Anti-Semitic anarchists and leftists, with tacit governmental and IDF support, are threatening the Jewish presence in Hevron, residents charge.
The army allowed anarchists to stage an illegal protest on the Sabbath, blocking a group of Jews who had coordinated permission and military escorts to visit Jewish sites in areas in Hevron that are under Israeli control. “The protest lasted for two hours, and most of the Jewish tour group gave up and left” by the time it was possible to proceed with the visit, said Hevron Jewish community spokesman Noam Arnon.
”Senior political, judicial and security officials are cooperating with hostile elements and granting them a free hand with the intention of harming interests of Jewish residents of Hevron and weakening their presence,” he charged.
“During a discussion on the Cave of the Patriarchs, one officer said that the judicial arm of the military does not supply the means to deal with anti-Semitic activities, and even foreigners who attack soldiers are released immediately and then return to the same hostile actions,” according to Arnon. “Another officer said that the IDF cannot identify the anarchists before they return to Palestinian Authority territory, but he did not give a clear answer on why they are not photographed."
A military legal officer said during another discussion that the Cave of the Patriarchs essentially is under Muslim control, the Hevron Jewish spokesman stated.
“The anarchists’ anti-Semitic and wild behavior gets worse, and they are active almost every Shabbat to stage noisy protests, accompanied by drums,” Arnon added. “The protests are illegal but staged right in front of the IDF [soldiers], who usually enforce the law only against Jewish demonstrators.
“Several days ago, 400 soldiers and police arrived at Mitzpeh Avichai and used violence to expel the residents, but they do not even try to prevent anarchists from entering Hevron, although the protests are illegal and [held] without permits."
Arnon explained that the anarchists’ protests are publicized on the Internet, giving military authorities thorough notice that could easily be used to prevent the anti-nationalists from entering the areas of Jewish neighborhoods.