The left wing hatred of settlers has infected the minds of everyone - even the so called "centrists". What is more important, protecting the country against suicide bombers or demolishing nine homes? Why didn't Olmert accept the compromise?

Who ever thinks he can over look the law, should expect the results.

They want to destroy Israel and see Jewish blood spilled.

This isn't what generations of jews nor herzl had in mind for a jewish state. how is this a civilized society? The government had to do it today. If it was pushed off. to negotiate. What would have been the major calamity?. what was the point ? The Government has the right to enforce the law .However, the people have a right to a government that is responsible and tolerant. You can't have a real democracy and intolerant government. The two do not mix. For those that truly believe in the peace process. How can you condone violence between brothers to achieve "peace" with your enemy.. it's illogical. Today is an awful day in the history of the state. We want Jews to return to our homeland. Do you think anyone would want to come after Gaza and this?

Herod did the bidding of the Roman occupation government of Judea. Olmert is doing the bidding of outside forces and ignoring the will of G-d. G-d will take care of him.

So David, if the government started cracking Arab heads and tearing down the 1.000's of illegal structuires in and outside of Jerusalem, I am sure you would also agree. After all the law is the law, no one is above the law, correct? Not even Arabs. Or do you make exception for Arabs? Is it only Jews who must be dragged from their homes without mercy? You and those like you are hypocrites, your hatred of your fellow Jews, if indeed you are a Jew, is disgusting.

We are with you, Ehud!! Beatings and expelling Jews is great! You are doing our job. Arafat would be happy too...

There is only one government in Israel, and that is the Knesset in Jerusalem, and not some anarchists in the West Bank. We can't have people going wild and doing whatever they feel like doing. The vast majority of Israelis want the settlers out of those areas that have not been authorized by the govenment for settlement. And if the settlers will not leave peacefully, then it is the duty of the the Israeli government to bring in police forces to restore order. There must be respect form the law and those who are in authority.

L'Azazel im Olmert

Olmert wanted a serious security problem removed. Period. And there was no chance that it would be removed any other way.

In all the disengagement in Gaza, 10,000+ UNDER Prime Minsiter Sharon ,there was no violence like has been seen to-day, under the Acting PM

Israelis are smart but will they see through this obvious political farce? Is the Oslo syndrome taking hold again? Wake up people or you will all be wearing burkas by 2007!

Oh -- shut up and go smell the daisies.. maybe that will activate your brain you dumdum

If the settlers made offers of compromise to move the buildings, why wasn't the government willing to continue the negotiations instead of engaging in a police action that was sure to become violent? It seems that both Olmert and the settlers were trying to out-macho the other side. This incident does not bode well for Olmert's sense of judgement or ability to work under pressure. The radical settlers who hurt fellow Israelis, some seriously, should be ashamed. They broke the law and that cannot be tolerated. Maybe with a wiser government, it couldhave been prevented.

Totally 100% correct assessment. These Bolshevik actions by Olmert's "caretaker" ! gov't will go down in Israel's history as a blight upon the Israeli regime. To unleash so much force against Jewish zionists (these homes were legally purchased and did not belong to ANY Arabs & Olmert knows this ) particularly when Hamas is amassing and Arabs are actually builiding illegally all over Israel is simply mindboggling. Israel does not need Iran and all the terror groups to threaten them. The Arabs can sit back and watch the Israeli horror show, as the post zionists destroy the country!

Don't you dare presume to speak for me - not as a left-winger, and certainly not as an Israeli. I hate Hamas more than you can imagine. I've served in the IDF, have a daughter in now and a son on the way in. Are you safe and comfortable in the USA? Easy to flap your gums from 6000 miles away, isn't it?

what happened today was an extremely sad event in Jewish history-neither right nor left should under-estimate it. the truth is that both parties are out of line, mainly because ever since 1967 there has been no true dialogue within Jewish people-each side wants its way or the highway. The settlement movement of whose VALUES, but not means i am a supporter I think have gone totally disconnected from the fact that Israel is not just their own creation but the creation of the whole Jewish people, secular and religious, right and left, without each of whom it simply cannot make it. Thus, it is no brainer that the Religious Zionist values cannot be preached and practiced without regard of the will of the majority of Israelis. Precisely this disregard and zealosness has led to total dissipation of support for the the religious Zionist cause. The secular public has gotten totally disconnected from the very core of Israel-its Jewishness. A friend of mine from Canada once recalled how her Israeli acquaintance referred to her as "atem yehudim"-you Jews, implying that they Israelis are something else. Thinking like this has led to the lack of compassion and tolerance and erosion of the Jewish character of the state. Essentially, we today have multiple separate Jewish peoples-a very sad, sad fact. Religious and not. Pro and anti-settlers. etc. A people is characterized by the common value system, not just language. In Israel these common values are anything but. This should be the ultimate concern to all of us-this is the greatest danger. Our salvation is only in the realization that Israel cannot survive without Judaism, albeit in tolerant and compassionate form, and Judaism cannot survive in the Land of Israel without support of ALL Jews, actively religious or not. Amona and Hevron have to be wake up calls to all of us.

B"H "Likud Knesset Member Ehud Olmert slammed Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert " [SIC] No doubt he is not helping the democratic aspect of a voting campaign with violence against citizens to intimidate and force votes. But there is a clearly a typo here, as how is Ehud Olmert slaming Ehud Olmert? How can we view Israel as a democracy when votes are forced in such a manner. That is definately a slam. Unfortunately, the acceptance of Hammas seams to have been coordianted with a general acceptance of violence (Hammas), which is now an internal problem for Jews too. Vote National Union to reverse this trend, to actually strike against this sort of violence in the green line and in the Israeli miltarily occupied territories that has been issued against Jews!

Olmert and all those who do his bidding: You have crossed the line this time. There is no difference between you and any other antisemite. You have lost all moral authority to be a leader. You should not be considered a human being.

I don't agree with you. The settlers do not pose a security risk, the Palestinians are the security risk. With a little more restraint on the part of the govt., this might have been prevented.