UPDATE: Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has suspended the eviction order against the protesters, saying the only limits on their stay would be the same as had been imposed on the supporters of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange, who were not allowed to sleep there.
Mayor Barkat told Tazpit News Agency the evacuation order had been done without his knowledge and that it was the families’ “democratic right to protest, and we not only not prevent it, we will help them.” He apologized for the mistake.
Barkat added: “The pain of the bereaved families is obvious. Everyone understands it, including those in the government. Some of these families have paid this price once, twice, three and four times already.”
According to Tazpit, members of city government approached the mayor this morning, asking him if he was aware of the summons issued by a city inspector. When the mayor heard that he acted at once to prevent an even bigger public relations disaster and rushed to the protest tent to deliver the message and to apologize personally.
Published earlier:
Families of victims of Arab terror were shocked to learn this morning that their protest tent opposite the Prime Minster’s residence is to be removed.
The families are protesting the upcoming release of 26 terrorists who murdered innocents Israelis as well as Arabs.
The Jerusalem Municipality ordered the removal of the protest tents after it they were put up only a few days ago.
The Gilad Shalit protest tent was up for months.