The IDF has stated its position that a long-term Jewish presence on an army base next to the Beit Hadassah community in Hevron is that it is positive and beneficial.


Jews have been living on the base for 16 years, and a statement by military officials on

The community's presence satisfies the needs of the IDF.

Wednesday said that the community's presence satisfies the needs of the IDF. The statement came following a Peace Now complaint against civilian residency on the base.


As for another Peace Now complaint filed against the Jewish community in Hevron, regarding residency in what has been dubbed "Peace House" in Hevron, the IDF has not yet stated its position. The property, located on Worshipers Path connecting Hevron and Kiryat Arba, was purchased from its former Arab owner via a Jordanian businessman. Its upper floor, with its open view of the surrounding area, has been used by the IDF as a lookout post.


12 IDF soldiers and civilians were killed by Palestinian Authority terrorists on Worshiper's Path in 2002. A Jewish presence in the area, Hevron residents note, would add to security along the pedestrian route.


More than 200 Jews, mostly yeshiva students from the Hevron area, moved into the building several days ago. A picture of the building can be seen here.


Peace Now argued that even if the purchase of Peace House was legal, Jews are not allowed to live anywhere in Judea and Samaria without permission from the Defense Ministry. Government officials have yet to make known their position on the purchase and residency.


According to B'tzelem, the legality of the purchase by Jewish owners is irrelevant.



Similarly, a spokeswoman for B'Tzelem, self-described as a human rights organization, said, "Our opposition in principle is that these settlements should be evacuated anyway..." B'Tzelem feels that the legality of the purchase by Jewish owners is irrelevant and "the IDF has the obligation to make sure that settlers don't take over more areas."


Meretz-Yahad MK Chaim Oron agrees that the legal rights of Jews are not important in this case, and that the state must "throw them out of there fast."


The head of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron (TIPH), Karl-Henrik Sjursen, said that the presence of Jews in another dwelling in Hevron may be seen by the Arabs as "an unnecessary provocation."
 
Click here to listen to IsraelNationalRadio's Alex Traiman interview Hebron community spokesman David Wilder on the purchase of the Peace House.