Eviction orders given to residents of disputed Hebron house
Settlers have 15 days to prove ownership of the house before clearing it; Shas chairman says, 'House is Jewish property; there is no legal or military basis to evacuate it'
District coordination officers arrived in Hebron on Wednesday to hand settlers living in the disputed house eviction orders.
The orders, signed by District Coordination Office head Col. Yoav Mordechai, included an announcement saying that the settlers' presence in the area was in violation of the orders and they were asked to clear the area. Nonetheless, the settlers have 15 days to prove ownership of the house.
Earlier Shas chairman Eli Yishai arrived at the disputed house to offer his support to the Jewish settlers who took it over some three weeks ago.
“The house is Jewish property; there is no legal or military basis to evacuate it,” he said. “I will raise the issue during the next cabinet meeting.”
Earlier on Wednesday Defense Minister Amir Peretz ordered the Civil Authority to issue evacuation orders for the settlers who are occupying the house.
Yishai, who is also the Industry, Trade and Labor minister, was greeted warmly by the heads of the Jewish Council in Hebron. Council chairman Noam Arnon asked that the minister help prevent the settlers’ evacuation in order to ensure, as he put it, the security of Kiryat Arba residents making their way to the Cave of the Patriarchs.
'This is Jewish property'
Far-right activist Baruch Marzel said, “This is where the strength of the settlement enterprise is measured; give us the opportunity to maintain our hold on the holy city of Hebron.”
One of the female settlers occupying the house told the deputy prime minister, “We have been given a unique opportunity to settle the city where our fathers are buried.
“This is Jewish property not only according to law and the Torah, but also according to the Oslo agreement with (Yasser) Arafat, which determined that the area where the house is located is Jewish,” she said.
Following a closed meeting with the Jewish Council heads, Yishai headed to the Cave of the Patriarchs for mincha (afternoon prayer service).
Upon his return to Jerusalem the minister presented a document he received from the settlers, according to which the Israeli government decided in February 1980 to permit the establishment of a Jewish settlement in Hebron.
