Tekoa Dalet demolition
Tekoa Dalet demolitionShilo Kinarti

Two days have passed and the Tekoa community is still shocked and outraged over the destruction of two buildings in the Tekoa Dalet neighborhood of the Gush Etzion town. 

Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon ordered the demolition of two buildings, deemed illegal, in the town on Monday night. 

According to David Harel, a resident of Tekoa Dalet, the land had not been used in the past and was awaiting approval to be considered within the demarcations of the Blue Line. 

"We are promoting the process of legality for the area," Harel explained to Arutz Sheva. "Part of the land is state land and part of it is waiting to be covered within the Blue Line. The two houses destroyed were waiting to be considered as within the Blue Line."

"Unfortunately," Harel added, "the Defense Minister's decision lacked logic and caused destruction."

Harel described the two and half years work went into building the houses, lamenting that their inhabitants now have no place to live. One of the houses belonged to a single man, while the other was shared by a couple about to be married. 

"It's unclear how these lands can be regarded as private land," Harel stressed. He is backed up aerial photographs provided by the Gush Etzion Regional Council proving that the area in which the houses were built was not private, rather barren, rocky soil. 

Harel claimed the houses had been destroyed, despite no petition having been filed against them.

In any case, the residents of Tekoa Dalet promise they are not deterred. "It's very sad and very difficult, but we are not discouraged. We invite the Defense Minister to come here and see things up close."