Israel’s High Court of Justice on Sunday ordered the state to coordinate within 14 days the return of three Palestinian residents of Jalud, near Shechem, to homes they say they were forced to leave following months of confrontations with Israelis from a nearby outpost.
The court ordered the IDF to secure their return and allow equipment and supplies to be brought in to repair damage to the homes and restore water and electricity infrastructure.
The petitioners claimed the incidents began after a tent was erected on their privately owned land on April 19. They alleged that subsequent months saw repeated trespassing, threats, road blockages, stone-throwing, property damage, the cutting of a water line, uprooting of trees, grazing on private property and the torching of a vehicle.
According to the petition, the situation escalated on July 22, when two of the residents left their homes and did not return. They alleged that Israelis later entered one of the homes through a hole made in a wall and damaged doors and windows.
The state told the court that numerous enforcement measures have been taken in the area, including deploying Border Police forces, establishing a dedicated command structure, conducting patrols, closing areas when necessary and carrying out eight enforcement operations against the outpost since it was established in April.
The court was also shown footage of IDF soldiers and Israelis playing soccer in the yard of one of the homes. An IDF officer said the soldiers were reinforcements who were unfamiliar with the relevant procedures, and the court was told that those involved were subsequently removed from combat duty.
The justices nevertheless expressed concern over the effectiveness of law enforcement, questioning why vehicles allegedly used during the incidents had not been seized and what steps were being taken against individuals whose identities were known to authorities.
The court described the overall picture presented to it as “very bleak” and said the repeated incidents and their duration raised serious questions about the response by authorities.
In addition to ordering the residents’ return, the High Court issued a conditional order requiring the state to explain why it should not ensure the return of the residents and their families and remove obstacles blocking access to their homes.
The state was ordered to submit its response by October 8, while the parties must update the court regarding the residents’ return by September 22.
The decision was issued by Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit and Justices Alex Stein and Yechiel Kasher.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
