Israeli forces began razing buildings in the West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Rehavam today after the Israeli Supreme Court lifted a last-minute injunction against demolishing the 10 structures. In total, 28 buildings in three West Bank settlements—Ma’ale Rehavam, Givat Asaf, and Ramat Gilad—will reportedly be demolished as per a November 2013 Supreme Court ruling that ordered the demolition of the structures within six months.
The last-minute injunction was in response to settler claims that the Ma’ale Rehavam land was purchased legally, but the court overturned that injunction and ruled that the land had been purchased illegally and issued a court order for forces to go ahead with the demolition. According to the Times of Israel, four protestors were arrested this morning during the Ma’ale Rehavam demolition.
Stephanie Butnick is the founder of GOLDA, a Jewish lifestyle newsletter. She hosted the Tablet podcast Unorthodox, co-authored The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia: From Abraham to Zabar’s and Everything in Between, and worked as a writer and editor at Tablet.
