Mazuz: Settlers tried to delay inevitable
Attorney general tells parliamentary commission into Amona evacuation 'outpost was built without permit, seemingly on stolen territory'; eyewitnesses on behalf of Yesha Council say security forces brutally assaulted protesters, molested teen girls
Mazuz added that he saw no concrete offers, but rather "foggy (offers), submitted in the last minute, and designed to delay the inevitable."
"The outpost was established without the authorization of the defense minister, without a planning description, without a building permission, and worst of all – on private Palestinian territory. This is in theory theft," Mazuz continued.
He backed Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and said that he did not have reason to become involved.
"With that, the explosive potential was clear, when thousands of police officers and soldiers gather in the same place as thousands of opponents. Therefore, I thought the events should be examined," Mazuz said.
The inquiry committee into the violent clashes during the evacuation of Amona resumed its discussions Tuesday. The commission heard mainly from eyewitnesses on behalf of the Yesha Council, as well as Shin Bet officials, who testified behind closed doors.
The first to testify was Anat Rott, who is currently conducting a study about Yesha and who was present in Amona before and during the evacuation. Rott, who witnessed the briefing to the protesters in the outpost ahead of the arrival of security forces to the place, said the emphasis was put on a non-violent struggle.
Commission members (Photo: Yoav Galai)
"It was decided that the method of struggle would be the same as in Gush Katif, meaning – to sit on the floor, cross hands and be evacuated by force," she described.
"The children who were standing around the houses were shaking in fear, and groups of policemen stormed them with horses and batons. Stones were occasionally thrown," she said.
'A mass event'
Rott, who herself sustained a head injury, said that "there was no one to talk to."
"I was beaten and dizzied, I saw policemen hurling stones at the people who blockaded themselves on the rooftops and yelling at them: 'I am looking you in the eyes, I'm going to remember your face, go up there and kick your ass.' I was mortified because I realized once they will go up to the roof the situation will be bad," Rott recounted.
Noga Hacohen, a social worker at the Mateh Binyamin regional council who is counseling the teen girls who took part in the evacuation said some policemen severely molested the young girls.
"This was a mass event during which dozens of sexual, verbal and physical abusive acts took place," she said.
Knesset Member Ilan Shalgi said in response that it sounded as if "the Cossacks took over town."
Settler leaders testify
After the eyewitnesses, settle leaders took the stand. Director-General of Amana (Settlers movement) Zeev Hever, said that despite attempts to reach agreement in the Amona evacuation, the government did not compromise.
"We offered the government a real surrender, but they refused to talk to us... I have the feeling that Olmert did not want to reach an agreement. I believe the Amona clashes could have been prevented", said Hever to the parliamentary inquiry commission.
Head of the Binyamin regional council Pinchas Wallerstein said that two weeks prior to the Amona evacuation, the Yesha Council tried to prevent the forceful evacuation, but was denied by the government.
"For two weeks we tried every possible way to meet with Olmert, pulled every string we could, and approached his closest associates, but he didn't even bother to respond. We presented the government with a commitment to surrender and were encountered with a one big no," he described.
