Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Jewish Home) spoke about the demolition of Amona on Saturday evening on the Israeli TV show "Meet the Newspapers."
"I know Amona's residents, they will not hurt the security forces. We're talking about people who love this land. They won't hurt security forces, but we have to make sure no one else comes, because outsiders may not be as peaceful," Shaked said.
"It is absolutely forbidden to raise a hand against soldiers or policemen. I hope this expulsion will be passive and nonviolent," she said. "The demolition of a town in Israel is not an everyday occurrence. It's a very painful and difficult event, and a democratic country must accept all forms of passive protest."
"I'm in touch with Amona's residents, and I can promise you we're talking about responsible and serious people. They're trying to control the event as much as possible."
She also spoke about the government's proffered solution, saying, "We're talking about a decision of the Israeli Supreme Court. We've turned over every stone possible in order to leave Amona on its mountain. Right now we can move 12 families there, 12 caravans, and in the future we can expand. There's no absolute certainty in this solution, and Amona's residents have chosen not to leave of their own free will, and I respect that.
"Amona is a kind of silver platter which has legalized all of the settlements. No one did this before. Until a year and a half ago, the government did not respond properly to the Supreme Court. That's over now," she explained.
Regarding the claims Nissan Slomiansky sexually harassed women, Shaked emphasized the issue was extremely serious.
"Slomiansky is still innocent until proven guilty. We need to let the police conduct their investigations, under scrutiny of the Attorney General. If the women in question choose not to cooperate with the police, there are other ways, such as the Takana Forum, to verify the issue. We need to know the facts before we decide the law. There is no place in our party for harassment. If the rumors prove true, we'll make a decision," she concluded.