Artists come out against removal of Palestinian hamlet

Some 200 artists, writers, scientists, and intellectuals called on the government Monday to stay demolition orders for dozens of homes in a West Bank Palestinian village and charged that to go ahead with the removals would be immoral and “heart-wrenching.”

Under the title “No to Deportation,” the signatories appealed against plans that would demolish half of the village of Susya, which lies south of the city of Hebron, the Hebrew-language NRG new site reported.

Israel’s Supreme Court ruled last month that the Civil Administration, Israel’s military governing authority in the West Bank, had the right to demolish Palestinian homes in Susya because they had been built without permission.

“The Civil Administration and the army notified the residents of Khirbet Susya of their intentions later this week to destroy half of the village, and in effect expel them from their land,” the petition noted. “The destruction and uprooting is cruel, immoral, and illegal.”

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Among those who signed the petition were renowned authors A.B. Yehoshua and Amos Oz and filmmaker Ari Folman, who directed the Golden Globe-winning animated film “Waltz with Bashir.”

Carrying out the demolitions and subsequent deportations would, the signatories said, be “heart-wrenching” and leave 75 people — including 35 children — homeless in the desert.

Last week, the US warned Israel to not dismantle the village’s structures.

“We strongly urge the Israeli authorities to refrain from carrying out any demolitions in the village,” State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in a press briefing.

The town’s residents argue that they had no choice but to build illegally, because the Civil Administration rarely grants permits to Palestinians in the West Bank’s Area C — a zone officially controlled by the Israel Defense Forces as per the 1993 Oslo peace accords.

Kirby said the evictions and demolitions “would be harmful and provocative” and urged Israel to work with village residents to find a solution.

In June, diplomats from all 28 European member states traveled to Susya to protest Israel’s decision.

JTA contributed to this report.