Ma'aleh Levona, Monday morning
Photo: Efrat Weiss
Attempt to deliver freeze orders fails once more
Civil Administration officers trying to serve construction halt orders at West Bank settlement of Ma'aleh Levona driven away by angry residents. 'This is sheer provocation and we will have no part in it,' says community's secretary
Settlers residing in the West Bank community of Ma'aleh Levona, north of Ramallah, prevented Civil Administration officers and security forces from entering the settlement and serving construction halt warrants.
Monday's attempt to serve the warrants met dozens of settlers who rallied at Ma'aleh Levona's entrance and prevented the Civil Administration officers from entering it.
The officers eventually left the area. Several of the settlement's youth, yelling: "We won't give in to the freeze", threw mud at their vehicle.
Barricading the way. Ma'aleh Levona this morning (Photo: Efrat Weiss)
"This is sheer provocation and we will have no part in it," Ma'aleh Levona's secretary Yael Hashash told Ynet.
"We will not allow what happened in Gush Katif to happen again. It starts with a settlement freeze and goes on to bar construction. I think this is the beginning of the end."
According to Hashash, the State has put the settlers in an impossible position: "The law should be applied equally. We're defending our home, and this is our home – not Tel Aviv. There is no reason to treat us as criminals."
Also Monday, Civil Administration officers arrived at Gush Etzion settlements of Bat Ayin and Tekoa, to serve construction halt orders. No incidents were reported in those areas.
