When it comes to Jewish villages without appropriate permits, also known as illegal outposts or illegal settlements, the government has worked on evacuating the residents and dismantling the village. When the government delayed doing so, or when the government was reluctant to, the courts forced the issue, insisting the law must be applied.
It seems that the law must only be applied in certain situations, but is not really a value of it's own in other situations.
Just yesterday the governments plan to dismantle an illegal Bedouin village in the Negev was blocked by the courts. It was not blocked because the courts decided the village was legal or that the government had not gone through due process. It was blocked because the courts decided that there was nothing pushing the government to destroy it. The needs of the residents, even though they have been living there illegaly for many years, need to be considered.
(source: Haaretz)
In Hebrew that is often called "Ayfa v'ayfa" - a measure and a measure, meaning they use one measure for one person, and another measure for another person.
My question is why hasn't this village been made a legal community? It was established well before the state of Israel... considering more Bedouins serve in the IDF than Jews do (as a percentage) I am sure many of the town's residents have served the country proudly.
ReplyDeleteI dont know the answer to that question, but it is also a question that applies equally to many Jewish villages.. Many villages were started by the government, and supported for many years with infrastructure , but for some reason the government or defense ministry never actually signed the final paperwork making it officially legal. And then all these villages are deemed to be illegal.
ReplyDeleteThis is true, however two wrongs don't make a right. I believe that any community that existed before 1948 that stayed in place throughout the years should not be dismantled.
ReplyDeleteperhaps, but I am not trying to justify a decision. I am just pointing out the double standard. I did not say anything about whther morally this village should get a legal permit or not. truth is I dont know much about it, but it sounds like they should be left alone. But my point was that at the end of the day it looks like a clear double-standard.
ReplyDelete