In light of discussions surrounding the prolonged detention of Elisha Yarad—a settler from Givat Oz Zion who was taken into custody following an incident leading to the death of a Palestinian and severe injury of another settler—numerous police officers, in tandem with Civil Administration inspectors, made their presence felt in the Kochav HaShachar region on Wednesday. Their objective? To issue a series of demolition notices for several settlement homes and farms. This move marked one of the most aggressive actions against Jewish settlements in recent times, with over 15 homes receiving these orders.
Yadida Emsli, residing in Givat A'ira Shahar, described the morning's events: "We observed several police officers and inspectors distributing demolition orders throughout the area. Their coverage was exhaustive, marking almost every house on this hill, some of which have stood for years. Such a sweeping issuance of orders is unprecedented in my memory."
מצאו דרך להתנקם? בעקבות האירוע בבורקה: המנהל האזרחי הוציא יותר מ-10 צווי הריסה במאחזים יהודיים באזור בורקה..אחרי שבית המשפט שחרר מצאו דרך חדשה??
— Lia (@leale_6) August 9, 2023
The settlers discern a link between this recent operation and the extensive media attention drawn by last Saturday's events in Benjamin. During that incident, a settler, defending himself by his account, used his firearm leading to the death of a Palestinian. "For the past week, media narratives have painted us as culprits," the settlers collectively expressed. They added, "Even as details emerge that validate the self-defense claims by the settler involved in the Burka incident, our image seems tarnished. Today's actions—the targeting of our homes—appear to be the fallout of that portrayal."
Thursday witnessed another significant development as the Supreme Court reviewed an appeal challenging the district court's decision to place Elisha Yarad under house arrest, albeit with restrictions. During this hearing, a confidential document, a collaborative effort between the Shin Bet and the prosecutor's office, was presented against Yarad. The presiding judge deferred Yarad's release until the Magistrate's Court's decision, emphasizing the brevity of the detention extension and refraining from further commentary.
The Civil Administration was too busy to deal with this, they were handing out demolition orders in Kochav Hashachar to Jews who dared to build their modest homes on state land. https://t.co/korc5J0Gn2
— Baruch Kogan (@BaruchKogan) August 9, 2023
Representing Yarad, Attorney Avichai Hajabi from the Honenu organization commented, "In today's Supreme Court session, the State Attorney's Office introduced intelligence documentation on behalf of the General Security Service. This evidence neither implicates nor connects Elisha Yarad and his associates to the alleged crimes. Even the Supreme Court deferred the case to the Magistrate's Court, which will determine Yarad's fate. I firmly believe that the Shin Bet's documents portray Yarad favorably, with negligible implications for the criminal case. I am hopeful that, respecting the district court's decision, the Magistrate's Court will allow Yarad's release into house arrest."
