A large number of security troops arrived during the early morning hours Sunday, 17 Teves 5773, to remove the Ohz Tzion outpost in the Binyamin Regional Council district.

The first stage of the eviction came on erev shabbos but due to formidable resistance, troops backed off and promised to return on motzei shabbos. The Civil Administration entered into talks with Rabbi Dov Lior and agreement was reached by which most of the inhabitants of the outpost agreed to leave voluntarily to avoid a repeat of the violent clashes which involved the use of tear gas and stun grenades on erev shabbos.

Dozens of youths opted to remain for shabbos, together with Tzfas Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi Dov Lior. The two rabbonim met with representatives of the Civil Administration on erev shabbos in nearby Ofra, at which time the agreement was reached to evacuate the outpost on motzei shabbos.

A few youths remained overnight and they were removed early Sunday morning as bulldozers destroyed three makeshift structures established at the site.

When asked to comment on the violence surrounding the outpost since erev shabbos, HaBayit HaYehudi leader Naftali Bennett told Israel Radio that “if the outpost is illegal, certainly it must be removed.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)