At the end of January, Israel will once again have the opportunity to rid itself of the TIPH national observer presence in Chevron, a presence that has been renewed biannually since 1997.  Baruch Hashem, during his visit to the Holy City, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon stated the renewal of the TIPH mandate is not to be taken for granted. It is not certain this will occur, indicating the Foreign Ministry is weighing its options.

The countries whose observers comprise TIPH (Temporary International Presence in Hebron) include Switzerland, Norway, Italy, Turkey, Denmark and Sweden.

TIPH officials stress the validity and importance of their mandate, providing a measure of safety and comfort for the city’s Palestinian residents.

Officials in Chevron’s Jewish community would be extremely pleased if the TIPH mandate is not renewed, explaining over the years, the presence of the observers has proven over and over again that it simply sides with the Arabs, and in many cases, rather than calming the situation, TIPH officials have done quite the opposite, adding fuel to the fires of conflict, generally siding with PA residents against the Chevron Jewish community.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)