News
Politicians clash as settler stand-off continues over West Bank demolition
Israeli security forces and settler activists continued to clash yesterday over the evacuation of two buildings in the settlement of Beit El in the West Bank, in preparation for their court-sanctioned demolition.
A 2010 court order was issued to destroy the Dreinoff Buildings in Beit El, on the grounds that the property was registered to Palestinians and the building did not have the correct permits. Following a lengthy legal challenge, the High Court ordered last month that the state has until Thursday to destroy the two buildings, which contain 24 housing units. Overnight Tuesday, Israel Police special forces entered the buildings to remove settler youth who had barricaded themselves inside.
However, additional protestors continued to arrive on the scene yesterday and Ynet news says that stones were thrown at security forces and a rubbish bin set alight as Border Police were forced to prevent activists from once again entering the building.
The protestors were joined by a number of right-wing politicians, including Jewish Home leader, Education Minister Naftali Bennett. He told the crowd that he demanded “the government of Israel issues an official message to the High Court that it opposes the destruction of homes.”
Particular anger was directed at Likud’s Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon, who had apparently assured Jewish Home’s Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked on Monday evening that the Dreinoff Buildings would not be demolished, a message Shaked relayed to local leaders. However, he did not reveal that the buildings would be evacuated the next day. Shaked warned that Ya’alon’s “deception … will be answered in kind.” Meanwhile, Likud’s Absorption Minister Ze’eve Elkin also criticised the evacuation and Likud MK Oren Hazan said he had established an extra-parliamentary office at the site.
Leading opposition figure, Zionist Union MK Tzipi Livni said “a policy won’t be forced on us through breaking the law … The biggest problem is that our prime minister is not a leader who backs … law enforcement, but someone who pays lip service to the coalition.”