What if Judea broke away from Israel?

This week’s forced removal of Jewish residents from homes their families once owned in Hebron’s market district reminds me of a recent suggestion that the Jews of Judea and Samaria consider seceding from Israel rather than allow the area to become a Palestinian state.

As the army moved in Monday to evacuate the Jewish families from Hebron’s market area, a group of religious soldiers that were to take part in the operation announced that they would not participate in the uprooting of fellow Jews from any part of the Land of Israel.

In addition to following their conscience, this group of soldiers were also acting on the recommendations of their rabbis, raising the fear that a large portion of Israeli soldiers could disobey future military orders and instead act upon the dictates of their religious leaders.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak addressed this fear following the Hebron incident and the incarceration of the defiant soldiers:

Our army is the only army we have and the soldiers receive their orders from their commanders and no one else, no matter how important or honorable he might be.

It is indeed a tricky situation. On the one hand, allowing this kind of insubordination to take place could result in other groups of soldiers refusing to execute orders for different reasons - such as left-leaning combatants refusing to enter Palestinian-controlled towns to fight terror. On the other hand, this particular group of soldiers was reacting to a gross violation by the Israeli government of everything Judaism and the Bible has taught them regarding their people’s God-given right to the land.

I am not making any predictions, but I can see this type of thing forming the basis for a future split between pre-1967 Israel and the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria, with the latter taking with it those soldiers who would adhere to their rabbis instructions not to take part in government plans to uproot additional settlements as part of a peace deal with the Palestinians.

In fact, someone suggested about a year ago that the settlers consider making just such a move in order to stop the internationally-backed land-for-peace process.

The refusal of those 30 soldiers this week to uproot fellow Jews from Hebron indicated that there just might be enough Israelis willing to go along with secession to make it a reality if the Olmert government suddenly tries to surrender the bulk of Judea and Samaria to Israel’s enemies.

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