Ariel Center for Policy Research (ACPR)

 

AUTHORS and ASSOCIATES

Mordechai Sones

In 1998, Mordechai Sones, a researcher living in Samaria, began pressing the Netanyahu government to avert the danger through public talks, Internet updates, and media appearances in Israel and the US (Ma'ariv, Nadav HaEtzni's show on Reshet Bet radio, Arutz 7, HaTzofeh, Iton L'Chatchilah, Michael and Felice Friedson show, and more).  Meanwhile, Sones' supporters created ECYF, a US-based organization to help out.

 By December 1998, Sones uncovered special training and equipment that may be used in an overnight first strike against scores of Yishuvim (settlements).  His expose of PA armored vehicles made it into Israel's mainstream press, provoking a partial IDF admission of his charges (Ma’ariv, December 19, 1998).

 Sones also empowered Yesha (acronym for Judea, Samaria and Gaza) residents to question IDF officials and keep track of their responses.  For example, when Yesha residents reported frequent PA night attack training exercises to IDF officials, the officials claimed that "weddings" caused the gunfire.  This pattern of inaccurate denials continues.  Apparently, the IDF is either badly misinformed or concealing a policy of abandonment.  Either way, government policy endangers Yesha's survival.

 Sones' awareness campaign has four methods:

  1. Uncover more facts about PA preparations for war;
     

  2. Uncover more facts about the inadequacy of the IDF's response;
     

  3. Identify legal steps Yesha residents can take on their own to improve their odds;
     

  4. Draft legislation to enable Israelis to debate and change policy.