The Israeli Supreme Court granted a petition by Arabs and the leftist organization 'Yesh Din' and ruled that the 'Ein Anar' complex in western Binyamin must be demolished.
The site, a tourist attraction with pools and ancient ruins around 2,000 years old, was renovated and maintained by local Israelis in the last decade. The judges noted that the pools were built with the assistance of the Binyamin Regional Council and its funds, necessitating the demolition.
The location contains seven springs and seating areas, attracting many visitors. It was developed in 2014 by the youth of the town of Neria in memory of the three teenagers who were kidnapped and murdered by terrorists. Additional memorial sites for fallen soldiers were established last year.
The head of the Binyamin Regional Council and the chairman of the Yesha Council, Israel Ganz, criticized the court's decision, stating: "The verdict wrongs all residents of the area, leaving only destruction. The judges have sided with extremist activists aiming to destroy Jewish settlements, 2,000-year-old antiquities, and natural sites in Judea and Samaria."
"Amidst the war, we continually face entities trying to harm and weaken us, seeking to expel us in various ways. Against all odds, we continue and will continue with love to live here, grow roots, and develop our ancestral land in the heart of Binyamin," Ganz concluded.