Region | Palestinian Territories
Israel vows to evict settlers from Hebron building
Jewish settlers in a disputed building in the West Bank city of Hebron will be evicted, Defence Minister Ehud Barak vowed on Thursday, after days of clashes between the settlers and Palestinians and Israeli forces.
- Agencies
- Published: 16:27 December 4, 2008
Tel Aviv: Jewish settlers in a disputed building in the West Bank city of Hebron will be evicted, Defence Minister Ehud Barak vowed on Thursday, after days of clashes between the settlers and Palestinians and Israeli forces.
"This house ... will be evacuated and will be guarded by the IDF (Israeli army) and the state until the court rules on its ownership," Barak said in Tel Aviv, saying settler youths who clashed with Palestinians and Israeli soldiers were "reckless".
The Israeli High Court on November 16 ordered settlers to vacate the building they have been occupying since March 2007, causing tensions to be high in the city.
Settlers said they purchased the house from a Palestinian man who denies having sold the building.
Barak met with settler leaders on Thursday as the sides tried to reach a deal under which the settlers would vacate the building voluntarily to avoid confrontation with the army.
An umbrella group for the settlers, Yesha, has said it will seek a peaceful resolution in the dispute.
The Israeli army declared the area surrounding the structure a closed military zone on Wednesday.
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