Israeli security forces began evacuating an outpost near the community of Penny Kedem in eastern Gush Etzion on Tuesday morning. As part of the demolition, a closed military zone order was imposed on the entire sector, including the access road to the community. Residents on their way to work were blocked by the police for an extended period of time and allowed to continue driving only after extensive questioning.
The destruction is concentrated in settlement points adjacent to the settlement of Penny Kedem. So far, six homes have been reportedly demolished, including one where a family lives.
Evacuation of the settlers on the hill // Archive | without
After about two hours of roadblocking, MK Simcha Rotman, a resident of Penny Kedem, passed by and spoke with the policemen who agreed to allow the residents to pass on the road.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also serves as a minister in the Defense Ministry, ordered that the demolition not be carried out, but the OC decided to define the attack as an event with immediate security urgency, bypassing Smetrich's authority in order to obtain the Defense Minister's approval.
Minister Smotrich's circle said: "Those around the minister are puzzled by the fact that the OC did not have an urgency to evacuate the illegal Bedouin construction that was illegal in that place in recent years,
nor is he acting to stop the Arab construction that is raging throughout eastern Gush Etzion and in general throughout Judea and Samaria. It is unfortunate that on such a difficult morning, and on days when the IDF is busy with war, the OC, with the approval of the defense minister, diverts forces to enforce against settlers."
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