Yesterday\'s threat by the army to dismantle the Hevron protest site at Gross Square has passed, at least for now, and the protest continued today for its fifth day in a row. Dozens of residents are studying and talking there, at the foot of the Abu Sneineh hills, and many of them have slept there the past few nights. They demand that the army take over the hills from where sniper fire continues to threaten the lives of the residents in the Jewish neighborhood below.
Three-time Defense Minister Likud MK Moshe Arens, who visited the site today, made a good case for the Hevronites in an appearance later in the day on national television: \"They are in danger of their lives, and it is the job of the army to protect them. I don\'t see any way to do this other than to take control of certain areas from where the shooting originates... \'Conquest\' may be too strong a word, but certainly to take control... Seventy years ago, the Arabs slaughtered the Jews of Hevron because the British did not protect them. But today we have the Israel Defense Forces, and there is no reason why we should not do what is necessary to protect the Jews of Hevron.\"
Television commentator Alon Ben-David said that the army is not in favor of taking over the Abu Sneineh hills: \"It\'s easy to get in, but hard to get out, as we learned [in Lebanon],\" he said. But Hevron spokesman David Wilder said, \"This is not the information we have. We know that many army officers have recommended taking over Abu Sneineh. It is clear that if the army does not take over that area, the terrorists will keep firing. But at least if the army blows up the houses from which the shooting comes, then at least we\'ll see that they\'re doing something. After one round of mortar shells in Sderot, they considered that a major escalation and immediately entered Gaza - while here, after six months of firing, the army has done nothing except to shoot back.\"
Visitors to the Hevron protest encampment today included Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze\'evi, Herut MK Michael Kleiner, Yisrael Beiteinu MK Yuri Stern, and a Women in Green delegation. Photos of the Abu Sneineh hills and the Avraham Avinu neighborhood below them can be seen at.
Three-time Defense Minister Likud MK Moshe Arens, who visited the site today, made a good case for the Hevronites in an appearance later in the day on national television: \"They are in danger of their lives, and it is the job of the army to protect them. I don\'t see any way to do this other than to take control of certain areas from where the shooting originates... \'Conquest\' may be too strong a word, but certainly to take control... Seventy years ago, the Arabs slaughtered the Jews of Hevron because the British did not protect them. But today we have the Israel Defense Forces, and there is no reason why we should not do what is necessary to protect the Jews of Hevron.\"
Television commentator Alon Ben-David said that the army is not in favor of taking over the Abu Sneineh hills: \"It\'s easy to get in, but hard to get out, as we learned [in Lebanon],\" he said. But Hevron spokesman David Wilder said, \"This is not the information we have. We know that many army officers have recommended taking over Abu Sneineh. It is clear that if the army does not take over that area, the terrorists will keep firing. But at least if the army blows up the houses from which the shooting comes, then at least we\'ll see that they\'re doing something. After one round of mortar shells in Sderot, they considered that a major escalation and immediately entered Gaza - while here, after six months of firing, the army has done nothing except to shoot back.\"
Visitors to the Hevron protest encampment today included Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze\'evi, Herut MK Michael Kleiner, Yisrael Beiteinu MK Yuri Stern, and a Women in Green delegation. Photos of the Abu Sneineh hills and the Avraham Avinu neighborhood below them can be seen at