Security forces resumed early Monday morning the eviction and demolition of three homes in the community of Migron in Binyamin, previously slated for demolition which had been stopped when the issue of the entire community came before the Supreme Court.
The eviction resumed after having been stopped earlier when Supreme Court Justice Neil Handel issued a temporary injunction prohibiting the demolition of the three homes. The petition was submitted by the Binyamin Residents Council and the Regavim movement. The injunction was presented to the IDF commander in the area, but a short time later the forces were instructed to go ahead with the demolition after the prosecution announced in an unprecedented move that it would petition the injunction.
Rightist groups have reportedly called on the public to come to Migron and help stop the demolition.
Yassam forces arrived already late Sunday night at Migron and began surrounding the three homes that had been slated for demolition.
Local residents told Arutz Sheva that police officers were violently distancing anyone who tried to come near the homes. The families living in the three homes were reportedly being forcefully removed from them.
The Honenu legal aid association reported that at least seven people had been detained in clashes that broke out in the area during the attempted demolition. According to the report, the detainees include five teenage girls, a resident of Samaria, and a resident of the Binyamin region in his thirties.
It was also reported that security forces were blocking Highway 60 between Jerusalem and the Tapuach junction. IDF and police also closed the road to the media, including an Arutz Sheva team that was making its way to the area.
MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) blamed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the Migron evacuation and said, “It is fitting for Bibi to try and distract public opinion from the public protest against him by beating settlers. Netanyahu has too many advisors who tell him to use the ‘strike the settlers and save yourself’ method just to avoid further criticism about the public protest against him.”
The head of the Binyamin Citizens’ Committee, Itzik Shadmi, also criticized Netanyahu over the destruction of the homes.
“Even if Bibi continues to hide behind the back of the defense minister, he cannot evade responsibility for the destruction of homes of families in Migron,” Shadmi said. “We are informing Netanyahu that if he does not stop these immoral acts he will lose his natural supporters and next time there will really be a million people in the streets.”
Last month, the High Court told the government to destroy the community, home to 47 families, by next March.
Migron has been a constant target for Peace Now, which has claimed that Jewish homes there are located on property belonging to PA Arabs.