Attempt to deliver freeze orders fails once more

Civil Administration officers trying to serve construction halt orders at West Bank settlement of Ma'aleh Levona driven away by angry residents. 'This is sheer provocation and we will have no part in it,' says community's secretary
Efrat Weiss

Settlers residing in the West Bank community of Ma'aleh Levona, north of Ramallah, prevented Civil Administration officers and security forces from entering the settlement and serving construction halt warrants.

Monday's attempt to serve the warrants met dozens of settlers who rallied at Ma'aleh Levona's entrance and prevented the Civil Administration officers from entering it.

The officers eventually left the area. Several of the settlement's youth, yelling: "We won't give in to the freeze", threw mud at their vehicle.

"This is sheer provocation and we will have no part in it," Ma'aleh Levona's secretary Yael Hashash told Ynet.

"We will not allow what happened in Gush Katif to happen again. It starts with a settlement freeze and goes on to bar construction. I think this is the beginning of the end."

According to Hashash, the State has put the settlers in an impossible position: "The law should be applied equally. We're defending our home, and this is our home – not Tel Aviv. There is no reason to treat us as criminals."

Also Monday, Civil Administration officers arrived at Gush Etzion settlements of Bat Ayin and Tekoa, to serve construction halt orders. No incidents were reported in those areas.

What is wrong with you people living in Bat Ayin and Tekoa?

If every Jew would have gone to Gaza that believed in our right to settle Israel had gone there ready to do what it took to keep the Jews in Gaza, we would still have Jews living in Gaza. We must resist through non violent means but we must resist.