Illegal Arab construction near Susya
Illegal Arab construction near SusyaRegavim

Shimi Eliel, Chair of the Regional Council of Kochav Yair-Tzur Yigal, decided to take the law into his own hands in the face of nearby illegal Palestinian construction that was not being dealt with by authorities.

According to Eliel, the unapproved work projects near the villages of Tzur Yigal and Tzufim, and the throwing of waste into the stream separating them, would cause flooding from the stream into the nearby villages, as happened in Bat Hefer several years ago.

Eliel says that, despite repeated petitions to the government, including the Minister of Defense and inspection authorities, he has yet to receive an answer.

This morning, Eliel arrived to the site of the illegal building to stop it himself. He confronted the Palestinian truck drivers on site and asked to see permits for their work on the site. The confrontation ended when the truck divers left.

The Regional Council blocked the entrance to the site with rocks to prevent further entry.

"For months now, somebody has been doing whatever he wants in this site, without giving an adequate explanation to the Council about the nature of the project involved," Eliel said. "After all the authorities to whom I turned didn't appear to know how to deal with the issue we decided to take personal responsibility to ensure the safety of the residents of Kochav Yair, Tzur Yigal and surrounding environs from the unexplained work projects."