Edelstein in Amona
Edelstein in AmonaEliran Aharon

Knesset Chairman Yuli Edelstein (Likud) toured Amona on Wednesday afternoon.

Amona, a town in the Binyamin region, is slated for destruction in December, after the Supreme Court ruled it illegal.

Edelstein called on all players in the matter to see Amona for themselves, "It is important for all decision-makers to come to Amona and see the place. Unfortunately, I'm not sure that everyone knows that we're talking about a town of twenty years, or that we're discussing not-so-small investments on the part of the state [to destroy it], therefore the first and basic step before we vote on the matter...is to come and to see and to sit sit down with the residents."

According to him, decision-makers don't understand the need of settling the matter of Amona: "I don't want to add complacency, but I am very hopeful that they will find solutions. In praise of the residents, I must say that the solutions that they recommended at the beginning were rejected by every one of them, and now more and more leaders, judges, and responsible officials understand that there is justice in their claim, and understand that we must set it right.

"As long as the basic premise is destruction, nothing good will come out of it, not for Jews and not for Arabs. In contrast, fixing the matter would create good, so I really, really hope that we will find a way to settle the matter without conflict, and without the excessive and graphic pictures we saw ten years ago [in the Gaza evacuation]. I hope to return here...for housewarmings, and tree plantings," added the Knesset Chairman.

Edelstein is certain that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is working to save Amona.

"Internal wars between us don't do anyone good. I discussed the matter with the Prime Minister, and I am supportive and certain that there are no solutions which he knows of which he hasn't tried.

"The Prime Minister also knows that no one wants to see the forceful destruction of towns, nor disputes in Israeli society. There is more than enough of that, and it is better to work to bring hearts together, rather than to deepen the rifts."