Civil Administration bulldozers demolished the memorial tent of grieving parents on Thursday afternoon, claiming that the tent was built "illegally" in the Samaria community of Tapuah.
The tent, dubbed "Avraham's Tent," was set up by bereaved father Avraham Herzlich - the father of Talia Kahane, who was murdered along with her husband 13 years ago - in order to stay close to his six orphaned grandchildren.
David HaIvri, Herzlich's son in-law, says that he and his wife pleaded with the commander at the site not to demolish the tent, and that he would move it, but "it did not help, and the bulldozers completely destroyed the tent, and caused extensive damage and economic loss."
The acting head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, called on senior officials and the Civil Administration to prevent the destruction.
"The hypocrisy and blatant discrimination against the settlers in Judea and Samaria are cries up to high heaven," said Dagan.
"The fact that the Prime Minister signed the demolition policy, which is racist and discriminatory against Jews in Judea and Samaria [...] speaks volumes."
"It's amazing to see the rigidity in the Civil Administration and the Ministry of Defense in front of the 75-year-old bereaved father who only wanted to tell the story of his daughter and son-in-law, who were brutally murdered," he added.
It is important to note that the Civil Administration had intended to destroy the tent with all the equipment inside, and it was only after the intervention of the Samaria Regional Council and after residents arrived when they allowed the removal of the furniture inside the tent before the demolition.
The Civil Administration arrested one man from Kfar Tapuah during the incident and another minor; an attorney from legal rights group Honenu is advocating for their release.
"Today, 30.04, security forces carried out the demolition of six buildings illegally constructed without a permit in west Tapuah," the Civil Administration said to Arutz Sheva. "The buildings were destroyed after completion of the process of enforcement and after we issued a demolition order."
"We note that Civil Administration officials have held talks with the council to move the buildings themselves, which was not done," it added. "However, the buildings were demolished following the usual protocols."
HaIvri told Arutz Sheva later Friday, however, that no such provision had been made by the Civil Administration.
"I am not aware of any suggestion of the Civil Administration to the municipality for alternative location for our tent," he said.