Israel Matzav

Pigs fly: IDF and senior officers to compensate residents of destroyed outpost

The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court has ordered the IDF and several senior officers to pay NIS 432,000 [about $115,000 CiJ] in compensation to the residents of the Yad Yair outpost.

The IDF destroyed Yad Yair in September 2008, despite an interim order by the High Court to stay any demolition until the legality of the outpost could be determined.

The story began in 1991, when a resident of the southern Shomron-Binyamin community of Dolev, Ya’ir Mendelson, was murdered by Palestinian terrorists. His neighbors wished to establish a community on the site of the murder, in keeping with the long-standing tradition of "a suitable Zionist response to terrorism.” It was ultimately decided to establish a military base there, named Yad Ya’ir, and in the coming years, a park, synagogue, and play center were also built on the site – under the watchful eyes of the army and at the initiative and dedication of residents of nearby Dolev and Talmon.

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The army abandoned the site circa 2004, Goldmintz said, “after which began a period of constant Arab vandalism, which the army did not 'manage' to prevent. Over the course of time, the electric grid was destroyed, the synagogue was looted, the monument was defaced, and the synagogue was set ablaze no fewer than three times.

"Finally, after a group of radical leftists and Arabs set fire to the synagogue and even replaced the Israeli flags with PLO flags, we realized that we would have to do something - and we decided to start our own town there.” Meir, his wife Chana and their four children moved to the site, together with a group of students from Yeshivat Nachliel. “It required great self-sacrifice, as well as financial resources. The yeshiva helped out and held classes there, and nearby communities helped with fuel for the generator, guards and food for the yeshiva students. But we still had to deal with problems such as minimal housing conditions and getting back and forth to work and school”

After the army left, Meir emphasized, “we purchased the land from the Arab owners. It is our private property.”

Arab vandalism continued, however, and ultimately, in September 2008, IDF Division Commander Brig.-Gen. Noam Tivon ordered the site’s destruction. It took the IDF two days to do so, because the first time the army arrived, it called off the plans when it saw the size of the crowd standing ready to protect the town - some 300 Jews from nearby Jewish towns. Two days later, the army arrived in larger numbers and did the deed - even though word of a Supreme Court ruling to delay the action until 4 p.m. that day had already been received.

The army later claimed that the fax machine didn't work and that the order was not received until it was too late.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:07 PM