Public security minister: Settlers won't forcibly evict East Jerusalem Palestinians
On eve of Netanyahu visit to Washington, Yitzhak Aharonovitch persuades rightist MKs not to forcibly evict four Palestinian families from building in Silwan.
By Jonathan Lis Tags: Israel news East Jerusalem Palestinians KnessetPublic Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch has persuaded rightist Knesset members not to forcefully evict Palestinians from a building in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan.
Last week, MK Uri Ariel (National Union) declared from the Knesset podium that settlers would hire private security firms to evict four Palestinian families, consisting of 40 persons, from the building - a former Yemenite synagogue from the pre-state era that is located in the heart of Silwan, close to the controversial Beit Yonatan residence and Beit Hadvash.
They said the eviction would be carried out by July 4 if the Palestinians did not voluntarily leave the building.
Aharonovitch toured Silwan on Thursday with Jerusalem District Police Commander Aharon Franco, in the wake of recent violent clashes in the neighborhood.
Aharonovitch and Franco were concerned that heavy clashes would break out if the MKs carried out their threat to evict the Palestinian families from the building by force.
The building was built in the 19th century for the small Yemenite community in Silwan. For the past 50 years, the Abu Nab family, who claims ownership of the building, has been living there.
 |
The home, left, where the Abu Nab family has been living in Silwan. |
| Photo by: Tomer Appelbaum |
"It's time to stop stirring up and inflaming the atmosphere in the area," Aharonovitch said. "Law enforcement cannot be turned into a political game."
The Jerusalem municipality recently approved preliminary plans to demolish 22 Palestinian homes in Silwan as part of an initiative to build a recreational area there.
The U.S. State Department criticized the decision, calling it the kind of step that undermines the trust fundamental to progress in the proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is traveling to Washington this week and will meet with U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday. Obama is expected to press Netanyahu to take steps to advance the peace process with the Palestinians.
Why Facebook Connect?
Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.
- Latest
- Most Viewed
- Most Rated
- Open all
I must say it's a nice diplomatic step taken by government in current hot and humid situation. Eviction is a legal process which we are in right to carry out but considering the families condition, it's a humane decision.
Anyone care to join?
I would love to see you try Hussein
Since when can an individual call in a private security firm to carry out something that the forces of order are forbidden to do? What kind of governance is this? Do we need a government at all? This is the law of the jungle. Stop persuading and start ordering Mr. Aharonovitch. Mr Aharonovitch should now remove the settlers from Beit Yehonatan and Beit HaDvash and restore peace to Silwan. Then he should give the evicted Arab families in Sheikh Jarrah their homes back, minus, of course, the settlers with homes of their own to go back to who are now squatting them. Time to stop this transgression of Jewish law, which just happens to be pretty similar to laws of common decency elsewhere. Time for this government to bring peace to Jerusalem and to our country.
As the court already ruled..
As the court already ruled..
then four famililies at least must be evicted from the infamous Beit Yonatan, built on fully legal Palestinian land...
One floor for the Palestinian Arabs and one floor for the Jews.
Bit of sanity being injected here.
merely hypocritical kowtowing to Bibi, to show that Lieberman's gang is better than the Shas gang...