Hours after the deadly attack near Hebron in which two IDF soldiers were killed, the Civil Administration’s enforcement unit began demolishing structures deemed illegal on the outskirts of the city Friday, near the scene of the attack.
The operation is being carried out at the direction of Minister in the Defense Ministry Bezalel Smotrich, who arrived at the site to oversee the demolitions.
According to a statement from the minister’s office, the operation involves the demolition of dozens of structures in the area and is being carried out in coordination with the IDF and the Civil Administration. Smotrich described the move as part of the response to the attack and an effort to strengthen deterrence.
“As part of establishing deterrence and exacting a price for the serious clash, we are now carrying out a series of demolitions of illegal structures here, in coordination with the military and the Civil Administration," he said during his visit.
“We are already here with the heavy equipment on the ground, sending an unequivocal message to our enemies: Anyone who messes with us will pay a very heavy price."
Alongside the demolition operation, Smotrich announced that four additional farms in the southern Hebron Hills had been approved Friday.
“We are continuing to do good, but also to remove evil," he said.
According to the minister, the demolitions are expected to continue until Shabbat begins. “By Shabbat, we will have taken down quite a few structures here, and it will be clear that terrorism targeting Israeli civilians comes at a very heavy price. This is just the beginning."
Smotrich added that he had reached an agreement with the prime minister and defense minister to map the area and other locations throughout Judea and Samaria, with the aim of concentrating efforts and expanding the operation.
“We also agreed here with the prime minister and defense minister to map this area and many others, concentrate our efforts, exact a price and establish deterrence. Jewish blood is not hefker," he said.
At the end of his remarks, Smotrich thanked the head of Central Command, the deputy head of the Civil Administration for civilian affairs, the Civil Administration’s infrastructure division and members of the enforcement unit, who, he said, had been called away from their homes on Friday to carry out the demolitions.