IDF declares Hebron 'house of contention' a closed military zone

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"The area surrounding what has been dubbed the House of Contention, which the settlers are calling the House of Peace, was declared a closed military zone Tuesday. Border Police took control of the area Tuesday night and four Border Police companies were deployed in Hebron.

The IDF banned Jews from entering Palestinian neighborhoods in the area after settlers announced plans to march toward Palestinian villages to protest the evacuation, which was mandated by a recent High Court of Justice ruling that the house must be evacuated. Settlers said they expect the evacuation to take place within the next two days.

The army blames the settlers for instigating clashes with Palestinians, which led to the injury of 18 Israeli security personnel and settlers Tuesday, including a 15-year-old boy whose skull was fractured after he was hit in the head by a rock. Twenty Palestinians have been hurt in the clashes since Monday, the Palestinian Authority said.

Two Jewish youths were detained for questioning Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in throwing stones at Palestinians near the House of Contention. The extent of the violence recently exhibited by the settlers has been "nearly unprecedented" over the past few days and could spark Palestinian revenge attacks, IDF sources said. They called on educators in West Bank yeshivas and high schools to restrain their students, adding that most of the settlers involved in the fighting were young people from the territories.

Rabbis and principals are "turning a blind eye to their students' skipping school to go to Hebron, and some are even encouraging them," an IDF source said.

"We're sorry about the boy who was seriously wounded Tuesday," a military official added, "but the truth needs to be said: He is not a resident of Hebron and there was nothing for him to be doing there, in the heart of the riots. He should have stayed in school.

Palestinian residents of Hebron say youths congregate on top of the building and throw stones at passing Palestinians and even Red Crescent ambulances, have written hate graffiti such as "Death to the Arabs" and "Mohammed is a pig" on Muslim homes and mosques, and have vandalized Muslim gravestones. Such behavior has led IDF sources to view extreme right-wing activists as attempting to instigate a "religious war" with the Palestinians. The settlers have inflicted significant damage on Palestinian property, hurling stones at vehicles with Palestinian passengers in four nearby villages, puncturing car tires and breaking windows. They also destroyed some 70 olive trees in a village near Ramallah."

more

[Scurrilous]

1. Dozens of rightists cleared after seizing Hebron house

Security forces clear Jewish settlers from house that was sealed in 2006 following a High Court Order; rightists reenter another previously-evacuated house shortly thereafter; 20 youths held for questioning

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3632859,00.html

<snip>

"Another violent clash erupted in the West Bank city of Hebron Wednesday, as Central Control Unit officers cleared dozens of right-wing activist who had reentered the Shapira House, which had previously been evicted under a court order. Twenty youths were taken in for questioning.

Later settlers entered another previously-evacuated house in the city, and security personnel were attempting to clear them from there as well.

According to the settlers, the three-storey Shapira House was purchased by the Jewish settlement in Hebron. Following a High Court ruling, the structure was evacuated and sealed on May 7, 2006.

Extreme right-wing activist Itamar Ben-Gvir told Ynet "those who decided to evict the disputed house will be sorry."

Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter referred to the riots in Hebron and said, "Unfortunately adults shamelessly made sure to send out youths and even children to clash with police and soldiers."

He added, "The fact that children are allowed to be used as a barrier before police and soldiers should outrage us all."

[azurnoir]

2. A question

I f I remember isn't declaring a property a "closed military zone" the prelude to the transfer of that property in the hands of settlers, their are several steps in between of course including declaring it abandoned or something of that sort.

[Scurrilous]

3. The legal complexities of property transfer etc escape me...

...but I think declaring the area a "closed military zone" is intended to keep the riffraff settler youth out of the area come the anticipated evacuation of the house.

Once they clear the property they'll probably just leave it empty and the legal status will bounce around the courts for awhile. But if the settlers had a halfway decent case I doubt they'd be getting kicked out.

[azurnoir]

4. Thanks the whole process was described in an OP

here awhile back, I will have to keep looking for it