While proudly flying the flag of “law and order”, vowing to remove unauthorized outposts from Yehuda and Shomron, Defense Minister Ehud Barak is working to whitewash illegal Arab homes located near Moshav Petza’el, near Highway 90 in the Jordan Valley. Dozens of homes were constructed illegally, yet rather than confront the Arab community, the Defense Ministry seems to prefer giving retroactive legal status to the new Arab community, as opposed to the outposts where the policy is a hard-line approach.

According to David Alchiani, who heads the Jordan Valley Regional Council, IDF Civil Administration representatives have recently indicated plans are being completed towards giving legal status to the illegal Arab homes. Alchiani turned to DM Barak, asking for an urgent meeting, but his request was turned down.

On Monday, Alchiani was seen in Knesset, lobbying elected officials to intervene, to overturn the Defense Ministry’s decision, calling it “an unprecedented step towards legalizing vast illegal construction”.  He questioned lawmakers if there are two different law books, one for Jews and one for Arabs.

The Civil Administration and the Defense Ministry both declined comment.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)