Women in Green

Women in Green, formally known as Women for Israel's Tomorrow, is an Israeli nationalist nonprofit movement established in 1993 by Ruth and Michael Matar in response to the Oslo Accords. Although its name emphasizes women, the organization describes itself as a grassroots movement involving both women and men, and both religious and non-religious participants. It is presented as independent of Israeli political parties and operates through demonstrations, public relations, educational activity, conferences, publications, community organizing, and settlement-related projects. The movement's central political position is that the territory it calls the Land of Israel should remain under Jewish sovereignty. It opposes the creation of a Palestinian state, rejects the return of territory captured by Israel in 1967, and supports Israeli settlement and eventual annexation of the West Bank. It also opposed Israel's 2000 withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the 2005 disengagement from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria. The better-known name Women in Green refers to the green hats worn by activists at demonstrations against the Oslo process; the color expressed opposition to restoring the Green Line. Its unofficial motto is commonly rendered as “The Land of Israel for the People of Israel.” From its founding through 2005, the movement concentrated on vigils and public campaigns against territorial concessions and the Oslo agreements. Its communications work included Hebrew- and English-language radio programming broadcast through Arutz 7, as well as activity in the United States, where affiliated chapters held demonstrations and fundraising events. The organization's rhetoric and proposals concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been strongly nationalist and have included controversial advocacy for the relocation of Palestinians who would not remain under Israeli rule. A leadership transition and strategic expansion took place around 2005. Ruth and Michael Matar reduced their involvement for health reasons after members of the founding families moved to the Gush Katif settlement of Kfar Yam during the disengagement period. Yehudit Katsover joined the movement that year and subsequently led it with Nadia Matar. Under their leadership, Women in Green added more direct land and settlement activism to its earlier protest work. Projects described by the movement included efforts connected with the Walaja bypass road, the Shdema military site, Adurayim, Netzer, and Eitam Hill. The organization framed these initiatives as attempts to strengthen Jewish presence and prevent what it characterized as Palestinian takeover of state land in parts of Area C of the West Bank. The movement also developed civic, religious, cultural, and educational activities. In 2014, following the discovery that abducted Israeli teenagers Gilad Shaer, Eyal Yifrach, and Naftali Frenkel had been killed, activists and West Bank settlers established the Oz veGaon Nature Preserve near Gush Etzion, with support from the Gush Etzion Council. The site became a tourism, education, recreation, and commemoration project, hosting lectures, workshops, cultural events, and volunteer activities. Another major initiative is the Sovereignty Campaign, launched in 2011. It shifted part of the movement's emphasis from opposing a Palestinian state to promoting a specific alternative: the application of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, which the organization calls Judea and Samaria. The campaign uses billboards, conferences, lectures, private meetings, manifestos, and the Sovereignty Journal, published in Hebrew and English. Women in Green also organizes an annual walk around Jerusalem's Old City walls on the eve of Tisha B'Av, a tradition it says was renewed in 1994 and that combines religious observance with speeches and nationalist mobilization. The organization remains active as an advocacy and grassroots movement, although its current legal registration details, finances, and administrative headquarters are not established by the supplied sources.

Women for Israel's Tomorrow, widely known as Women in Green, was founded in Israel in 1993 by Ruth and Michael Matar. Its creation followed the Oslo Accords and reflected opposition to territorial compromise and the prospect of Israeli withdrawal from parts of the West Bank and Gaza. The movement adopted a grassroots structure and recruited supporters across religious and secular communities. It stated that its purpose was to defend the biblical homeland of the Jewish people and to maintain Jewish sovereignty throughout the Land of Israel. The name Women in Green came from the green hats worn by activists at demonstrations against the Oslo process. The hats symbolized rejection of the Green Line as a permanent political border. During its first period, from 1993 to 2005, the organization relied heavily on public demonstrations, vigils, educational activity, and media work. Its communications included a weekly Hebrew- and English-language radio program broadcast by Arutz 7. It also developed support and fundraising activity outside Israel, including chapters in the United States. The movement opposed the 2000 Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and strongly resisted the 2005 disengagement from Gaza and northern Samaria. During the disengagement period, members of the Matar and Finkelstein families moved into a shared caravan at Kfar Yam in Gush Katif. Ruth and Michael Matar later withdrew from active organizational work because of health issues. Nadia Matar, who had worked with Ruth, continued in leadership, while Yehudit Katsover joined the organization in 2005 and became Nadia Matar's leadership partner. After 2005, the organization combined protest activity with practical initiatives intended to strengthen Jewish settlement and presence in contested areas. It described its work in parts of Area C of the West Bank as a response to what it regarded as Palestinian efforts, supported by foreign funding, to take control of land claimed by Israel. Activities attributed to the movement included advocacy related to the Walaja bypass road, restoration of a Jewish presence at the Shdema military site, work at Adurayim south of Mount Hebron, tree planting at Netzer, and support for Jewish development on Eitam Hill near Efrat. Cultural programming, including concerts, exhibitions, lectures, and religious lessons, was used alongside these land-focused projects. In 2011, Women in Green broadened its political strategy through the Sovereignty Campaign. Its leaders argued that simply rejecting a Palestinian state was insufficient and that the movement needed to promote an affirmative political program. The campaign called for applying Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank, referred to by the movement as Judea and Samaria. It used billboards, conferences, lectures, private meetings, manifestos, and the Sovereignty Journal. The journal was produced in Hebrew and English and featured articles, interviews, and reports supporting the sovereignty position. In June 2014, following the killing of three Israeli teenagers who had been abducted in the West Bank, Women in Green activists and local settlers established the Oz veGaon Nature Preserve near the Gush Etzion Junction, with support from the Gush Etzion Council. The preserve was named using the initials of the three victims and developed into a combined memorial, educational, tourism, and settlement-support site. Volunteer groups cleared vegetation and rocks, youth participated in work and self-defense instruction, and the movement organized regular Friday lectures, workshops, and cultural gatherings. The organization also maintains an annual walk around the walls of Jerusalem's Old City on the eve of Tisha B'Av. Women in Green says the practice was renewed in 1994 and links it to older Jewish customs of circling the city's walls. The event includes speeches by rabbis, politicians, and other public figures and concludes at the Western Wall. Through these activities, Women in Green combines nationalist political advocacy, religious symbolism, public relations, settlement activism, and community education. It is not described in the supplied sources as a political party, publicly traded entity, or subsidiary of a larger corporate group.

• 2014

  Oz veGaon Nature Preserve established

  [1]Women for Israel's Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  The organization helped establish the Oz veGaon preserve near Gush Etzion as a memorial and educational site.

• 2011

  Sovereignty Campaign launched

  [1]Women for Israel's Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  The movement began a campaign advocating Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.

• 2005

  Leadership and activity transition

  [1]Women for Israel's Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  Yehudit Katsover joined the movement, while Ruth and Michael Matar reduced their involvement; Nadia Matar and Katsover subsequently led the organization.

• 2000

  Opposition to southern Lebanon withdrawal

  [1]Women for Israel's Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  Women in Green opposed Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

• 1994

  Annual Old City wall walk renewed

  [1]Women for Israel's Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  The movement renewed its annual Tisha B'Av walk around Jerusalem's Old City walls.

• 1993

  Organization founded

  [1]Women for Israel's Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org

  Ruth and Michael Matar established Women for Israel's Tomorrow in response to the Oslo Accords.

A grassroots Israeli nationalist advocacy movement focused on Jewish settlement, territorial sovereignty, and opposition to territorial concessions.

• Political publication · 2011

  The Sovereignty Journal

  A Hebrew- and English-language publication associated with the Sovereignty Campaign. It presents articles, interviews, reports, and arguments supporting the application of Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank and is distributed through the movement's advocacy network.

• Educational and memorial project · 2014

  Oz veGaon Nature Preserve

  A preserve near Gush Etzion established in memory of Gilad Shaer, Eyal Yifrach, and Naftali Frenkel. Women in Green uses the site for volunteer work, lectures, workshops, cultural programming, tourism, youth activities, and family recreation.

• 2011The Sovereignty Campaign

  Israel · United States

  A public-relations and policy campaign advocating Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank. Activities include billboards, conferences, lectures, private meetings, manifestos, and publication of the Sovereignty Journal.

  Outcome. The campaign became a central component of the organization's ongoing political program.

  Source
• 2004Opposition to the Gaza disengagement

  Israel

  Women in Green campaigned against the planned evacuation of Jewish communities from Gaza and northern Samaria.

  Outcome. The disengagement took place in 2005, while the organization continued opposition and shifted toward practical settlement-support activity.

  Source
• 1994Tisha B'Av Old City wall walk

  Israel

  An annual religious-nationalist procession around Jerusalem's Old City walls, featuring speeches and concluding at the Western Wall.

  Outcome. The event became a recurring annual gathering attended by large crowds.

  Source
• 1993Opposition to the Oslo Accords

  Israel · United States

  The founding campaign used demonstrations, vigils, media work, and educational activity to oppose the Oslo process and territorial concessions.

  Outcome. The movement continued as a nationalist advocacy organization after the Oslo period and expanded into settlement and sovereignty activism.

  Source

• 2014

  Establishment of the Oz veGaon preserveOther

  Background

  The project followed the killing of three Israeli teenagers abducted in the West Bank.

  Action taken

  Activists and settlers established a memorial nature preserve near Gush Etzion and developed it for education, tourism, recreation, and cultural events.

  Aftermath

  The site became a recurring venue for volunteer work, lectures, workshops, and youth programs.

  Source

• 2011

  Move from rejection to a sovereignty proposalStrategy

  Background

  The organization's leaders concluded that opposing a Palestinian state alone did not provide an alternative political program.

  Action taken

  Women in Green launched the Sovereignty Campaign to advocate applying Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.

  Aftermath

  The campaign became a major vehicle for the movement's public advocacy and publishing activity.

  Source

1. 1Women for Israel's Tomorrowen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Women in Green official websitewomeningreen.org.il