the destroyed Holy Ark
the destroyed Holy ArkYeshivat Homesh

IDF and Border Police forces were brought in to evacuate the students from the rebuilt Homesh yeshiva in Samaria Monday morning. The yeshiva was part of the Homesh community which was one of the four Jewish communities of Samaria which were destroyed as part of the 2005 Disengagement.

During the evacuation, Border Police forces acted violently, demolishing the Holy Ark in the yeshiva, destroying the tent built to shelter the students from the rain, and confiscating electrical equipment.

The yeshiva students say that this is the second evacuation in two weeks. According to them, during the evacuation that took place about a week ago, Border Police forces scattered sand using tractors on the personal equipment of the 40 yeshiva students and on the students' holy books.

Samaria Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan who was expelled from Sa-Nur himself, expressed shock at the incident and said: "This is an unusual incident, I want it to be investigated in depth. There have been many evictions in the past and unfortunately there will probably be more until the settlement is rebuilt, however there is no reason and no explanation for such photographs. I expect the issue to be investigated in depth."

The yeshiva said, "The yeshiva has been in the area for nearly 14 years and its motto says that 'there is no despairing,' neither from the commandment to settle the land nor from studying the Torah. We will continue to learn and teach in Homesh the love for the land and the Torah, for that is our mission. Today, when everyone knows that the disengagement was a disaster and the activity of the yeshiva receives broad public support, those who work to demolish the place, openly act against the interest and will of the people of Israel. And when it comes to the main point, we must not despair and we must continue to hold on to the land."