Aug. 6, 2007 22:13 | Updated Aug. 7, 2007 6:30 Border police begin evacuation of Hebron families By REBECCA ANNA STOIL AND YAAKOV KATZ

The operation to evacuate two families from their houses in the Hebron marketplace began early Tuesday morning amidst protests and other tempered violence.

Border police and Home Front Command search and rescue specialists used heavy engineering equipment to break down the door of one of the houses which had been welded shut by protestors. As the door was being pried open, youths threw water and flour on the police, and taunted them with chants.

Meanwhile, a small group of border police secured the rooftops of the buildings which had earlier been occupied by youths protesting the action.

Earlier Tuesday morning, the first wave of police forces were greeted by fist-sized chunks of concrete thrown at them by protestors.

The police avoided injury by taking cover behind riot-shields and concrete walls.