The Supreme Court ruled last night that construction work on the new walkway between Kiryat Arba and Hevron must be put off "until a final ruling is made on the matter." Arutz-7's Effie Meir reports that four years ago, then-Infrastructures Minister Ariel Sharon prepared a plan for Jewish contiguity between the two cities, including 1,000 housing units for Jews. The plan was essentially shelved - until the ambush massacre of 12 Israeli fighters along that very route almost four weeks ago. Sharon again began to speak publicly about the need for a Jewish presence there, several Jewish families moved in, three Arab buildings were razed, and the army asked for permits to demolish 15 more Arab-owned structures - most of which are abandoned - along the route to the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hevron.
At that point, Meretz MK Mossi Raz and Hevron Mayor Mustafa Natche turned to the Supreme Court for help, and it in fact ordered the works stopped until further notice. Noam Arnon, spokesman for the Hevron Jewish Community, told Arutz-7 today, "We have no interest in razing buildings for no reason, but rather only according to security and defense needs. It's the army that says they should be taken down, not us... The hundreds of thousands of people who come to visit the Machpelah Cave in Hevron deserve this protection... Taking down these buildings is also an answer to terrorism. The terrorists should know that their murderous actions will result in 'unpleasant' consequences."
National Union party leader MK Avigdor Lieberman said that the court decision means the abandonment of Jewish lives in Hevron, and that the judges are detached from reality. Tourism Minister Yitzchak Levy (NRP) called it an "unreasonable ruling."
At that point, Meretz MK Mossi Raz and Hevron Mayor Mustafa Natche turned to the Supreme Court for help, and it in fact ordered the works stopped until further notice. Noam Arnon, spokesman for the Hevron Jewish Community, told Arutz-7 today, "We have no interest in razing buildings for no reason, but rather only according to security and defense needs. It's the army that says they should be taken down, not us... The hundreds of thousands of people who come to visit the Machpelah Cave in Hevron deserve this protection... Taking down these buildings is also an answer to terrorism. The terrorists should know that their murderous actions will result in 'unpleasant' consequences."
National Union party leader MK Avigdor Lieberman said that the court decision means the abandonment of Jewish lives in Hevron, and that the judges are detached from reality. Tourism Minister Yitzchak Levy (NRP) called it an "unreasonable ruling."