Right-wing politicians on Wednesday questioned acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s drive to evict Jewish settlers from a Hebron neighborhood, accusing the former Jerusalem mayor of political maneuvering ahead of the March 28 general elections.
“Olmert is instigating a civil war. There is room for a legal compromise but the acting prime minister prefers to ignore it in order to be the Left's leader in the upcoming elections,” MK Arieh Eldad of the National Union said.
Olmert ordered the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Police to prepare for the evacuation of an illegal Jewish enclave in Hebron’s old market and the demolition of illegal homes in the West Bank outpost of Amona.
Security forces were also given the green light to draft a plan for the evacuation of all illegal outposts set up by settlers in the West Bank.
“We suggest Olmert learn about the complicated subject of outposts before he launches his attack and decides on a war,” representatives of the Yesha Council said.
Yehsa accused Olmert’s advisors of conspiring against the settlers by giving the acting prime minister false facts about West Bank outposts.
Right-wing activist Baruch Marzel said: “We need to evacuate Olmert from government. He is a provocateur and an inciter seeking to spill Jewish blood in Hebron. The public will do a good job should it decide to overthrow him as soon as possible.”
Notional Union MK Zvi Hendel said Olmert is being handled by media advisors like a puppet and has been recently manipulated to show firmness.
‘Preparing for tough struggle’
The High Court of Justice ruled Wednesday that orders to demolish the Amona homes will go into effect in a week. Two months ago Peace Now successfully petitioned the High Court to have Amona settlers evacuated. The settlers plan to appeal the ruling in the coming week before the IDF goes ahead with the demolitions.
As the settlers brace for a confrontation, the government seems determined to go ahead with the evacuations.
“This reality of breaching the law and defying the State might permeate the Green Line and hit Israel proper,” Olmert warned, adding that public employees who took part in violence against security forces ought to be punished.
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