Free the Jewish Political Prisoners Now!

23 Shevat 5776

UPDATE: Evyatar is out of prison! Now for Meir! See below...

Thanks to some concerned American Israelis…we can be part of a critical pidyon shevuyim (redeeming of prisoners) campaign.

HELP FREE TWO PRISONERS IN ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION 

Meir Ettinger and Evyatar Slonim have been held imprisoned for six months, held for much of the time in solitary confinement, surrounded by Arab terrorists who threaten to kill them. Meir recently was hospitalized after collapsing during a hunger strike.  

The Israeli government has not charged Meir or Evyatar with any crime. 

The six months of administrative detention are up next week. Evyatar's order ends on Wednesday, and Meir's on Thursday. [February 3^rd and 4^th – CDG]

There is great fear and concern that Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon renew their imprisonment for another six months without charging them with any crime. 

Evyatar's mother, Gila Slonim, and Meir's grandmother, Libby Kahane, are sending a plea to every Jewish person to daven for the yeshua of the two boys. 

Names for davening:   MEIR DAVID CHAI ben TOVA and EVYATAR YISRAEL ELIYAHU ben GILA CHANA. 

[but see the end for upcoming good news about Evyatar - I am reserving further comment until he is confirmed out of prison. CDG]

Please take a few moments to write an email to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, and President Reuven Rivlin asking them to either charge Meir and Evyatar with a crime and give them a fair trial, or let them free. 

Here are their email addresses: 

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon  pniot@mod.gov.il

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu

 pm_eng@pmo.gov.il   and  bnetanyahu@knesset.gov.il, 

President Reuven Rivlin  public@president.gov.il

Israeli consulate in New York: 

Tel. 212-499-500; Email: info@newyork.mfa.gov.il   

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DS from Israel Truth Times and I wrote to the above government officials. I have posted our emails below (hers with her permission) in order to stimulate and encourage more email. You may copy elements of our emails to help you if you wish, or use your own words.

The sooner you write, the better the chances are that both young men – WHO WERE CHARGED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CRIME – will be freed.

Here is the article Meir posted on HaKol haYehudi before he was detained. Read it and tell me, should he be in jail for it? The Delicate Bridges

***EMAILS***

Subject: Release Meir Ettinger and Evyatar Slonim NOW (With appropriate medical treatment, of course.).

Dear Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. President and Mr. Minister of Defense:

May I briefly suggest that if you want to show that you are treating Jews and Arabs alike, you would not summarily allow Meir Ettinger and Evyatar Slonim to die on hunger strike. Through the media we have seen the government express concern about terror-enacting Arab prisoners on hunger strikes; you can at least show the same caring for the Jews!

Not to mention that these young Jewish men have not actually committed any crimes to speak of. Writing, even expressing views displeasing to the government, is not a crime in a democratic society, such as ours purports to be. And you wonder why many Israelis want Torah governance, which is more appropriate to our people.

One more thing: Please be kind enough to restore them to health — especially Meir, since he has been going longer without food — before releasing them to their loved ones. May HaShem bless you for the efforts you make in this direction.

Many thanks.

(signature)

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Subject: Re: your atrocious treatment of Meir Ettinger and Evyatar Slonim

Mr Yaalon, Mr Netanyahu,  Mr Reuben Rivlin, 

It is inconceivable and beyond any civilized norms in a democratic country that people who have not been charged with any crime should be kept prisoners under administrative detention. I request of you that Meir Ettinger and Evyatar Slonim  be freed immediately, and let them have a fair trial if necessary: everybody is INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY!. Your actions are racist and done out of hatred of religious Jews, and of course also to please the nations, who hate the Jewish People anyway.

Stop trying to please the nations, our enemies who spy on us shamelessly, while you oppress our own people. 

Do you want to be known as a dark regime? Or do you want to earn the respect that a Jewish nation deserves?

Know that there is a Judge and there will be Judgment for you too, as important as you believe yourselves to be today. Remember, man is only dust, comes from dust and returns to dust. That includes you too. 

Tsedek, Tsedek Tirdof!

(signature)

UPDATES: Here is a link to yet another letter, this one from Daniel Pinner.
An op-ed by Brooklyn-based Yehuda-and-Shomron activist Robin Ticker: Stop Slandering Hilltop Youth and Let Meir Ettinger Go

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WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

PROTEST: You can go here to sign a petition that will go to Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon. You can look for others as well.

EDUCATE YOURSELF: Read all you can about the Hilltop Youth and lifestyle. There’s plenty of negative commentary elsewhere; here are two positive articles so far: Kumi Ori | The Baladim | More are coming. If you can, visit them. See for yourself. Be sure to wear your hiking clothes and boots!

TAKE HEART. For those who are discouraged from aliyah over this situation, I bring words straight from the heart of Dina Moskowitz from a comment she shared:

“…my dear friend…your conclusion is totally erroneous! You NEED to make aliya as soon as possible... The antisemitism in the USA and the rest of the world won't stand still, it will only get worse and lead to physical violence against Jews, G-d forbid.... Before it gets to that bad of a stage, please, [fellow American Jew], COME HOME and help us here make the country BETTER for Jews! You need Israel - and ISRAEL NEEDS YOU! Help us put real JEWISH leaders into power who care about the Jewish People and rule this country according to the Torah! And bring your like-minded family and friends here, too - the more of us here in Eretz, the more hope there is for this country's survival as a TRUE Jewish State!"

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UPDATE:  EVYATAR WILL LEAVE PRISON, BUT MEIR GETS ANOTHER FOUR MONTHS WITHOUT CHARGES OR TRIAL. 

The Defense Ministry and Israeli Security Agency (ISA) announced Monday that nationalist activist Evyatar Slonim's administrative detention will not be extended, and he will be released in the coming days, although administrative limitations will remain in place against him...

On Monday Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) extended [Meir] Ettinger's administrative detention by yet another four months, without trial or evidence, in what Ettinger's wife Moriya told Arutz Sheva was a "political arrest" in the most severe prison branch in the country. Arutz 7

UPDATE 3/2/2016: Evyatar is out of prison! This article, in Hebrew, is from 3 February, from HaKol haYehudi (The Voice of the Jew). Nothing in English. I do find the early date odd considering what we were told above, but if the man is out of prison, all the better.

Notice I don't say "free" because there are still "conditions" as noted above. One noted in the recent article: they have forbidden him from being in touch with 42 of his friends in any way. No charges are listed against them, either... A personal note - I still rely too much on the English news; I only saw this article today, 10 February. - CDG