Arutz-7 reported yesterday that a senior IDF Central Command officer told visiting MKs of the National Religious Party that the Israel Police stationed in Hevron do not deal with Hevron\'s Jewish community in a \'fair\' manner. He also stated that the Hevron Protocol signed by the Netanyahu administration with the PA was a \'bad\' agreement, and added that the Jewish community lives under most difficult conditions that the majority of other citizens of Israel would not be able to endure. Today, it was learned that the IDF figure referred to is none other than the commander of the Hevron region, Col. Noam Tivon.
Additional details have also surfaced of the meeting between Tivon and the NRP MKs, courtesy of Y-Net. \"From our perspective, we are ready to reconquer the Abu Sneinah hilltops [the area from which Shalhevet Pass was shot to death last week],\" said Tivon. \"I am convinced that the Palestinians must pay the price for any terrorist attack they conduct.\" In response to MK Zevulun Orlev\'s question as to why the army does not bomb PLO weapons facilities, Tivon answered: \"There is no approval to do so, since the State of Israel has not yet declared the PA an enemy.\" Col. Tivon offered a similar answer when asked why the IDF was responding to shooting from Abu Sneinah with tank fire, instead of conquering the hilltop.
Interviewed today on Army Radio, Col. Tivon toned down his statements regarding Abu Sneinah. \"I was not making a political statement. The government makes those kinds of decisions. All I meant was that the army is prepared for the various scenarios that may develop...\" Pressed for his personal view as to whether Abu Sneinah should be re-taken, Tivon said: \"I have conveyed my views to the relevant parties. The radio is not the proper forum for discussing defense strategies.\" Col. Tivon\'s critique of police abuse of Hevron residents today prompted Public Security Minister Uzi Landau to commit to a \"thorough examination of the charges.\"
Additional details have also surfaced of the meeting between Tivon and the NRP MKs, courtesy of Y-Net. \"From our perspective, we are ready to reconquer the Abu Sneinah hilltops [the area from which Shalhevet Pass was shot to death last week],\" said Tivon. \"I am convinced that the Palestinians must pay the price for any terrorist attack they conduct.\" In response to MK Zevulun Orlev\'s question as to why the army does not bomb PLO weapons facilities, Tivon answered: \"There is no approval to do so, since the State of Israel has not yet declared the PA an enemy.\" Col. Tivon offered a similar answer when asked why the IDF was responding to shooting from Abu Sneinah with tank fire, instead of conquering the hilltop.
Interviewed today on Army Radio, Col. Tivon toned down his statements regarding Abu Sneinah. \"I was not making a political statement. The government makes those kinds of decisions. All I meant was that the army is prepared for the various scenarios that may develop...\" Pressed for his personal view as to whether Abu Sneinah should be re-taken, Tivon said: \"I have conveyed my views to the relevant parties. The radio is not the proper forum for discussing defense strategies.\" Col. Tivon\'s critique of police abuse of Hevron residents today prompted Public Security Minister Uzi Landau to commit to a \"thorough examination of the charges.\"