Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, asked Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, to delay the eviction of settlers who occupied a Palestinian home in Hebron, in the southern part of the West bank.Israeli daily, Haaretz, reported that, after Barak ordered the army to remove the settlers from the Palestinian home, Netanyahu told him that he should instruct the army to delay the eviction.
Barak’s decision was made a week ago. The order was sent to the lawyer who represents the settlers, and states that the settlers must leave the property.
The settlers had until 3 p.m. Tuesday, local time, to be out of the property with the Israeli military stating that the eviction order was made is due to security considerations.
The property is question is located near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. The settlers claim that they purchased the property by legal means, but the owners, living in the first floor of the building, denied the claim and challenged it in court.
Guy Inbar, spokesperson of the so-called Israeli Civil Defense Administration in the West Bank, told the French Press Agency that such purchases must receive the approval of the Civil Defense Administration, adding that there has been no approval in this case.
David Wilder, spokesperson of the settlers in Hebron, slammed the decision and claimed that the eviction order was “politically motivated”.
Wilder claimed that the settlers “have documents that prove ownership of the property”, adding; “these people do not want Jews in Hebron, we intend to do everything we can to void this eviction order”.
There are more than 160,000 Palestinians who live under Palestinian Authority control in Hebron city. 600 settlers live in the city under full Israeli military and security control on 3% of the cities land.
Israel partially withdrew from Hebron in 1998. Its settlers, living in settlements and illegal outposts in the heart of the city, and around it, are responsible for various attacks and acts of provocation against Palestinians.
