Amona Residents Warn of Confrontation

If the High Court made life hard for Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Monday by refusing to give him more time to solve the Amona problem, the residents of Amona made it even harder with a personal appeal that read very much like an ultimatum.

In an emergency meeting on Monday evening, they addressed Netanyahu directly, asking him to save their homes — or be responsible for a confrontation with security forces involving thousands of people resisting the evacuation.

“We residents of Amona turn directly and personally to you, Prime Minister. The lives of the residents of Amona, 42 families (including) young children, are in your hands. The hand which will evacuate Amona on the first night of Chanukah is yours,” said Avichai Boaron, a community leader, as quoted by Arutz Sheva.

“For us it is extremely simple and clear. If we remain in Amona after December 1, if Amona is (legalized), you and your coalition (are worthy) of a medal of honor… There is no one to blame and no one to accuse. The responsibility is first and foremost yours. After, and only after, the responsibility lies with your ministers,” he continued.

But, he warned, “If you don’t [prevent the evacuation], we will stand here as a wall together with many thousands from all across Israel who will gather here on the day of the evacuation, in G-d’s city, a wall which we will create in the coming days in order to do all within our power so that Amona will not fall for a second time.”

The last was a reference to a violent clash over an evacuation order between protesters and police in February 2006, in which over 300 people were hurt on both sides. Police said that tough measures were needed to remove youths who had barricaded themselves into the houses in question, and there were charges of police brutality.

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