Settlers to protest to High Court over Amona evacuation
Residents say they purchased many of the lots in the outpost, that is scheduled to be evacuated on July 15.
By TOVAH LAZAROFFAmona 2006 clashes 370(photo credit: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun)
Amona outpost residents are expected to file to the High Court of Justice on Monday their argument against the evacuation of the West Bank hilltop community set for July 15.The court decision in April to evacuate the outpost next week, came in response to a 2008 Yesh Din petition on behalf of 10 Palestinians who claim ownership on the land, located in the Binyamin region of the West Bank, next to the Ofra settlement.But Amona residents have argued that they have purchased many of the lots on which their homes are located.Late Thursday night, the state asked the court to modify its ruling to demolish the outpost.It asked the court instead, for permission to remove only those homes against which there are no settler purchase claims.It noted that the issue of the purchase claims was now before the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court.The state told the court that on July 15 it plans to demolish the access road to the outpost, which it said was built on private Palestinian property.But the state did not speak of any attempt to legalize the outpost, as it has in other cases.Yesh Din attorney Shlomi Zachary charged that the state was attempting to undermine the court decision to evacuate the full outpost.“The fact that the state is searching for loopholes and facts that will allow the outpost to remain, is shameful for the rule of law and another step toward its collapse,” he said.
Yesh Din is expected to submit its response to the High Court on the matter on Thursday.Built in 1995 with NIS 2.1 million from the Construction and Housing Ministry, Amona is one of the oldest West Bank outposts.According to Peace Now, there are some 60 structures in the outpost. It was unclear from the state’s response how many homes it wanted to remove, and how many could remain.A 2005 government commissioned report by attorney Talia Sasson stated that the outpost was built on private Palestinian property without proper permits.The outpost is best known for the violent clashes that took place there on February 1, 2006, when the IDF and the police demolished nine newly built permanent Amona homes on private Palestinian property that also lacked proper permits.
