“First let’s examine the facts: The settlers who moved into a contested house in Hebron, known as Beit Hamachpelah (thanks to its proximity to the Cave of the Patriarchs – “Maarat Hamachpelah” in Hebrew) entered the property without obtaining the proper authorization from the Judea and Samaria Civil Administration. They only filed the necessary forms about a week after moving in, when the scandal surrounding the affair was already in full swing. If they were to seek a judgment in the High Court of Justice they would be rejected outright, because they failed to take a fundamental step on the way to realizing their plan.

If none of this interests the ministers and MKs who have come out in support of the settlers, and who are criticizing the actions of the security forces (which evicted the occupants from the property on Wednesday afternoon), then anything these politicians have ever said in favor of the rule of law is completely invalid.

Hebron is an open wound in Israeli-Palestinian relations, and has been since 1929. I’ve already mentioned in this forum that the agreement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struck with the Palestinians over Hebron in the late 1990s has proven reliable. However, Hebron is a traumatic territory for Netanyahu because it was over Hebron that he lost his majority in the Knesset during his first term as prime minister. Beit Hamachpelah is situated on Shuhada Street, the main street in Hebron, very close to the Cave of the Patriarchs – which serves as a synagogue and mosque simultaneously. The army is justifiably concerned over this hotspot.”

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