The buyer of Beit HaShalom in Hevron, Morris Abraham of New York, arrived in Israel on Wednesday to visit his property and take part in the struggle to keep it from being emptied of Jews. He also visited Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef in Jerusalem on Thursday morning. The former Chief Rabbi of Israel and the current spiritual leader of the Shas Party blessed and encouraged Abraham.
Shas MK Nissim Ze’ev, who has moved into Beit HaShalom and has set up an office there, and Shas leader Industry Minister Eli Yishai accompanied Abraham on his visit.
Yishai reiterated his “puzzlement” at the recent Supreme Court ruling ordering the Jews out and allowing the State to evict them by force. “It is very strange that the Court would expel people from their home with no judicial hearing on the purchase itself,” Yishai said. The Court ruled only that because of doubts raised as to the validity of the purchase – the seller later reneged, because of Palestinian Authority threats on his life – the Jews must leave until the matter is decided by a lower court.
“The ruling does not jibe with healthy logic,” Minister Yishai said, “especially when the purchase is documented.” The purchasers have presented written, audio and video proof of their acquisition.
Mr. Abraham said, “I have no intention of giving up this house. I am here, and I am staying here. No one will take me out of my house. This is the Land of Israel.” He said that if the government succeeds in forcing the Jews out of the building, “this will be a terrible injustice and outright robbery. The purchase was absolute, and everything is recorded. The government must carefully consider and make sure not to do something that is liable to lead to grave consequences.”
Abraham said he would sue the Israeli government if the Jews are evicted.