Morag evacuation completed

Security forces have completed the evacuation Morag and have finished searching the houses and fields to ensure no one has been left behind. IDF officer Colonel Haim Moriah said that about 15 families and 250 infiltrators were evacuated from the settlement.

Earlier Wednesday, army forces under the command of Colonel Haim Uria stormed the roof of Morag’s synagogue, where a group of youngsters was barricaded. Meanwhile, female soldiers began removing young girls and women who barricaded themselves in the synagogue. Earlier, troops removed most of those at the scene.

The evacuation was accompanied by difficult images, including an infiltrator who barricaded himself in the second floor of a house and held his baby out of the window.

'Sharon leading us to coup'

Earlier, police and army forces led by regional police commander Hagai Dotan entered the Morag synagogue, where dozens of people, most of them youngsters who infiltrated the community, were barricading themselves.

The forces began removing worshippers from the synagogue, including Knesset Member Benny Elon (National Union,) one by one and supported by four soldiers each. Elon, who is not a resident, has been staying in Morag for five weeks.

Troops operate in Morag (Video: Channel 2)

The Knesset member protested the fact reporters were not allowed to enter the synagogue and said “it isn’t only the Jewish state that is in danger here, but also the democratic state. Sharon will lead us to a military revolution.”

Earlier, six families barricaded themselves in the community’s kindergarten, but later left after striking an agreement with security forces, reading psalms, and tearing their clothes as a symbol of mourning. The families eventually left carrying bags and suitcases, with police and soldiers assisting the children carry luggage to the waiting bus. 

One of those in the kindergarten, Hagai Kinarti, explained why the families eventually agreed to board the bus.

“We are not fighting the IDF,” he said. “We too served in the IDF.”

Meanwhile, one of the mothers in the kindergarten, Tirtsa, said “the soldiers are our brothers, our loved ones. We are not fighting them…I believe in God, that’s what he did, and that’s what’s good for all of us.”

Youngsters block road

Meanwhile, evacuation teams prepared themselves for the task and are facing the homes slated for evacuation. Settlers yelled at the soldiers “be ashamed, we’ll always remember this.” Children in the community, who are staying t the top floors of the houses, yelled out “A Jew doesn’t expel a Jew.”

The large forces outside the homes are standing outside the homes, with some of them sobbing and others clashing with residents.

As evacuation forces arrived in Morag earlier, youngsters at the community blocked the access road to the community with garbage dumpsters, planks and branches.

While troops began entering the community, a garbage dumpster was set on fire, with black smoke rising above homes in the settlement. Similar obstacles were prepared ahead of time on several major roads in Morag. Meanwhile, a group of pullout objectors barricaded themselves in hothouses and on rooftops across the community.

Meanwhile, four settlers were detained in possession of needles, superglue, matches, and spikes. Another clash developed after Border Guard troops detained a youngster who called on them to refuse orders. The youngster’s family began chasing the troops and eventually managed to convince them to release him.

'We love you regardless'

While forces took positions in the community, one resident approached them wearing an orange shirt and began running while yelling “whoever refuses an order would be proud…there are religious people here, how will you pray later, how will be able to?”

Another youngster yelled at troops: “We love you in any case, but remember that what you’re doing today is an injustice and a crime. I was here when all the terror attacks happened and now you’re expelling me…I have nowhere to go.”