Minister of Defense Ehud Barak said in a cabinet meeting on Sunday that the judicial system is too lenient with lawbreakers from Judea and Samaria. He therefore recommends harsher penalties as a means of deterrence.
“We must increase the penalties for lawbreakers in Judea and Samaria. The breaking of the peace in Judea and Samaria is the attempt of a small radical group to shake the foundations of the State,” the Defense Minister said. “The top interest of a country that desires life is preserving its law and order towards its citizens. We must act together with the police, the army, the prosecution system, and the justice system in this effect.”
Barak boasted about the government’s response to the most recent events to the cabinet members discussing law enforcement in Judea and Samaria. In particular, Barak pinpointed the events revolving around the Peace House eviction. He felt that the IDF must act more strictly against lawbreakers, and recommended that the IDF should precisely document lawbreakers and present the evidence to the police.
According to the Defense Minister, the IDF and the security forces are being too lenient against dismantling expanding neighborhoods in Judea and Samaria. Barak noted that in the last two years, no new neighborhoods were built in Judea and Samaria, while three neighborhoods were dismantled. He mentioned the IDF requests that attempts to set up new neighborhoods be stopped. For example, the Samaria town of Shvut Ami, east of Netanya, was dismantled twenty times. Since the beginning of 2008, he said, ninety illegal structures built by Jews or Arabs have been dismantled.
The Defense Minister stated that the government’s eviction of residents from Hevron’s Peace House broadcasts a clear message that the State will not tolerate law-breakers. “We know that this is not the end of the phenomenon, but this is a good example that points out that determination and force, combined with strict planning and excellent implementation, attain the appropriate results.”
Barak evacuated the Peace House two weeks ago. The Hevron community claims it bought the Peace House for $700,000 and also claims to have extensive evidence, including a video tape, documenting the sale. The property dispute is currently in court.
Barak to Reimburse Arabs for Property Damage
Barak unfortunately is overreacting to uphold the law when it comes to the settlers, and not the other way around.
Barak told the cabinet members that he has instructed the defense establishment to send appraisers to Hevron, along with a legal committee, to examine the possibility of reimbursing Arab residents whose property was damaged during Jewish riots. The Defense Minister noted that during the months of harvesting olives, a number of IDF divisions were employed to stop Arab farmers from being threatened. This allowed for the largest yield of olives in the last few years, while police dispatched in the area were able to arrest rioters with efficiency.
In the discussion, Barak stated that the security system has been undergoing a process to implement administrative detention to prevent violence. The Defense Minister also stated that he plans to implement house arrests, prevent Jewish instigators from entering Judea and Samaria, remove IDF-issued armaments, confiscate property, and limit their mobility and contacts with others in Israel.
Yesha Council: “Barak is Overreacting”
“We are certain that – out of consideration for the upcoming elections – Barak unfortunately is overreacting to uphold the law when it comes to the settlers, and not the other way around,” stated Yesha Council spokesman Yishai Hollander. Furthermore, Hollander feels that it is important to differentiate between the non-violent actions of the Peace House residents and those from the outside who caused the disturbances. “Throwing stones is something forbidden, which additionally delegitimizes the cause of the settlers’ movement,” Hollander said, adding that the nationalists’ struggle should have “a wide common denominator with clear boundaries and appropriate leadership.”
Jewish Homes Demolished while Arab Homes Remain
In reaction to the Defense Minister’s statements, David Wilder, spokesman for the Jewish Residents of Hebron stated, “It is unfortunate that Barak hasn’t seen fit to order the arrest of an Arab who nearly killed a 16-year-old Israeli boy with a rock to his head. It is unfortunate that Barak hasn’t ordered the army to confiscate the illegal weapons that Arabs possess in Hevron.”
Wilder also noted that while Barak has ordered the legalization of 60,000 illegal Bedouin buildings in the Negev, he has concurrently ordered the demolition of Jewish homes. “I suspect that very soon Barak will have a restraining order from entering the Knesset, which will be ordered by his own party as a result of the dismal results from his own party in the upcoming elections,” Wilder added.