The Israeli army yesterday pasted notices ordering property seizures and house demolitions the length of a street in Hebron that Ariel Sharon wants to use to link two belligerent Jewish settlements.
The order horrified but did not surprise the residents of Al-Haram street after the prime minister’s call three weeks ago for what Palestinians say amounts to ethnic cleansing and a land grab. But they still do not know whether their homes are to be destroyed or handed over to settlers.
Al-Haram’s narrow, crooked route, lined with buildings reminiscent of biblical times, is the scene of a spewing of hate every week as hardline Jewish settlers make their way to prayer at one of the most controversial religious sites on the West Bank.
Its walls bear testimony to Jewish claims on the street with Stars of David and exhortations to kill all Arabs sprayed on Palestinian property.
For years, Sharon has argued for Al-Haram street to be seized and turned into a security corridor linking Kiryat Arba settlement’s 6 000 residents with a smaller Jewish enclave of just 400 settlers in the heart of Hebron. They live in the midst of — but generally separated from — 130 000 Palestinians.
Sharon’s opportunity came three weeks ago when Islamic Jihad slaughtered 12 Israeli soldiers and security personnel escorting settlers on their way to pray at the Tomb of the Patriarchs.
As the tanks rolled into Hebron, the prime minister told army commanders that Israel had to ”take advantage of the opportunity” to drive Palestinians from Al-Haram street.
Yesterday, the military took the first step with an order in the name of General Moshe Kaplinski, commander of the central region of the occupied territories.
It lists 60 buildings and pieces of land the army will seize on Al-Haram street because of ”military necessity”.
The order says an accompanying map marks in blue the buildings to be taken and the land to be confiscated in red — except that the map taped to every almost every building in the street is a black and white photocopy.
The military order comes in three parts: Two pieces of paper list the seizure, the map shows what is to be taken and a fourth piece of paper shows each building numbered in large red figures, up to a total of 103 buildings.
Yet it gives enough away to show that the army intends to take ownership of the full 700-metre length between the two Jewish settlements and the Tomb of the Patriarchs.
All of this is justified by Gen Kaplinski’s ”belief that it is essential for military necessity, and due to the security situation” and because of the ”need to prevent terrorist operations and protect citizens and [Israeli] soldiers”.
The notice also gives ”an order to destroy buildings for military purposes”. It says compensation will be offered.
About 15 buildings targeted for immediate demolition are abandoned or falling down. But about half the street is still occupied by 30 or so families, and the Palestinians living there believe the order effectively confiscates their property and they will be forced out later if not sooner.
They question what military purpose is served by bulldozing empty buildings unless it is a prelude to the destruction of occupied properties to create a wide corridor between the two Jewish areas, in line with Sharon’s wishes — or the first step towards turning Al-Haram into a bridging Jewish settlement with new homes.
Juma Jaber’s flat opens on to Al-Haram street and falls within the markings on the map of properties for confiscation.
”They haven’t given us individual notice. They came to all the houses, asked our names, how many people live here, our identity numbers. Then they put up this order which is difficult to understand. From what I can see they are taking over the whole street,” he said.
”Even if we don’t have to leave immediately, I think they want to give the street to the settlers, bring them in to live here. We’ll be suffocated but that’s the Israeli plan. They want to drive us out.”
Israel’s tourism minister, Yitzhak Levy, has ordered his ministry to draw up plans for a ”promenade” from Kiryat Arba to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, which are believed to include ”road widening” that would include destruction of homes.
The military is evidently embarrassed by the order. An Israeli army representative at first denied it existed. ”It’s a rumour. It’s not true,” he said.
Presented with physical evidence, the representative said it may be a fraud. Asked why, if that is the case, soldiers patrolling the street had not removed copies attached to every wall — including a small group of officers who walked the length of Al-Haram yesterday, deep in discussion as they pointed out individual buildings — he promised to check on its authenticity. He later confirmed the order was issued by Gen Kaplinski but could not comment further.
Sharon argued for the two Jewish settlements to be joined by a corridor through Al-Haram as far back as 1996. He has also said that the number of Arabs in the Israeli-controlled heart of Hebron could be reduced from 20 000 to a tenth of that number.
Among those facing expulsion is 91-year-old Radeb Jaber who has lived on the street his entire life. ”I have lived under the Turks. I have lived under the British. I have lived under the Jordanians. These are the worst,” he said. ”They keep us under curfew. Every time they see us they curse us. Dog, bastard, they call us.”
In such circumstances, it is difficult to imagine the settlers living side by side with Palestinians on Al-Haram street.
Jaber’s son Rahin (65) agrees: ”It’s impossible to live with the settlers. It’s like putting a poisonous snake on your chest. Either they kill us or we kill them. There’s no in-between.” – Guardian Unlimited (c) Guardian Newspapers Limited 2001