The disputed house in Hebron
Photo: Gil Yohanan
We'll go to war over Hebron house, warn settlers
Right-wing activists say they have no intention of complying with High Court ruling they must evacuate disputed property, agree on series of measures to counter expected forced evacuation. Extremists Marzel, Federman vow settlers will fight, pledge 'Greater Israel will be realized'
As the defense establishment gears up to carry out the ruling of the High Court of Justice regarding the disputed house in the West Bank city of Hebron, settlers are preparing to take a defiant stand in what has become an emblematic symbol of the schism between the government and the settler movement.
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The High Court rejected the petition filed by the Jewish settlers in Hebron against the state's decision to evacuate the disputed house, and ruled it must be cleared within three days' time. The judges accepted the state's position and determined that until the ownership dispute is settled, the property would be in the hands of the state.
But Marzel rejected the court's authority. "We must go to war, using any means to prevent this crime from occurring. If you ask the High Court whether it is permissible to breathe, it would say only Arabs are allowed," he said.
The joint campaign headquarters for the disputed home convened on Sunday evening to decide on a series of measures designed to "stop the uprooting of residents from the house of peace and fight for the right of Jews to settle anywhere in the Land of Israel."
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Hebron municipal council, the Jewish Community of Hebron, the Kiryat Arba Regional Council, the 'Homesh First' movement, the 'Ne'emanei Eretz Israel' movement, the 'Youths for Israel' movement, 'Women in Green' and other groups associated with settlement efforts.
Among other steps, the settlers have decided to reinforce their presence at the house with families and public figures. Local residents are also planning an emergency meeting, from where they plan to call on the general public to help their struggle.
'High Court has no authority'
The evacuation ruling topped the agenda at the conference for Kahane, who was murdered 18 years ago. Hundreds of adults and youths took part in the event, which was held in Jerusalem.
Speaking at the conference, extreme-right activist Michael Ben-Horin, launched a harshly-worded tirade against the High Court. "So the 'High Brothel' made a ruling. So what? Let's see you uphold the High Court's ruling on the Temple Mount. Let the police allow Jews to pray there. If that happens, I myself will make sure the Jews leave the 'house of peace' until the court rules on the matter," said Ben-Horin.
"Why should the residents of the house of peace leave? What is the High Court, a Jerusalem branch of Meretz and Hadash? (Islamic Movement leader) Raed Salah demands we leave too, so what? We are surrounded by enemies. We have Hizbullah to the north, Iran in the east and Hamas in the south. I am an IDF officer, a father of two commando soldiers. To our great sorrow, the current regime is doing everything in its power to drive a wedge between Jews and weaken our fortitude. The heart aches."
Ben-Horin issued a stringent warning to the security forces that will likely be called upon to forcibly evacuate the disputed house, going on to say that the evacuation will bring with it "violence, hatred, polarization and a weakening of the IDF."
Federman: Greater Israel will be realized
Noam Federman, whose farm near Kiryat Arba was evacuated and demolished by security forces in late October, told the conference that he and others were raising their children according to the teachings of Rabbi Kahane."He taught us how never to give in. My children were never dupes, and they fought as much as they could," he said.
Federman described the evacuation of his farm as "a pogrom," and prophesized that the vision of Greater Israel would be realized in spite of the Israeli government. "What these villains did desecrated the name of God. They came like thieves in the night, many versus few, but we rebuilt the farm. They destroy and we build. Every time it ends they emerge battered and bruised while we come back and rebuild. That is the way it should be.
"I salute my children, who have gone above and beyond. We have healthy youths, they don't suffer from the confusion and hesitation the adults are afflicted with."
Federman said that those who evacuate settlers "hate us because they know we don't give up and we don't compromise, even when the price is heavy. They should be punished from heaven, and punished from down here as well."
