MK Aryeh Eldad has launched an internet site calling for civil disobedience against the expulsion/retreat plan, with examples, justifications, and legal tips for those who are arrested.

The National Union Knesset Member´s new website explains that the steps he proposes - such as not paying taxes, turning in one´s ID and reserve-duty cards, blocking roads, large groups taking extended vacation from work, mass sit-ins at ports and the like - are "illegal, but accepted in the framework of civil disobedience around the world."

The site - in Hebrew, at "www.meri.org.il" - also proposes that soldiers and reserve soldiers refuse to participate in the implementation of any orders related to the expulsion.

Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin, who, like Eldad, opposes the disengagement plan, is not pleased with the site.

Eldad´s call for civil disobedience is "absolutely forbidden," Rivlin said yesterday. "The blanket nature of the site is liable to be interpreted wrongly by those who don´t understand the nuances as a call to violate the law passively and non-violently. I told MK Eldad that his call must be changed, and that it is not appropriate for a Knesset Member to call for civil disobedience in response to democratically-made Knesset decisions."

Rivlin stopped short of calling for Eldad´s removal as Chairman of the Knesset Ethics Committee, saying this is not an ethical matter but rather one of "boundaries and restrictions of [an MK´s] job, and the essence of MKs´ parliamentary immunity."

MK Eldad told Arutz-7´s Ariel Kahane that he has no "copyright on civil disobedience, which has already been well established in the world... Some of the activities are very illegal, and some are less so. One must be willing to pay a personal price of going to jail, in the thousands and ten-thousands, but without raising a hand against a policeman or soldier. We will wage the struggle the same way other racist and immoral laws have been fought in other democratic regimes."

"Civil disobedience is a measured response to expulsion and uprooting," Eldad said. "It is a response to the fact that we are fighting an irregular plan that will lead to uprooting and expulsion of Jews. The fight against an unethical law - one that is not Jewish and not Zionist, which is being implemented by mass expulsion of Jews and the declaration of a part of the Land of Israel as forbidden to Jews - must be on par with its severity, as this is a war on our home, the Land of Israel."

Asked if there is no fear that the campaign will lead to an increase of hatred, Eldad said, "Certainly there is, for people are being disturbed and negatively affected. But when we place the law-breaking and inconvenience on one side of the scales, and the tremendous danger facing the State on the other side, it is clear that there is no comparison."

Eldad brought the Supreme Court in his defense: "The Supreme Court often uses the concept of ´proportionality´ in its decisions, saying that there are times when even a Basic Law can be harmed for the purpose of a worthy goal. An example of this is the State´s claim regarding the disengagement itself. The State claims that very great diplomatic benefits will result to the general population, outweighing the damage to a small amount of people. We too say that if this plan goes through, the damage will be so great that we are willing to pay a personal price and make life somewhat difficult for many people. It is inconceivable that when Jews are being thrown out of their homes, the rest of the populace will go about their regular business as usual."

The website banner states: "Civil Disobedience: non-violent resistance, with the willingness to pay a personal price, to fight against laws that undermine the very existence of the State or its character as the State of the Jewish Nation."

The site also includes legal aid information, such as, "If you are arrested, remain silent, but explain that it is because it is a political interrogation... Object to being released with restrictions... As long as you have not yet been officially arrested, you may use your phone - use these minutes to call the legal aid center..." (IsraelNationalNews © 05/23/05)