For the first time, Civil Administration inspectors enforcing the government-imposed construction freeze did not merely issue orders against building starts, but rather destroyed the foundations of one such "infraction." It occurred in the Shomron (Samaria) community of Revavah.
The ten-month freeze on Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria was called three months ago, under heavy American pressure. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and other government ministers have said that it would not last longer than ten months, but other officials have raised doubts as to whether Israel would actually be able to bring itself to buck international pressure and resume Jewish construction in these areas.
The inspectors arrived in Revavah in the middle of the night, “sneaking in the back way,” according to the residents. “They did not announce their arrival, but rather came through the fields,” residents said. “They could have been suspected of being terrorists, and there could even have been shots fired back and forth.”
Revavah spokesperson Naama Vachnish said, “Their behavior was cowardly and shameful. They chose to act on lots that have building permits, in an anti-Zionist manner. Despite this, however, Revavah will continue to build and develop with even more force.”
Dagan: Netanyahu's Fault
Yossi Dagan of the Shomron Residents Committee placed the blame on Netanyahu: “This is another step towards his new position on the political left. We do not accept his cowardly hiding behind Defense Minister Ehud Barak; destruction of this nature does not happen without the Prime Minister’s knowledge.”
The Knesset Land of Israel Forum, too, opposes the incident. Headed by Chairmen MKs Aryeh Eldad and Ze’ev Elkin, the forum protested against the destruction, and added that it was ill-timed in taking place only a week after a terrorist murdered an IDF soldier at nearby Tapuach Junction.