Large police forces arrived this morning (Monday) in the settlement of Yitzhar in the Samaria region and demolished several buildings and a tent. During the demolition, the police also dismantled the tourism lookout that was established in memory of the late Rina Shnerb, who was killed in a terrorist attack at Ein Bubin Spring in 2019.
Yossi Dagan: "The demolition of the Rina Lookout - a shame on the government"
During the preparations for the demolition, one of the residents attached himself to a structure made of iron and concrete in an attempt to delay the demolition. Yossi Dagan, the head of the Samaria Regional Council, responded: "The demolished lookout will be rebuilt. It is a disgrace and distortion unparalleled, that during a right-wing government, hundreds of illegal Arab homes are being built without interference in the surrounding area of Yitzhar. What hinders law enforcement is a small lookout built by youth in memory of a terror victim. It's a government's shame."
Dagan continued to say, "This policy of persecution against Jews, should be eradicated from the world. The demolished lookout will be rebuilt. I send a big hug to the residents of Yitzhar, to the settlers of Samaria. Every decent person in this country needs to speak out against this injustice. We have demands from the government, and we will not give up. The national government should build the Land of Israel, not destroy it."
In conclusion, Dagan said: "Since Friday, tractors of the Palestinian Authority have been working undisturbed for a long time and almost damaged the heritage asset of the Jewish people and humanity as a whole - the Yehoshua ben Nun altar itself. Only after we cried out and protested did they stop the tractor work. There is blatant discrimination here and we will not accept it."
Following the demolition of the buildings, Knesset member Tali Gottlieb criticized the leader of the Religious Zionist movement. She tweeted on her Twitter account, saying, "Minister Smotrich, tell me I'm wrong. Aren't you the leader of the Religious Zionist movement?? Tell me there's no way that in your tenure, the civil administration is demolishing a tourism lookout in memory of Rina Shnerb, HY"D, at the doorstep of the Yitzhar settlement. I could understand it, but what excuse will you give your voters who contact me with numerous messages about this incident? It's your responsibility. Stop this disgrace."
