Large police and civil administration forces carried out a swift demolition operation at Givat Or Ahuviya in Benjamin region early Wednesday morning, forcing out residents including a heavily pregnant woman in near-freezing temperatures. The operation, specifically authorized by Minister Smotrich, has ignited fierce criticism from within his own political camp.
Around 3 AM, security forces descended on the outpost near Ofra settlement, demolishing two homes. One belonged to the Ben Natan family - Eliyashiv (cousin of fallen soldier Shuval Ben Natan) and his heavily pregnant wife Efrat, who was forced out into the 4-degree Celsius cold.
"We were woken by heavy pounding on the door. Police gave us 10 minutes to evacuate and remove all furniture and clothes before demolition," Ben Natan recounted. "We tried explaining that my wife is in late pregnancy and it's insane to throw her out in this cold, but the officers didn't care. Within minutes, everything - furniture, food, clothes - was thrown outside in a pile and our home destroyed."
Unlike previous evacuations ordered by military commanders, this demolition required and received Minister Smotrich's direct approval, as the structures had stood for nearly a year. The operation was briefly delayed Tuesday following public pressure but proceeded in what residents called a "midnight ambush."
Ben Natan suggested the timing was deliberate: "While public attention is focused on the northern ceasefire agreement, Smotrich chose this moment to show weakness to the Palestinian Authority. This hill physically blocks expansion of Ramon and Dir Dabwan villages and the Palestinian Tarifi quarry toward Ofra, maintaining Jewish territorial continuity protecting Ofra."
MK Limor Son Har-Melech sharply criticized Smotrich on X: "It's 5 degrees, with a storm raging in Benjamin hills - couldn't you find something better to do tonight than evict a pregnant woman from her home? You have the power to stop this injustice."
Givat Or Ahuviya, established a year ago on a strategic ridge southeast of Ofra, was founded by former residents of Ma'oz Esther outpost. Named after the late Ahuviya Sandak, whose sister lives there, it forms part of an emerging Jewish territorial continuity in the Ofra sector, including Givat Or Meir and two other settlement points near Amona.