Jewish settlers launch "Obama Hilltop project"

Jul 17, 2009, 7:52 GMT

Tel Aviv - Radical Jewish settlers overnight vowed to respond to US President Barack Obama's stance against Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian areas, by rebuilding one in the northern West Bank, evacuated in 2005.

Homesh was one of four West Bank settlements uprooted by former Israeli premier Ariel Sharon as part of his unilateral pullout from the Gaza Strip and a small area in the northern West Bank.

Settler leaders published a message to Obama, slamming him for his pressure against Israel on the issue of settlement construction.

'Mr. President, your policy that aims to destroy the Jewish communities of Judea, Samaria and East Jerusalem will no longer go unchallenged,' said the message, using the Jewish Biblical names for the southern and northern West Bank.

It called Obama's objection to Israeli construction in these areas 'an affront' to history and the Jewish religion.

The message even compared Obama to the Biblical Pharaoh of the book of Exodus who kept the Jewish people in bondage.

'Your objection to Jewish childbearing (natural growth) in these areas is reminiscent of Pharaoh's order to drown all the first-born children of Israel during the slavery in Egypt,' said the message, sent to reporters late Thursday.

'Mr. President, we hereby launch the 'Homesh - Obama Hilltop Project,' announced the message, adding this meant that the signatories would 'rally the worldwide pro-Israel community to support the rebirth' of the evacuated settlement.

The initiative is supported by such pro-settler groups the Land of Israel Committee of North America, the Shomron Liaison Office, and Homesh First.

They have launched a website, obamahill.tk, on which visitors are asked to make a donation of 10 US dollars to help rebuild Homesh.