ACRI appeals to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert

ACRI appeals to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to Demand the Immediate Evacuation of the New Settlement Established in the Heart of Hebron

20th March 2007

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) appealed today to the Prime Minister, Defense Minister, and Attorney General to demand the immediate eviction of hundreds of settlers who last night took over a house in the city of Hebron with the full protection of the Israeli security forces. Since the settlers occupied the house last night they have been protected by the Israeli army and police forces positioned in the area, even though some of the settlers are armed with military weapons. The security forces are continuing to allow more settlers to enter the house. ACRI's position is that regardless of whether or not some of the settlers legally purchased the house, it is the duty of the security forces to act immediately to evict the settlers from the house.

Reality in Hebron reveals that the establishment of a Jewish settlement in the heart of a Palestinian population results in grievous violations of the rights of the local Palestinian population and destroys their daily fabric of life. Extreme measures adopted by the Israeli security forces against the Palestinian residents -- such as sweeping restrictions on freedom of movement, searches of houses, checkpoints, and the military occupation of civilians' houses -- designed to ensure the security of the settlers, have led to a massive abandonment of the area by Palestinians.

This experience therefore shows that the establishment of a new settlement in the heart of Hebron will inevitably lead to severe violations of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian civilian population. The failure of the security forces to prevent more settlers from entering the house, and to evict those settlers who are currently occupying the house, constitutes a grave breach of the obligations of the Military Commander and of the Israeli government under both Israeli and international law.

ENDS

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