MK Eldad to Police: Evict Arab Squatters

Hillel Fendel

MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union), in a letter to Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, says the police must stop using "intolerable" excuses and get to work to evict Arabs from Yitzchak Herskovitz's property.

Herskovitz purchased the property, in southern Jerusalem between the Gilo (Jewish) and Beit Tsafafa (Arab) neighborhoods, 16 years ago - yet has never been able to move in. The reason: an Arab clan from Bethlehem that refuses to budge Despite several court orders, the police have refused to evict the Arabs, using various excuses. The last instance occurred ten days ago, when the police turned down the most recent court order to evict the Arabs because, they said, it was liable to cause Arab riots. The police also cited the holy Moslem month of Ramadan, which begins tomorrow, and the extra manpower needed for the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, as reasons they could not carry out the eviction.

An incensed Eldad, learning of the matter from the continuing Arutz-7/IsraelNationalNews coverage of the story, wrote a letter to Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, who oversees Israel Police.

"The excuse that the eviction would lead to Arab rioting is intolerable," Eldad wrote. "This is an unacceptable political decision, expressed in selective law enforcement. It is designed to appease Arab lawbreakers and prevent Jews from actualizing their legal rights."

Eldad also noted an incident that occurred earlier this month, when Jews arrived in a northern Jerusalem neighborhood near French Hill to take possession of Jewish property - but were stopped by police because of concern it might lead to Arab riots.

Police Know How to Evict Jews
"When the courts ordered Jews evicted," Eldad wrote, "such as in Hevron or at the pogrom in Amona, the police knew well how to amass large forces to carry out the court-ordered evictions."

Dichter is running for leader of the Kadima Party, in primaries set for Sept. 17. He lags far behind front-runners Tzipi Livni and Sha'ul Mofaz in the polls.

"Perhaps it is not unnecessary to remind you," Eldad wrote to Dichter, "that Israel Police is responsible for enforcing the law equally on all sectors of the population. You may not allow your political inclinations, or the primaries, to sway the law and cause you not to carry out court orders."