Road paved to Hayovel outpost
צילום: דודי ועקנין
Report: IDF places facility on private Palestinian land
Yesh Din human rights organization says Defense Ministry placing defensive technology means on Palestinian land between Eli settlement and Hayovel outpost. IDF: It's a security necessity
The Defense Ministry has placed defensive technology means on Palestinian land without issuing seizure orders and without giving the Palestinians the option to appeal the decision, the Yesh Din human rights organization said Tuesday night.
A road connecting between the settlement of Eli and the Hayovel outpost was breached in the second half of 2003. The road is about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) long.
About four months ago, the Defense Ministry began placing the facility on that part of the road, which according to the Civil Administration consists of private lands belonging to resident of a nearby Palestinian village.
About a month and a half ago, Yesh Din appealed the High Court of Justice, demanding that paving of the road be stopped. The court issues an interim order halting the road works. The paving was stopped, but the organization said the Defense Ministry was continuing placing the facility in the area.
Yesh Din Land Project Director Dror Etkes told Ynet, "This is one case in many in which the State blatantly violates the law which it is supposed to be enforcing. This is a road which had been breached on private lands, whose owners are residents of the village of Kriot. The road crosses orchards belonging to Palestinians, and the Defense Ministry is responsible for this."
The Israel Defense Forces said in response, "In light of a security need and as part of defending the residents of the community of Eli, it was decided to seize only a few several meters for the placement of technology means for defense purposes. The issue had been looked into and legally approved."
The army added that "the facility was placed on unprocessed land and they don't prevent the Palestinians from accessing their lands."
