A number of Israeli writers and intellectuals associated with the far-left have signed a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, calling on his government to halt the demolition of illegal buildings in the Bedouin settlement of Umm al-Hiran in the Negev.
The letter comes two months after an Umm al-Hiran resident ran over a police officer, killing him. The terrorist was then shot by other officers at the scene.
Leftists and Bedouins deny the event was a terror attack, but video footage shows the driver deliberately speeding up as he neared the police officer.
In their letter, the leftists wrote:
Following the difficult events which occurred after 18 Umm al-Hiran homes were destroyed in January, Israeli authorities warned additional homes in the town would be destroyed.
We insist the destruction of the homes in Umm al-Hiran be stopped immediately, and that the plans to destroy the village and evacuate its residents be canceled. We insist the plans be changed to a plan which describes the new "Hiran" village and allows the homes to remain as they are.
The Negev is large and there is enough room in it for everyone. There is no reason to destroy a Bedouin village and build in its place a village in which only Jews will live. Hiran and Umm al-Hiran can live together, one beside the other.
After the events of the past month and a half, in which two people were killed and dozens of citizens were left without a home, we insist the government stop and rethink its plans.
We demand Umm al-Hiran be legalized in its current place, and a new town called Hiran be planned beside it. There is no other just solution!
Among the signatories on the letter are A.B. Yehoshua, Amos Oz, Nir Baram, Joshua Sobol, Agi Mishol, Mossi Raz, Eli Amir, Yehoshua Frankel, Tzali Reshef, Ronit Matalon and others.
Interestingly, even though Judea and Samaria are also "large enough for everyone," the same leftists supported destroying Amona and other Jewish towns and homes - whether they were built legally or illegally.