The Beit El buildings
The Beit El buildingsAryeh Minkov

Hundreds of people joined a large crowd in Beit El Sunday afternoon to recite afternoon prayers near two buildings the High Court ordered torn down Sunday. The worshipers prayed that the demolition of the homes be halted. Dozens of prominent rabbis and members of communities in Judea and Samaria participated in the event.

MK Yinon Magal (Jewish Home) participated in the event as well. Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Magal said that prayers indeed helped. “Each time there is an edict, we pray and the population gets larger. I am sure that the same thing will happen here,” he said.

We will do everything we can to prevent these demolitions,” he added. “In addition, we will make sure there are many more homes for Jews built here.”

Speaking at the event, Rabbi Shabtai Sabato of Beit El said that the crowd had gathered “to raise our voices against the evils of the justice system and the High Court judges, which has been going on for dozens of years. An important principle of the justice system is 'not to play favorites,' but here we see how residents of Judea and Samaria are discriminated against openly, while it is the Palestinians who are favored. It is time to lay the truth out for all to see, that there is severe discrimination against Jews in all matters regarding land in Judea and Samaria.”

As usual, the orders for demolition were ordered by the High Court after Arabs made claims that the land upon which construction was taking place belonged to them, despite the fact that they could produce no corroborating evidence. The policy of the High Court has been to accept these arguments prima facie, ordering the demolition of any structures built by Jews, until the legal status of the land has been adjudicated.

Commenting on the decision affirmed by the court several months ago, Deputy High Court President Judge Elyakim Rubinstein said that "at the end of the day, one who builds on private land builds at his own risk and takes on the risk, something which is preventable in advance and very unfortunate. It's a shame for the (need for) litigation, for the political tone encapsulated in the issue due to the circumstances we live in, and for the result that could have been prevented.”

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, Chief Rabbi of Beit El, said that the purpose of the rally was “not to involve ourselves in the legal nonsense issued by the High Court, but to affirm that this land is ours.” Rabbi Shai Alon of the town added that “the court continues to rule opposite logic. We are here and we will remain here.”