Despite the Attorney General’s refusal to authorize the move, IDF Civil Administration officials served the residents of the Peace House in Hevron an eviction order Wednesday evening.
The officers reportedly affixed the order to the building and handed copies to some of the residents. The document, signed by Civil Administration chief Brig.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai, informs the residents that they must either prove their ownership of the house within 15 days or leave the premises.
MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima) has demanded that Defense Minister Amir Peretz be fired for taking action against the residents without waiting for a government debate on the subject. "Alternately, I call upon the Prime Minister to remove Peretz's authority to make any decision about Judea and Samaria," Schneller said. He added that Peretz's actions regarding the Peace House were politically motivated.
No Government Majority
A majority of government ministers oppose the eviction of the Jewish residents of Hevron's Peace House, an informal survey by the Maariv news agency has found. At least 10 ministers are expected not to support the move, should it come to a vote.
The ministers expected to oppose the eviction are Eli Yishai, Yitzchak Cohen, Meshulam Nahari and Ariel Atias, all from Shas; Roni Bar-On, Ze'ev Boim and Avi Dichter of Kadima; Avigdor Lieberman and Yitzchak Aharonovich of Yisrael Beiteinu, and Rafi Eitan (Pensioners). In addition, ministers Tzipi Livni and Yaakov Edri have said they think the Minister of Defense should not have the authority to make the decision.
Minister Yaakov Ben-Yizri (Pensioners) has said he would abstain in a vote, and Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann has not expressed himself publicly on the subject. Neither has Finance Minister Avraham Hirschson.
Givatayim ‘Settlers’ Show Support
A group of Jews from the central Israel town of Givatayim visited Peace House Wednesday. Chaim Cohen, spokesman for the “Givatayim Settlers,” as the group called itself, said Wednesday the group intends to demonstrate for Peretz's eviction from his own home in Sderot. “It is Peretz who lives atop the ruins of an Arab village – Najad – which had 719 residents before it was demolished in 1948,” Cohen said.
Meanwhile, the “Givatayim Settlers” say they are collecting beds, mattresses, gas stoves and refrigerators to bring into the Hevron house.