Civil Administration announces reinstatement of razing order originally issued in 1999 against Od Yosef Chai yeshiva building in settlement near Nablus. Site became center of clashes between IDF, settlers in recent months
Shmulik Grossman

The Civil Administration has announced the reinstatement of a razing order, which had originally been issued in 1999, against the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva in the settlement of Yitzhar, near Nablus.

Right-wing elements were quick to denounce the decision and blame Defense Minister Ehud Barak of "embarking on an uncompromising attack on the Land of Israel's Zionist settlers."

Yitzhar has become a center of bitter clashes between IDF soldiers and local settlers and yeshiva students in recent years. The clashes escalated since the Gaza pullout and most recently the government's construction freeze in the West Bank.

An IDF soldier and a Border Guard soldier were injured three months ago after being pelted with stones hurled at them by Yitzhar residents, some of whom were veiled. The incident occurred during an IDF drill simulating a terrorist attack or an infiltration into the community.

A short while prior to the incident an army vehicle transporting the Shomron Brigade and Battalion commanders was attacked with stones and paint bottles following the distribution of freeze orders.

Knesset Member Arieh Eldad (National Union) commented on the announcement and said that Barak and the Civil Administration have "declared war on the Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria.

"Only those whose narrow political interests could benefit from the expected bloodshed could play with fire in such a way," he said.

Up until a decade ago the Od Yosef Chai yeshiva operated in the compound around Josef's Tomb in Nablus. The yeshiva eventually moved to Yitzhar after Palestinians took over the site.

Nothing good will come from this.

So I call on both sides to think before they do something stupid that will have Jews hurting other Jews or worse.