Supreme Court rejects Amona outline
Supreme Court rejects Amona outlinePolice Spokesperson's Unit

Security forces on Wednesday night evicted the residents of the last house in Amona which had yet to be evacuated.

Dozens of youths remain in the town's synagogue, and police are making preparations to evacuate them on Thursday morning.

Police said before midnight that dialogue was continuing with those in the synagogue "out of a desire for an agreed upon evacuation that will maintain the sanctity of the place. We hope that these efforts will bear fruit and all will end in peace."

Earlier on Wednesday evening, the Supreme Court struck down the draft plan agreed to by the residents of Amona and the government last month, which would have provided alternative housing for the residents who are being evacuated from their homes.

The court accepted the petition by the leftist organization Yesh Din, which argued that the plots of land which the State had set aside to construct alternative housing for the residents of Amona through the use of the absentee property law, was private Arab land.

MK Moti Yogev (Jewish Home) slammed the court's decision. "The Supreme Court, whose political composition is determined by Chief Justice Miriam Naor, outlawed a step which could have alleviated this injustice [of evacuating Amona residents]. Do not worry. We do not only pray 'Restore our judges as in times of old' (a Jewish prayer). We will act in every way to curb the dictatorship of the Supreme Court, the 'High Court of Injustice,' and to restore democracy to the State of Israel."

Education Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) said that "In light of the Supreme Court's decision, the government must approve the construction of a new town for the residents of Amona. That would be an appropriate Zionist response, and we must implement it as soon as possible."

The evacuation of Amona began Wednesday morning. 11 families were evicted from their homes. United Hatzalah stated that it treated 26 people for hypothermia and injuries in Amona. The police stated that at least 15 police officers were lightly injured, and that at least 15 protesters were arrested.

No construction had begun on the plots of land agreed upon by the residents and the government because of the Yesh Din petition, and the residents of Amona are left without housing.