Moshe Zar
Encyclopedia
Moshe Zar is a religious Zionist
, a former member of the terrorist organization "Jewish Underground" and Israeli settler
leader in the northern West Bank
, described by the New York Times as "Wild West-style vigilante mayor of his stretch of the West Bank, inspiring awe among many of the Jews
there and fear among the Palestinians". He has been buying land from individual Palestinians since 1979. A number of Palestinians have taken him to court on claims that he falsified contracts.
Zar is a longtime friend of former Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon
from their service in Unit 101
. He was wounded in the 1956 Sinai Campaign and lost his left eye as a result of his injuries. In 1983 he was attacked and stabbed by a group of Palestinians but survived.
In 1984 he was convicted of membership in the terrorist organization of the political settler movement Gush Emunim
, the "Jewish Underground" of the early 1980s, and sentenced to three years in prison for his part in the assassination of Palestinian mayors but only spent a few months in jail. His wife Yael is quoted by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz
as having said at the time: "The underground is not a stage in the life of the Zar family, but a stage in the life of the nation."
After one of his eight children, his son Gilad, a security officer of the Shomron Regional Council
, was killed in an ambush on May 29, 2001, he vowed that he would establish six settlements in his son′s memory, one for each Hebrew letter of his name. The settlement outpost Ramat Gilad
was established in 2001, the outpost Havat Gilad
was established in 2002 and has been dismantled by the Israeli military forces
several times, leading to violent clashes between settlers and security forces.
Religious Zionism
Religious Zionism is an ideology that combines Zionism and Jewish religious faith...
, a former member of the terrorist organization "Jewish Underground" and Israeli settler
Israeli settlement
An Israeli settlement is a Jewish civilian community built on land that was captured by Israel from Jordan, Egypt, and Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War and is considered occupied territory by the international community. Such settlements currently exist in the West Bank...
leader in the northern West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
, described by the New York Times as "Wild West-style vigilante mayor of his stretch of the West Bank, inspiring awe among many of the Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
there and fear among the Palestinians". He has been buying land from individual Palestinians since 1979. A number of Palestinians have taken him to court on claims that he falsified contracts.
Zar is a longtime friend of former Israeli Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Israel
The Prime Minister of Israel is the head of the Israeli government and the most powerful political figure in Israel . The prime minister is the country's chief executive. The official residence of the prime minister, Beit Rosh Hamemshala is in Jerusalem...
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon
Ariel Sharon is an Israeli statesman and retired general, who served as Israel’s 11th Prime Minister. He has been in a permanent vegetative state since suffering a stroke on 4 January 2006....
from their service in Unit 101
Unit 101
Unit 101 was a special forces unit of the Israeli Defense Forces , founded and commanded by Ariel Sharon on orders from Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in August 1953...
. He was wounded in the 1956 Sinai Campaign and lost his left eye as a result of his injuries. In 1983 he was attacked and stabbed by a group of Palestinians but survived.
In 1984 he was convicted of membership in the terrorist organization of the political settler movement Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim
Gush Emunim was an Israeli messianic and political movement committed to establishing Jewish settlements in the West Bank. While not formally established as an organization until 1974 in the wake of the Yom Kippur War, Gush Emunim sprang out of the conquests of the Six-Day War in 1967, encouraging...
, the "Jewish Underground" of the early 1980s, and sentenced to three years in prison for his part in the assassination of Palestinian mayors but only spent a few months in jail. His wife Yael is quoted by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
as having said at the time: "The underground is not a stage in the life of the Zar family, but a stage in the life of the nation."
After one of his eight children, his son Gilad, a security officer of the Shomron Regional Council
Shomron Regional Council
The Shomron Regional Council is a regional council in the northern Samarian hills, in the northern part of the West Bank. The offices of the regional council are located in the Barkan Industrial Park. This regional council provides various municipal services for the 30 Israeli settlements within...
, was killed in an ambush on May 29, 2001, he vowed that he would establish six settlements in his son′s memory, one for each Hebrew letter of his name. The settlement outpost Ramat Gilad
Ramat Gilad
Ramat Gilad is an Israeli settlement outpost in the West Bank, under the municipal jurisdiction of Shomron Regional Council. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, but the Israeli government disputes this.Located to the north of...
was established in 2001, the outpost Havat Gilad
Havat Gilad
Havat Gilad is an Israeli settlement outpost in the West Bank, beyond the jurisdiction of the Shomron Regional Council. It was established in 2002 in memory of Gilad Zar, security coordinator of the Shomron Regional Council, who was shot and killed in 2001. It is considered an un-authorized...
was established in 2002 and has been dismantled by the Israeli military forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
several times, leading to violent clashes between settlers and security forces.