In the area known today as the West Bank, or more correctly Judea and Samaria, there is a small peaceful Jewish village of caravan homes on a hilltop called Amona. Amona was established in the mid-1990’s with Israeli government built infrastructure. However, during 2006 when 9 new homes were almost completed and ready to move into by Jewish families, a radical left wing pro-Palestinian Arab organization called Yesh Din, petitioned the courts that the homes were built on private Palestinian Arab land. The courts ruled in their favour and this led to then Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s request for them to be demolished. The demolitions took place in the face of large protests and many Jewish youths were wounded by police brutality. This event remains highly controversial in Israel to this day. Just over a year and a half ago, I was able to visit Amona and see the foundations of the razed homes. Nothing has been done with the land where they stood. The remains of the homes are a desolate waste on the edge of the community - a monument to human stupidity. Nevertheless, visiting the site brought home the enormous controversy that surrounds Jews being able to live in their Biblical heartland - Judea and Samaria.

The sign marking the entrance to the Jewish community of Amona.

According to the law, the Netanyahu, Likud government, must carry out the demolition; but the government has been eager to avoid a confrontation. The 2006 demolition at Amona, confrontation and violence, could be seen as leading to the demise of the then Olmert led government. Today, it is reported that the government will ask the Supreme Court for a one month delay in the demolition order, as there is no where to move the evacuated families. A one month delay would move the demolition into the time when Donald Trump would be in the Whitehouse instead of Obama, which may give the Israeli government a diplomatic reprieve of some international pressure in regards to the settlements.

The difficulty of dealing with Palestinian Arab claims to land that has been built upon by Jews, has led the government to put forward a new law called the “Regulation Law”. The law would provide a way out for those Jewish communities that have been built on land decades ago, which then are subjected to Palestinian Arab claims that many feel are completely fraudulent. The proposed Regulation law would not help communities where there is already an ongoing court case, such as Amona, but it would settle many others. The Regulation Law is garnering significant international attention, with condemnations from the EU, the US State Department and others, claiming that the law is contrary to international law. By some it is seen as a step towards Israeli annexation of the portion of the West Bank which is fully under their control. If these court cases continue and if Israel faces a problem with international law, it could force Israel to annex some of the territory in the area known as the West Bank.

The foundation of a destroyed home in the Jewish settlement of Amona.