Former Minister Uri Ariel Recounts Founding of Israeli Settlements
Former Israeli Minister Uri Ariel has shared his recollections of the founding of the 'Amana' settlement movement as part of a project by the Ministry of Heritage and the Council for the Preservation of Heritage Sites in Israel. The initiative, titled "Documentation of Veterans and Founders of the Settlement Enterprise," aims to record the stories of early settlers across various regions of Israel, including the Jordan Valley, Judea, Samaria, Benjamin, the Golan Heights, and the Galilee.
Ariel, who previously served as a minister, Knesset member, CEO of Amana, and head of the Beit El local council, emphasized that the success of the settlements often depended on the settlers themselves rather than solely on government support. "We saw that things depended on us," Ariel stated, "people brought their organizational, technical, spiritual, and financial capabilities, and settled under the existing conditions. Things depended less on the government."
He explained that the establishment of Amana in 1978, following the 1977 political shift, was a response to the growing number of settlements and the need for a dedicated body to manage their development. Ariel stressed that settlement is about people, not just infrastructure. "Everything starts with the core group, and you need to feel you have people to make moves with," he said.
Ariel detailed how Amana handled numerous challenges, particularly before 1978 when the government became more involved through the Settlement Division. He cited an instance where a planned settlement move was disrupted by the arrival of then-U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, leading to media reports of Amana obstructing peace talks, despite the settlers having planned their move independently. Another challenge involved regulations preventing the transport of caravans in Judea and Samaria without Civil Administration approval, which Amana circumvented by arranging for caravans to be manufactured on-site. Ariel concluded by highlighting the need for rapid solutions to various settlement-related issues.
