Israel army officials have ordered the Commander of the IDF Hevron detachment, Col. Noam Tivon, not to speak to journalists and politicians. The new policy is a response to last week\'s meeting between Tivon, two journalists, and National Religious Party MKs in Hevron. During that session, Col. Tivon harshly criticized the police department\'s treatment of Hevron\'s Jewish residents. He also stated that the Hevron Protocol signed by the Netanyahu administration with the PA was a \'\"bad\" agreement, adding that the Jewish community lives under most difficult conditions that the majority of other citizens of Israel would not be able to endure. \"From our perspective, we are ready to reconquer the Abu Sneinah hilltops [the area from which Shalhevet Pass was shot to death two weeks ago],\" said Tivon. \"I am convinced that the Palestinians must pay the price for any terrorist attack they conduct.\"
The new policy governing Col. Tivon became apparent yesterday during Tourism Minister Rechavam Ze\'evi\'s visit to Hevron. Ze\'evi, himself a former senior member of the IDF, asked to speak to the commander to receive an update on the security situation, but was told that Tivon was not in the town. It was later learned that Tivon was in fact there at the time, but did not want to violate the orders forbidding him from talking to politicians and journalists.
The new policy governing Col. Tivon became apparent yesterday during Tourism Minister Rechavam Ze\'evi\'s visit to Hevron. Ze\'evi, himself a former senior member of the IDF, asked to speak to the commander to receive an update on the security situation, but was told that Tivon was not in the town. It was later learned that Tivon was in fact there at the time, but did not want to violate the orders forbidding him from talking to politicians and journalists.