Hotovely to mark anniversary of Six Day War with events in Judea and Samaria
Earlier this month, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely convened a meeting in the Foreign Ministry to begin planning events that will underline the Jewish connection to Judea and Samaria.
By HERB KEINONUpdated: FEBRUARY 24, 2016 02:58The Six-Day War(photo credit: IDF ARCHIVES, MINISTRY OF DEFENCE)
As the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War approaches, the Foreign Ministry is gearing up for events highlighting Israel’s “return to its historic heartland” as a result of the war.Earlier this month, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely convened a meeting in the Foreign Ministry to begin planning events that will underline the Jewish connection to Judea and Samaria. This will be done through events to take place at such historic sites as the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, and Tel Shiloh at Shiloh.One official said that the underlying theme of the events will be to illustrate that the victory in the Six Day War enabled the Jewish people to “return to our land.”This project dovetails with Education Minister Naftali Bennett’s announcement earlier this week that next year’s theme for the educational system will be “united Jerusalem,” also to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the city in the Six Day War.These types of events are designed to push back against what will surely be Palestinian efforts to mark 50 years of Israeli “occupation.”And it will not only be Palestinians who will use the anniversary of the war to decry Israeli policies. Jewish American authors Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman have joined forces with far-left NGO Breaking the Silence to edit a book focusing on “50 years of the Israeli Occupation.” The book is slated to be published in June 2017 by Harper Collins.