The State of Israel has the right to demolish 30 illegal structures built in the new and illegal Arab “village” of Susiya, according to a draft document to be submitted Wednesday to the High Court of Justice.

Although usually the Defense Ministry Civil Administration decides these issues, this time Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would make the call on whether or not to demolish the structures, rather than Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, the document stated.

The prime minister’s review would take until the end of October, after the completion of the Jewish high holy days, after which time the state would inform the Court whether the shacks would be legalized, or demolished.

The state warned the Court, however, that legal remedies would remain in place against any new construction that appears in the area after 2014, and that laws against illegal construction would be enforced.

The Regavim nongovernmental organization (NGO) has consistently researched and litigated the case against any new building by Arabs from the Palestinian Authority in the area, which is completely under the control of Israel.

Regavim is calling on Israel to demolish all illegal structures post-2014, regardless of international pressure.

The United States and the European Union have for months been pressuring Israel to legalize the village. The European Union has in addition been encouraging the Palestinian Authority to continue illegal construction in Area C. In some cases, this activity has actually forced Israel to demolish structures built with funding, or directly, illegally built by the European Union itself.

Due to the sensitive diplomatic nature of the issue, the matter was sent directly to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for attention.

The modern Jewish community, established in 1983 under the Mount Hebron Regional Council, is located next to the ancient city of Susiya, now an archaeological site featuring a 5th-8th CE synagogue with a magnificent mosaic floor, and the mosque that replaced it.

The site was formally declared an archaeological site in 1986 by the Israel Defense Ministry’s Civil Administration; the Arab population chose to locate its “village” precisely on the same spot.

The IDF expelled the squatters, who began with 25 families in 1986, despite opposition from the United Nations which claimed they were living in “houses” at the time. The Arab villagers were moved instead to a site few hundred meters southeast of the original ancient city.

Just 13 families comprised Arab Susiya in 2008. But as it became more fashionable in the international community to target Israel’s right to govern Area C of the Oslo Accords, Mount Hebron and the area around it rose to prominence as a key battleground. Arab Susiya did too, and by 2015 the “village” rose to its current population of 50 families, comprising several hundred people.

An Arab teenager who was rioting and posing a threat to the lives of IDF soldiers from the Egoz Reconnaissance Unit carrying out an operation in the Al Fawwar refugee camp southwest of Hebron was shot and killed, according to Arab media reports.

Muhammad Abu Hashhash, 17, was shot by the Israeli force during clashes inside the camp. At least 45 other rioting Arabs were injured, one seriously.

Israeli forces stormed al-Fawwar at dawn on Tuesday, raiding homes and interrogating suspects. Clashes broke out between local youth and Israeli soldiers, who defended themselves using tear gas, rubber-coated bullets and low impact live bullets.

The Egoz Reconnaissance Unit operation is expected to last 24 hours. The IDF Spokesperson said Tuesday that the purpose of the operation is arrests of suspects, searching for weapons and issuing subpoenas for security interrogations.

The IDF Spokesperson added that the force ran into a mob that threw stones, firebombs and improvised explosives. At least four rioters were shot after the hurled cinder blocks at the soldiers.

Israeli army soldiers carry a searching raid from house to house in Al-Fawwar refugee camp south of Hebron August 16 2016.

IDF soldiers carry a searching raid from house to house in Al-Fawwar refugee camp south of Hebron – August 16 2016.

Israeli forces entered the Palestinian Authority Arab village of Bani Naim after midnight Sunday night to level the home of the terrorist who stabbed 13-year-old Hallel Ariel, z’l, to death as she lay sleeping in her bed in Kiryat Arba just a few weeks ago.

IDF and security forces moving in to Palestinian Authority Arab village of Bani Naim to demolish the home of a terrorist. / HotNews

IDF engineers, backed by security and other Israeli forces demolished the home of Muhammad Taraiyre, in accordance with Israeli policy, which mandated the destruction of the family home of any Palestinian Authority Arab terrorist who murders an Israeli.

The eighth grader was stabbed dozens of times on the morning after having participated in a dance event organized by the local dance arts center in Kiryat Arba. Her bedroom was covered in blood by the time the security team reached her, witnesses said.

She passed away a few hours after the attack in Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, and was laid to rest in the ancient Jewish cemetery in Hebron.

One of the Rapid Response Team security personnel who raced to the scene when the infiltrator’s presence was detected was also critically injured at the scene. Yehoshua Gilboa is a member of a famiy that has already lost two sons to terrorism, and is a volunteer with the Kiryat Arba security team.

Shuki Gilboa with his wife Shlomit, in their Kiryat Arba home. / TPS

Shuki Gilboa was stabbed by the attacker, and also sustained a bullet wound as the result of friendly fire during the clash with the terrorist. He ultimately lost the sight in his right eye as a result of the battle but doctors at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center were able to save his life.

The US Administration has warned Israel against demolishing the Arab village of Susiya in south Mt. Hebron, according to a story in Ha’aretz this week. Both Israeli and American senior officials have warned that should Israel go ahead and demolish the village, US response would be harsh.

Susiya is a legitimate archaeological site in the southern Judean Mountains that bears the archaeological remains of a 5th century CE enormous synagogue, one of the largest and most magnificent ever discovered, which was turned into a mosque by the Arab invaders in the 8th century.

The name has bee usurped by Bedouins who have stayed in area caves during grazing season. It is also the name of a religious Jewish community established in 1983 under the jurisdiction of Mt. Hebron Regional Council. In 1986, the area of Susiya claimed by the Bedouin shepherds was declared an archeological site by Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and the IDF expelled the Bedouins, who then moved a few hundred yards southeast of the original location.

The Zionist Regavim movement, whose goal is to reclaim areas of the land of Israel from Arab occupiers, has been conducting a bitter court battle to declare Bedouin Susiya illegal and to remove its structures, which are, for the most part, tents and lean-tos. It should be noted that since 1994 the Arabs have been establishing illegal settlements in the entire area between Jerusalem and Susiya, which Israeli governments have failed to challenge for more than two decades. Susiya is only the tip of the sand dune (somehow using the iceberg metaphor in August, just doesn’t work).

As Jewish Press Online reporter Tzvi Ben-Gedalyahu wrote back in 2013 (The Saga of Ancient ‘Palestinian Susiya’ – The Town That Never Was), “None of the land was ever registered as owned by anyone. During the Ottoman Empire, and under the British Mandate, the rulers of Hebron would sit in their living rooms and parcel out lands arbitrarily. That was the extent of ‘ownership.’

“When Jews came to Beit Yatir, the Arabs followed. Three families from Yatta, a city adjacent to Hebron, fled because of family crimes, such as rape, and set up camp on a hill adjacent to Yatir, Their village quickly became known as the ‘Thieves’ Village,’ for obvious reasons. They claim, of course, that they have been living there from time immemorial.”

And now, apparently, the future of the Middle East depends on those few dozen shepherds getting to graze their flocks on rightfully owned Jewish land, and so, following intense propaganda from the Palestinian Authority, the US, the UK and the EU, as well as several international NGOs have been threatening that should Susiya be wiped off the map, they, Israel’s friends in the world, would find it difficult to continue defending it in international forums.

Israeli senior officials have told Israel’s many friends that at this point it has no intention to demolish the Susiya “homes” (a term that is being used generously), and that Israel would act based on the expected ruling of the Supreme Court. While Regavim has been pushing the case against the Bedouin enclave, a group called Rabbis for Human Rights (RHR) has appealed the pending evacuation and demolishing of Susiya in the high court.

RHR is a foreign agent representing anti-Zionist entities in Europe and the US. Its annual budget of $1.6 million (most recently reported in 2014) is funded by AECID (Spain), European Commission, Misereor (Germany), Trocaire (Ireland), Norwegian Church (Norway), Kerk in Actie (Netherlands), Church of Sweden, Foundation for Middle East Peace (US), New Israel Fund, Social Justice Fund, and Moriah Fund (source: NGO Monistor).

A woman approached one of the entrances to the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron on Tuesday afternoon.

As the Border Police were checking her, she pulled out a knife and threatened to stab them.

The guards subdued her with pepper spray and she was arrested.

No one was injured.

By Jonathan Benedek/TPS

Israel’s Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria demolished five illegal Palestinian Authority Arab structures in Umm al-Khair, which is located in the Mount Hebron region next to the Jewish community of Carmel. Several of the structures bore the European Union flag,

“Law enforcement authorities took action this morning against illegal construction and enforced the law quickly,” said Mount Hebron Regional Council Chairman Yochai Damri.

“I hope this will be the beginning of a trend since there has been a sense that Israel has been turning a blind eye and authorizing illegal construction, which has led to an increase in the amount of illegal building by the Arabs,” continued Damri.

The EU, which frequently sponsors illegal Palestinian Authority Arab construction throughout Judea and Samaria, often attaches the EU logo or flag to the illegal structures so as to provide them with diplomatic protection. At the same time, Israel has implemented building freezes against any Jewish construction in Judea and Samaria in response to massive international pressure from entities such as the European Union.

“We have been dealing with a building freeze in Mount Hebron for over a year,” added Damri. “Each pipe and every caravan is inspected in accordance with the strictest legal tools available while there are those who illegally build and disregard the law just next door.”

Israeli NGO B’Tselem, an organization that has received financial support from the European Union and which claims to “document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations” in Judea and Samaria, condemned the demolition of the illegal structures.

“The latest actions show that the Israeli government is continuing its policy of destroying Palestinian communities in order to expand settlements, which is the same policy that was recently condemned internationally in the Quartet’s report,” said B’Tselem spokeswoman Sarit Michaeli.

Michaeli added that 27 people were living in the structures, including 16 minors, who all lost their homes in previous demolitions.

Meanwhile, Israeli NGO Regavim (The National Land Protection Trust), which claims to “ensure responsible, legal and accountable use of Israel’s national lands,” praised the Civil Administration’s demolition of the illegal Palestinian structures this morning.

“Regavim commends the Israeli authorities for the swift demolition of five illegally built European Union funded buildings in Umm al-Khair, just days after Regavim filed a lawsuit against them,” said Regavim International Director Josh Hasten to Tazpit Press Service (TPS).

Hasten said that Regavim was determined to succeed in completely stopping illegal EU construction in Judea and Samaria.

“After years of lobbying against the EU’s rampant illegal building across Area C in total disregard of international law, Regavim’s work is beginning to bear fruit with a large increase in demolitions of European structures,” Hasted added. “We will not stop until there is a total European exit from Israeli territory.”

“Area C” refers to all areas in Judea and Samaria that are under full jurisdictional control by Israeli authorities.

Damri made sure to thank Regavim for its partnership in fighting against illegal construction in Judea and Samaria and for its “tremendous help and cooperation in this matter,” he said.

Michael Bachner and Tzvi Lev contributed to this report.