IDF razes settler outpost, illegal Palestinian structures

Settlers rebuild illegal outpost near Kiryat Arba just hours after its demolition; 25 illegal structures in Palestinian village of Hirbet Tana also destroyed by army, Civil Administration

Ynet reporters|Published: 02.09.11 , 22:19

The illegal outpost Mitzpe Avichai near Kiryat Arba was demolished Wednesday for the eight time, but Jewish settlers rebuilt it just a few hours later.

"Each time they destroy it we expand it a little more," one of the settlers said.

IDF forces and Civil Administration inspectors arrived at the site at around 3 am and demolished three structures in which three settler families and two single settlers resided.

Mitzpe Avichai settlers after demolition (Photo: Reuters)

The West Bank outpost was built in memory of Avichai Levy, the 16-year-old Beit Hagai resident who was killed in a terror attack in July 2005 while waiting at a hitchhiking post. "We hope the outpost will be home to 10 families by summertime," one of the settlers said.

Also on Wednesday, Civil Administration inspectors and IDF forces razed 25 illegal structures in the Palestinian village of Hirbet Tana. There were no reports of clashes between the residents and soldiers. According to the villagers, some of the structures were destroyed without a demolition order.

The Civil Administration, which razed structures in the village for the fourth time in the past few years, said they were built without a permit in a restricted military zone.

In December Hirbet Tana's residents petitioned the High Court of Justice and asked that it issue an injunction to halt the demolition works. The petition was rejected.

Yair Altman and Elior Levy contributed to the report