Deputy Jerusalem Mayor Dov Kalmanovich, city councilor Aryeh King and a member of their faction, Yehonatan Yosef, on Thursday arrived for a solidarity visit with the residents of the Netiv Ha'avot neighborhood of Gush Etzion who were evicted from their homes this week.
The three saw the ruins of the nine homes that were demolished, saw the temporary trailer area of the evacuees and concluded the visit on the land on which the permanent homes for those evicted are to be built. The tour was led by Udi Regons, a resident of Netiv Ha'avot whose home was demolished.
"We have to build now and do it quickly. I drew strength from the determination of the evacuees to increase construction in Judea and Samaria and in Jerusalem. Construction and settlement in Jerusalem and in the region will be our top priority and will be among the conditions that will be placed before the next Mayor of Jerusalem should he desire our support. The challenge facing us in light of the destruction of Netiv Ha’avot requires us to urgently build and renew the massive construction and expand Jerusalem on all sides," said Kalmanovich.
King added, "We came here as a gesture of support and solidarity with innocent people who were harmed by nothing but pure evil. We are encouraged by the fact that their spirit has not been broken. I am amazed by how easily Jewish homes are demolished versus the inaction of the authorities against the illegal construction of the Arabs on the lands of Jerusalem."