With reports of violent clashes during today’s forced evacuation of Amona, I am left wondering the following:
What exactly happened? The police are accusing the protesters of extreme violence, including the throwing of boulders, concrete blocks, and rocks. A policeman was critically wounded after he was hit by a cement block, and another officer was seriously wounded after being stabbed in the stomach. The protesters claim severe police brutality, and indeed, a 15-year-old protester is in very serious condition with a fractured skull.
Whoever was involved in the violence – whether policeman or protester – should be ashamed of themselves.
Why did Olmert order this evacuation now? Common sense tells me that addressing the Hamas issue should have been the government’s main focus. I do not support evicting Jews from their homes on moral grounds (I do not accept the contention that the land in question is somehow “palestinian” land. We have a stronger claim to it than they do), and it is a strategic mistake, especially right after Hamas have come to power, partly on the back of claims that it drove Israel out of Gaza. I am inclined to agree with this rationale.
There are countless “illegal” Arab and Beduin settlements in Israel. Why hasn’t the government acted against these, and instead decided to focus on the so-called Jewish “illegal settlements”?
Update: You have to be kidding me.
Tnu Lahayot Lihyot – Israel’s main animal rights groups – protested against the use of horses in Amona’s evacuation on Wednesday.According to the organization, the horses that were recruited for the evacuation found themselves in a battlefield, susceptible to rocks being hurled at security forces by “dozens of law-violating settlers.”The group called upon Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz to remove the animals from public discourse, and to refrain from using them for purposes that effectively place their lives in danger.Tnu Lahayot Lihyot suggested alternatives such as jeeps or motorcycles, such that no animals would be endangered.While the horses used in the evacuation were not covered by any protective apparel, there were no reports of injuries to the animals.The animal rights group’s spokesperson also noted that following the evacuation, one of the residents of Amona was taken to a court hearing, leaving behind a herd of 130 goats without any supervision. The spokesperson, voiced her concern for the abandoned herd.
PETA would be proud.
