestyle/with-wineries-and-tourism-settlers-try-to-rebrand-settlements-for-israeli-public |access-date=21 December 2021 |publisher=]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=about/> The Council lobbies for their interests with the ] and the government.<ref name=about/> It also carries on public relations campaigns for the settlements and organizes public protests.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Settlers, Palestinians dream of joint Hebron hotel at kosher Iftar feast|url=https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/settlers-palestinians-dream-of-joint-hebron-hotel-at-kosher-iftar-feast-665892|access-date=21 December 2021|website=]|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Governance and organisation ==
The Yesha Council's headquarters are in the ] neighbourhood of ].<ref name=rosenbaum2019>{{cite web |last=Rosenbaum |first=Alan |title=The Yesha Council’s Vision for the Future |website= The Jerusalem Post |date=13 February 2019 |url=https://www.jpost.com/magazine/the-yesha-councils-vision-for-the-future-580576 |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>

The Yesha Council consists of 24 elected mayors who represent ] with an Israeli population of around 500,000 people,<ref name=about>{{cite web |title=About Us |website= The Yesha Council |url=https://myesha.org.il/?CategoryID=419 |access-date=3 October 2024}}</ref> and is headed by an elected chairman.
Israel Ganz was elected chairman in May 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sharon|first=Jeremy|title=Settlements council elects Israel Ganz as next chairman |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/settlements-council-elects-israel-ganz-as-next-chairman/ |date=6 May 2024|access-date=6 July 2024|website=]|language=en-US}}</ref>

Omer Rahamim was appointed CEO in June 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Omer Rahamim appointed new Yesha Council CEO|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/391808|access-date=6 July 2024|date=20 June 2024|publisher=]}}</ref>


== Heads of the Yesha Council ==
{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
|+ |+
!Chairman/director
!Name
!Dates in office !Dates in office
!Other Public Positions !Other public positions
|- |-
|{{ill|Yisrael Harel|he|ישראל הראל}}
|Israel Harel
|1980–1995
|1980 - 1995
|Founder of the Yesha Council, founder of ] |Founder of the Yesha Council, founder of ]
|- |-
|Pinchas Wallerstein |Pinchas Wallerstein<ref name=harel2010/>
|1995–1999
|1995 - 1999
|Head of the ] |Head of the ]
|- |-
|Benny Kashriel |Benny Kashriel
|1999–2001
|1999 - 2001
|Mayor of ] |Mayor of ]
|- |-
|Benzi Lieberman |Benzi Lieberman<ref name=melson2004/>
|2002–2007
|2002 - 2007
|Head of the ] |Head of the ]
|-
| ]
| 2009-2010
| Pinchas Wallerstein as director-general<ref>{{cite web |last=Weiss |first=Efrat |title=Yesha heads, Barak meet on settlement construction |website=Ynetnews |date=20 May 2009 |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0%2C7340%2CL-3718740%2C00.html |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref> until resignation Nov. 2010<ref name=levinson2010/>
|-
|]
|2010–2012
|(director) In 2021, 13th Prime Minister of Israel<ref>{{cite web |title=Naftali Bennett |website=] |date=17 Feb 2023|url=https://www.gov.il/en/pages/bennett |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>
|- |-
|] |]
|2013–2017
|2013 - 2017
|Head of the ] and later ] of Israel in New York and ] chairman |Head of the ] and later ] of Israel in New York and ] chairman
|- |-
|Hananel Dorani |Hananel Dorani<ref name=rosenbaum2019/>
|2017–2019
|2017 - 2019
|Chairman of the Kedumim Regional Council |Chairman of the Kedumim Regional Council
|- |-
|David Elhayani |David Elhayani<ref name=lappin2022/>
|2019–2022
|2019 - present
|Head of the ] |Head of the ]
|-
|Shlomo Ne'eman
|2022–2024
|Head of the ]<ref name=lappin2022>{{cite web |last=Lappin |first=Yaakov |title=Shlomo Ne’eman named to lead Yesha Council |website=JNS.org |date=7 September 2022 |url=https://www.jns.org/shlom-neeman-named-to-lead-the-yesha-council/ |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>
|-
|Israel Ganz
|2024–
|Head of the ]
|} |}

==Activism==
=== 2005 protests===
In July 2005, when ] was prime minister, the ] voted against delaying ] from all 21 Gaza settlements, as well as four of the 120 in the West Bank, due to start the following month. The Yesha Council, led by chairman Bentzi Lieberman, led a protest campaign against this decision. Around 6,000 protesters led by ultranationalist rabbis marched from the town of ] in southern Israel to the village of ] in an illegal protest, after the government had banned all non-residents from entering Gaza. After three days, the protesters left the village.<ref name =alj2005>{{cite web |title=Israeli protesters abandon Gaza march |website=Al Jazeera |date=21 July 2005 |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2005/7/21/israeli-protesters-abandon-gaza-march |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Urquhart |first=Conal |title=Israeli protesters defy police ban on march |website= ] |date=19 July 2005 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jul/19/israel |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref><ref name=abc2005>{{cite web |title=Thousands protest against Jewish settlements evacuations |website=] |date=11 August 2005 |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-08-12/thousands-protest-against-jewish-settlements/2079128 |access-date=4 October 2024|quote=The Government has banned all non-residents from entering the Gaza Strip.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Israel blocks buses carrying Gaza pullout opponents |website= ]|date= July 18, 2005|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/07/18/mideast/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117145919/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/07/18/mideast/index.html |archive-date=17 January 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In ] there was a rally of around 150,000 protesters.<ref>{{cite web |last=Singer-Heruti |first=Roni |title=Yesha Council Tells 150,000 Protesters to Block Access to Gaza |website=Haaretz.com |date=12 August 2005 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/2005-08-12/ty-article/yesha-council-tells-150-000-protesters-to-block-access-to-gaza/0000017f-f136-d497-a1ff-f3b6d1920000 |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref><ref name=abc2005/>

===Misplaced Pages editing (2010) ===
In August 2010, it was reported that the Yesha Council, then under director ], had joined ] (Israel Sheli), a network of online pro-Israel activists committed to spreading Zionism online, in their efforts to organize people at a workshop in ] to teach them how to edit ] articles in a pro-Israeli way.<ref name="sheva" /><ref name=Haaretz1/><ref name=Guardian>{{Cite news|title=Misplaced Pages editing courses launched by Zionist groups|author=Rachel Shabi, Jemima Kiss|newspaper=The Guardian|date=18 August 2010|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/aug/18/wikipedia-editing-zionist-groups}}</ref> Around 50 people took part in the course.<ref name=Haaretz1>{{Cite news|title=The right's latest weapon: 'Zionist editing' on Misplaced Pages |first=Nir |last=Hasson|newspaper=Haaretz|date=18 August 2010|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/the-right-s-latest-weapon-zionist-editing-on-wikipedia-1.308667| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220531144809/https://www.haaretz.com/2010-08-18/ty-article/the-rights-latest-weapon-zionist-editing-on-wikipedia/0000017f-e69d-d97e-a37f-f7fdd4230000| archive-date= 31 May 2022| url-status= live| url-access= subscription}}</ref><ref name="ynet">{{Cite news|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3944937,00.html|title=The battle for Misplaced Pages: Palestinians counter Israeli editing group|date=28 August 2010|website=]}}</ref> The project organiser, ], of Israel Sheli, said in a radio interview that the information had to be reliable and meet Misplaced Pages rules. She cited some examples such as the use of the term "occupation" in Misplaced Pages entries, as well as in the editing of entries that link Israel with ] and ].<ref name="sheva">{{Cite news| last=Benari | first=Elad | title=Zionist Internet Struggle to Hit Misplaced Pages | url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138917 | publisher=Arutz Sheva | date=3 August 2010 | access-date=18 August 2010 }}</ref> One participant said that it was not a "Zionist conspiracy to take over Misplaced Pages", but an attempt to add balance to articles about disputed issues.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/readers-discuss-wikipedia-editing-course-that-aims-for-balanced-and-zionist-entries/|title=Readers Discuss Misplaced Pages Editing Course That Aims for 'Balanced and Zionist' Entries|website=]|author=Robert Mackey|date=2010-08-23}}</ref>

In 2011, Misplaced Pages co-founder ] said of the reported course, that Misplaced Pages had seen "absolutely no impact from that effort whatsoever".<ref name="Haaretz2">{{cite news|author=Aliyana Traison|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/wikipedia-founder-israel-palestine-is-heavily-debated-but-we-re-vigilant-on-neutrality-1.377207|title=Misplaced Pages founder: Israel-Palestine is heavily debated, but we're vigilant on neutrality|website=]|date=5 August 2011 }}</ref> Wales, who himself is a supporter of Israel, insists on neutrality when editing articles related to Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.<ref name="Haaretz2"/> At a speech at ], when accepting his ] in May 2015, Wales insisted to avoid conflicts of interest is to provide as many facts as possible while maintaining neutrality, aiming to overwhelm any chance of bias and imbuing political ideology.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/wikipedia-founder-jimmy-wales-likes-israel-but-stays-neutral/|title=Misplaced Pages founder Jimmy Wales likes Israel but stays neutral|last=Sales|first=Ben|date=19 May 2015|work=The Times of Israel|access-date=25 August 2015}}</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
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==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}


==References== ==References==

Latest revision as of 05:24, 18 December 2024

Group of councils of Jewish settlements in the West Bank

Yesha Council
מועצת יש"ע
Named afterYesha
PredecessorGush Emunim
Formation24 December 1980; 44 years ago (1980-12-24)
FounderYisrael Harel [he]
HeadquartersSha'ar Binyamin Industrial Zone
Region Judea and Samaria Area
ChairmanIsrael Ganz [he]
CEOOmer Rahamim
AffiliationsAmana
Websitewww.myesha.org.il

The Yesha Council (Hebrew: מועצת יש"ע, Mo'etzet Yesha) is an umbrella organization of municipal councils of Jewish settlements in the West Bank (and formerly in the Gaza Strip). The Hebrew acronym Yesha is created from Yehuda Shomron, Aza (Judea, Samaria, Gaza).

As of 2024 the chairman of the Yesha Council is Israel Ganz, and Omer Rahamim is CEO.

History

The council was founded in the 1980s as the successor to Gush Emunim ("Bloc of the Faithful"), a religious Zionist movement advocating Jewish settlement in territories captured by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War. that is, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. They regarded this as the return of Jews to their Biblical homeland. Gush Emunim became a formal organization after the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Yisrael Harel [he] was active in this movement, and was a co-founder of the Yesha Foundation as well as founder editor of Nekuda, a monthly journal for Israeli settlers. The name of the organization, "Mo'etzet Yesha", is the Hebrew acronym for Yehuda Shomron, Aza (Judea, Samaria, Gaza).

Pinchas Wallerstein was head of the Yesha Council after Harel.

Yesha Council's resettlement policy was criticised by the 2005 Sasson Report, an official Israeli government report commissioned by the Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The report found that settlers had constructed 105 illegal outposts, over half of which were built on land that did not belong to the state, in collusion with government ministries and other public bodies.

In 2012, IRIN News reported that the Yesha Council, along with the regional councils, were focusing more on advocacy. Among other activities, they arranged talks by politicians, and aimed to attract Israelis to the settlements through tourism and volunteering.

In October 1999, Yesha Council came to an agreement with the government under prime minister Ehud Barak to dismantle some of the settlements. This met with opposition from a group of young religious Zionist activists called Dor Hemshech, ("the Continuing Generation"), who lay down in front of bulldozers sent to do the work in protest.

In 2009, council chairman Dani Dayan said that settlers must not use violence to advance their means. He said that such actions were "morally bankrupt" and only serve to "hinder the settlers' struggle."

From 2008 until 2010, Pinchas Wallerstein, who was seen as a moderate by some because he had been critical of extremists attacking Palestinian villages, served as director of the Yesha Council. He resigned in January 2010 after falling out with Dani Dayan. He said, however, "the differences between us are more about quantity and timing and less about issues of essential content". The secretary-general of Israeli pacifist organization Peace Now, Yariv Oppenheimer, said that Wallerstein was no moderate, having been a major force behind the illegal expansion of settlements.

In 2019, Yesha Council was presided over by chairman Hananel Dorani and CEO Yigal Dilmoni. They planned to double the Jewish population of "Judea and Samaria" (then 450,000) to a million, within ten years: Hazon Ha-Million – the "vision of one million". Dorani believes that they need to "fight for full Israeli independence from the United States", so that foreign leaders are not able to influence Israeli policies with regard to the settler communities in the West Bank.

In May 2023, Yesha reported that by October 2022 over half a million Israeli settlers were living in the West Bank, which comprised 5.2 percent of the total population of Israel. The growth rate of the settler population was around 2.2% in 2022, with 10,755 Israelis moving to West Bank communities. The settlers are overseen by the military and the Defense Ministry, as this territory is not officially a part of Israel.

Aims and description

The stated aims of the Yesha Council are "to promote Israeli communities in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley as the heart of the Bible Land and the birthplace of the Jewish people and its heritage". They want to see Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank.

Their stated strategic objectives are:

  • To secure the borders of the State of Israel
  • To safeguard Israel's strategic expanses–between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea
  • To ensure Israel's right to the Land by strengthening Israeli settlement in Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley

The Council aims to assert Israeli sovereignty, to develop transport and other infrastructure, to increase tourism from all over the world, and "to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea". It also aims to create master plans for the whole area.

In addition to municipal and security issues, the Council serves as the political arm of the Jewish residents of Yesha. The Council lobbies for their interests with the Knesset and the government. It also carries on public relations campaigns for the settlements and organizes public protests.

Governance and organisation

The Yesha Council's headquarters are in the Ramat Eshkol neighbourhood of Jerusalem.

The Yesha Council consists of 24 elected mayors who represent municipalities with an Israeli population of around 500,000 people, and is headed by an elected chairman. Israel Ganz was elected chairman in May 2024.

Omer Rahamim was appointed CEO in June 2024.

Chairman/director Dates in office Other public positions
Yisrael Harel [he] 1980–1995 Founder of the Yesha Council, founder of Institute for Zionist Strategies
Pinchas Wallerstein 1995–1999 Head of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council
Benny Kashriel 1999–2001 Mayor of Ma'ale Adumim
Benzi Lieberman 2002–2007 Head of the Samaria Regional Council
Dani Dayan 2009-2010 Pinchas Wallerstein as director-general until resignation Nov. 2010
Naftali Bennett 2010–2012 (director) In 2021, 13th Prime Minister of Israel
Dani Dayan 2013–2017 Head of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council and later Consul General of Israel in New York and Yad Vashem chairman
Hananel Dorani 2017–2019 Chairman of the Kedumim Regional Council
David Elhayani 2019–2022 Head of the Jordan Valley Regional Council
Shlomo Ne'eman 2022–2024 Head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council
Israel Ganz 2024– Head of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council

Activism

2005 protests

In July 2005, when Ariel Sharon was prime minister, the Knesset voted against delaying its withdrawal of troops and settlers from all 21 Gaza settlements, as well as four of the 120 in the West Bank, due to start the following month. The Yesha Council, led by chairman Bentzi Lieberman, led a protest campaign against this decision. Around 6,000 protesters led by ultranationalist rabbis marched from the town of Netivot in southern Israel to the village of Kfar Maimon in an illegal protest, after the government had banned all non-residents from entering Gaza. After three days, the protesters left the village. In Tel Aviv there was a rally of around 150,000 protesters.

Misplaced Pages editing (2010)

In August 2010, it was reported that the Yesha Council, then under director Naftali Bennett, had joined My Israel (Israel Sheli), a network of online pro-Israel activists committed to spreading Zionism online, in their efforts to organize people at a workshop in Jerusalem to teach them how to edit Misplaced Pages articles in a pro-Israeli way. Around 50 people took part in the course. The project organiser, Ayelet Shaked, of Israel Sheli, said in a radio interview that the information had to be reliable and meet Misplaced Pages rules. She cited some examples such as the use of the term "occupation" in Misplaced Pages entries, as well as in the editing of entries that link Israel with Judea and Samaria and Jewish history. One participant said that it was not a "Zionist conspiracy to take over Misplaced Pages", but an attempt to add balance to articles about disputed issues.

In 2011, Misplaced Pages co-founder Jimmy Wales said of the reported course, that Misplaced Pages had seen "absolutely no impact from that effort whatsoever". Wales, who himself is a supporter of Israel, insists on neutrality when editing articles related to Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At a speech at Tel Aviv University, when accepting his Dan David Prize in May 2015, Wales insisted to avoid conflicts of interest is to provide as many facts as possible while maintaining neutrality, aiming to overwhelm any chance of bias and imbuing political ideology.

See also

Footnotes

  1. In2019, Harel was a columnist for the daily newspaper Haaretz.
  2. The West Bank

References

  1. ^ "About Us". The Yesha Council. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  2. "Yesha Council". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  3. ^ Harel, Yisrael (2 December 2010). "Interview with Yisrael Harel". Dr. Ariel Zellman (Interview). Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  4. "שאלת תם מה זה מועצת יש"ע? - וואלה! חדשות". וואלה! (in Hebrew). 18 July 2005. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  5. ^ Taub, Gadi (2010). The Settlers: And the Struggle over the Meaning of Zionism. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-14101-6. JSTOR j.ctt1npbg0. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  6. "Yesha Council founder: Unite with Otzma Yehudit". 7israelnationalnews.com. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  7. ^ Ḥazon, Brit (26 September 2019). "The Yesha Council Leadership Misses the Larger Struggle". VISION. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  8. ^ Melson, Richard (September 2004). "What is the Yesha Council?". New Page 2. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  9. Izenberg, Dan (27 December 2005). "Yesha calls for investigation of Sasson Report" (text + video). The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Israeli government challenges the law to embrace illegal settler outposts". Question of Palestine. United Nations. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  11. Balint, Judy Lash (7 June 2000). "Behind the Headlines in YESHA". Jewish Action. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  12. "Yesha Council chair Dayan condemns recent settler violence". The Jerusalem Post. 8 December 2009.
  13. Weiss, Efrat (11 January 2010). "Pinchas Wallerstein leaving Yesha Council". Ynetnews. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  14. Elgot, Jessica (24 November 2016). "Settler leader resigns in row with Yesha council". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  15. ^ Levinson, Chaim (12 January 2010). "Wallerstein Quits Yesha Council, Citing Ideological Differences With Leadership". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  16. ^ Rosenbaum, Alan (13 February 2019). "The Yesha Council's Vision for the Future". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  17. Fabian, Emanuel (12 May 2023). "Yesha settler umbrella group says over half a million Israelis live in West Bank". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  18. "With wineries and tourism, settlers try to rebrand settlements for Israeli public". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  19. "Settlers, Palestinians dream of joint Hebron hotel at kosher Iftar feast". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  20. Sharon, Jeremy (6 May 2024). "Settlements council elects Israel Ganz as next chairman". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  21. "Omer Rahamim appointed new Yesha Council CEO". Arutz Sheva. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  22. Weiss, Efrat (20 May 2009). "Yesha heads, Barak meet on settlement construction". Ynetnews. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  23. "Naftali Bennett". Government of Israel. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  24. ^ Lappin, Yaakov (7 September 2022). "Shlomo Ne'eman named to lead Yesha Council". JNS.org. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  25. "Israeli protesters abandon Gaza march". Al Jazeera. 21 July 2005. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  26. Urquhart, Conal (19 July 2005). "Israeli protesters defy police ban on march". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  27. ^ "Thousands protest against Jewish settlements evacuations". ABC News. 11 August 2005. Retrieved 4 October 2024. The Government has banned all non-residents from entering the Gaza Strip.
  28. "Israel blocks buses carrying Gaza pullout opponents". CNN. 18 July 2005. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022.
  29. Singer-Heruti, Roni (12 August 2005). "Yesha Council Tells 150,000 Protesters to Block Access to Gaza". Haaretz.com. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  30. ^ Benari, Elad (3 August 2010). "Zionist Internet Struggle to Hit Misplaced Pages". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved 18 August 2010.
  31. ^ Hasson, Nir (18 August 2010). "The right's latest weapon: 'Zionist editing' on Misplaced Pages". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022.
  32. Rachel Shabi, Jemima Kiss (18 August 2010). "Misplaced Pages editing courses launched by Zionist groups". The Guardian.
  33. "The battle for Misplaced Pages: Palestinians counter Israeli editing group". Ynetnews. 28 August 2010.
  34. Robert Mackey (23 August 2010). "Readers Discuss Misplaced Pages Editing Course That Aims for 'Balanced and Zionist' Entries". The New York Times.
  35. ^ Aliyana Traison (5 August 2011). "Misplaced Pages founder: Israel-Palestine is heavily debated, but we're vigilant on neutrality". Haaretz.
  36. Sales, Ben (19 May 2015). "Misplaced Pages founder Jimmy Wales likes Israel but stays neutral". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 25 August 2015.

External links

Judea and Samaria Area
Cities Map of Judea and Samaria Area
Regional committee
Regional councils
Local councils
See also
Categories: