Dear Mike Huckabee,
Now that Shabbat has ended, I saw your post and the alerts across the news channels about your visit today to Turmus Ayya — and about those “dangerous and threatening settlers” whom you apparently saw driving a security Ranger.
*Well, that was me. I was the driver of the Ranger you filmed.*
And I want you to hear directly from me what actually happened today.
This morning, our shepherd, who was out with the flock, reported that dozens of vehicles had gathered at the edge of the village — precisely in an area from which, over the past several months, there have been repeated attacks and arson incidents against us.
I got into our security Ranger to check what was happening, and at the same time we notified the IDF as per protocol.
When we arrived and saw respectable people and media crews, we said hello and continued on our way. Shortly afterward, the army informed us that this [yours] was a proper, coordinated visit.
That is the entire story.
And yet, within minutes, we were portrayed in the media as “dangerous settlers.”
Amabssador Huckabee, I will respectfully relate some facts to you that they surely didn’t share with you today.
For example:
1. Until recently, the head of the Turmus Ayya municipality was Lafi Shalabi, who was a partner in assisting in the murder of the youth Yehuda Guetta, of blessed memory. While he was in prison, the village chose him to head the municipality — as a sign of honor for his actions.
2. A member of the Turmus Ayya municipal council, Abu Samra, with whom you were photographed today in warm handshakes, is a released terrorist, who is photographed with weapons and published incitement to murder and attacks; in his view, Jews as well as Americans are the enemy. He also led the opposition in the village to the hanging of American flags on the houses, and following the struggle, the flags were removed from the Turmus Ayya municipal building. Only in recent years, Abu Samra was personally involved in several cases of attacks and looting of Jews and their property in the Shiloh area settlements.
3. Throughout the village there are dozens of monuments glorifying terrorists and terrorism, alongside a map of the State of Israel painted in the colors of Palestine, which testifies to their true intentions.
4. Abla al-Kuk, the manager of the girls’ high school who was photographed with you today, has for years been involved in educating generations of students with messages of incitement, encouragement and glorification of terrorism. She also personally participated in and led violent riots against settlers and security forces.
5. In the past year alone, hundreds of incidents of attacks have occurred, including stone throwing, arson, lynchings and shooting, by Arabs from the village against shepherds, farmers, innocent Jewish travelers who had just returned home, as well as against army forces.
6. You also met with the wife of the “martyr” Omar al-Katin, who was killed after attempting to harm police officers, and with additional representatives of families of those who attempted to harm soldiers and innocent civilians.
7. We also saw how the ambulance drivers in Turmus Ayya showed you videos that were edited and cut in a biased manner. In the incident in question, the ambulance deliberately blocked an army jeep while hundreds of Arabs pelted it with stones. When the soldiers had no choice and were forced to get out of the area in order to protect their lives, they lightly struck the edge of the ambulance in order to extricate themselves. They also did not tell you that the entire incident was an attempt to run toward the Israeli communities. You also saw videos presented to you today by ambulance drivers from the village. I ask you to watch the full footage, rather than edited clips.
When you cut out the beginning of an incident, you can make almost any story look completely different.
I am a bereaved brother.
Only a month ago I buried my dear brother, Benayahu Mellet, of blessed memory, who was murdered in a cold blood in Samaria, when hundreds of Arabs attempted to carry out a lynching against a group of Jewish hikers.
I personally receive threats from residents of Turmus Ayya — who tell me that just as they eliminated my brother, they will come after me as well.
And all of this alongside more and more attempts to attack the place where we live and the Jewish farmers in the area.
And after all this — ironically, I am the one who is presented as a threat, simply because I got onto our security Ranger to check what was happening near my home.
Ambassador Huckabee, please do not let hypocrites and terrorists in suits with carefully staged media ops blur reality and mislead you.
Whoever encourages terrorism, incites violence and repeatedly attacks innocent civilians who work their land — cannot put on a suit, stand in front of a camera and tell the world that he is the victim.
Whereas the people who simply want to live in the inheritance of their forefathers, work their land and raise their children in the light of the Torah of God and the vision of the Bible —
You are invited to watch the attached documentation that will verify my words and of course visit us.
Sincerely,
Amishav Mellet
