Peace House Defenders Prepare for Showdown
A packed hall in Kiryat Arba, supporters called for a massive and non-violent struggle to keep the Hevron Peace House in Jewish hands.

by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu, Arutz Sheva
November 19, 2008

Peace House residents under gov't threat

A packed hall in Kiryat Arba Tuesday night heard supporters call for a massive and non-violent struggle to keep the Hevron Peace House in Jewish hands. However, warnings were issued that if the government carries through with its plan, police violence may make the Amona expulsion of two years ago seem like child's play.

At the Amona expulsion, several people, including two Knesset Members and a senior IDF reserve officer, suffered serious wounds and broken bones. One youth struggled for his life after mounted police trampled and beat him.

The High Court last week dismissed evidence that Jews bought the Peace House from an Arab, who later denied the deal after he received death threats from local Arabs.

Leaders at the Kiryat Arba rally urged supporters to join Peace House residents and to cram into the area while efforts are made to persuade the government to cancel its plans. They pointed out that they "don't know when they [police] will come" to expel the Peace House residents because "they are too afraid" to appear when there is a large presence of supporters.

Calls were issued for people to be on standby 24 hours a day to rush to the area if forces approach the building, which Jews say was paid for in cash last year.

One supporter from Givatayim demonstrated for the crowd how to use a gas mask in case of a chemical attack. "I am not kidding," he said. These people [police] hate us and I believe they want to kill [us].

Kiryat Arba-Hevron Rabbi Dov Lior told the crowd, "This house, which was redeemed with blood, belongs to the people of Israel. We have not stolen it from anyone; we bought it. It should be seen as a symbol for how to stand up for the rights of the Israeli people."

Shas party MK Zev Nissim moved into the Peace House on Tuesday to show his support for the residents, but anti-nationalist Peace Now leader Yariv Oppenheimer charged he broke the law. "We demand that legal proceedings be brought against him," he declared.

"The court order is illegal and we will fight for our rights. There is no reason for the evacuation," Hevron spokesman Noam Arnon told the French news agency AFP. "We will defend this house with our bodies."