Following a 9-hour meeting at the Prime Minister’s office overnight Sunday, which included a 4-hour discussion by PM Netanyahu and Habayit Hayehudi Chairman Naftali Bennett, a new outline was submitted to the Amona community for a consenting evacuation – one week before the high court’s mandated date, and after the community had voted against an earlier proposed outline. Amona is expected to vote on the new outline by noon Sunday.
The new outline, according to Walla, was agreed on by Chairman of the Amona resistance Avihay Boaron, Amona Chief Rabbi Yair Frank, and Shomron Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, who has been involved in the negotiation efforts over the past two weeks. Boaron and Frank have already presented the newest outline to their fellow residents.
In addition to the new outline, 24, rather than 12 families originally, would be allowed to remain on lot 38 near Amona. Should the residents accept the proposed outline, the government would petition the court for an extra 30 days and work on lot 38 would start.
In addition to the new outline, the Netanyahu cabinet is expected to approve on Sunday morning an additional proposal to establish temporary housing in Ofra for the remaining Amona residents as well as nine Ofra families, and provide approximately $10.5 milion in monetary compensation to the evacuees. The Finance Ministry will provide $2.33 million for infrastructure and public buildings in the temporary section; and the Defense Ministry will add $1 million for renting lodging and public buildings for the interim period, until the new section is ready. Regional Council Mateh Binyamin will receive $3.88 million for “special expenses” in the interim period.
A meeting Saturday night of the Amona community and hundreds of activists who had arrived to help stop the Dec. 25 evacuation was dedicated to the locals’ commitment to avoid at all cost any violent interaction with security forces.
Meanwhile, IDF soldiers have been adamant in expressing their objection to being used to evict Jews from their homes. According to Walla, on Saturday night fighters of the Tzabar battalion of the Givati Brigade left their post in protest and then returned to their routine duties.
The IDF Spokesman’s office released a statement condemning disobedience in its ranks and reassuring soldiers and the public that the first wave of attack in the evacuation of Amona will consist of police.
