Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon has withdrawn Border Police from the Ode Yosef Chai Yeshiva in the community of Yitzhar in northern Samaria after a one-year siege of the institution that has been accused of inciting “price tag’ actions against Arabs.
Ya’alon initially shut down the yeshiva last summer, but despite the screaming headlines that the government had “defeated” the youth, the closure was during the three-week period after the Fast of the 10th of Av when yeshivas go on vacation.
He allowed the yeshiva to re-open, under Border Police guard, the day after all yeshivas re-opened their doors again on the beginning of the month of Elul, one month before Rosh Hashanah.
After a year’s opportunity for the Border Police to learn some Torah and return to repentance, the Defense Minister decided earlier this week not to extend the order that placed Border Police in the Yeshiva study hall.
One the one hand, the security forces now are denied a chance to learn Torah.
On the other hand, the yeshiva stated:
We are happy that the defense establishment climbed down the tree, but it is a pity that the Defense Minister has not apologized for the unprecedented theft of the yeshiva and desecration of more than year.
We wish him and all of those involved in this criminal act to repent. The continued harassment of the yeshivas, including budget cuts, is an attempt to gag us but will not succeed.
The Yitzhar yeshiva added it intends sue the government for damage caused by Border Police the past year.
