Amona Residents Re-Affirm Compromise, Promise to Evacuate Peacefully

Jerusalem, 22 December, 2016 (TPS) -- Amona residents affirmed their acceptance of a compromise deal to the High Court of Justice Thursday, and said there should be “no question” that they will honor the terms of the compromise deal reached earlier in the week. Under terms of the agreement, residents agreed to leave their homes peacefully in exchange for explicit government promises that the community will be rebuilt on an adjacent hill.

“Let there be no question: All residents of Amona view themselves as obligated by the signature of the community’s elected leadership to an agreement that calls for the evacuation and future possibilities for the legalization of Amona,” said Ofer Inbar, a spokesman for the community. “[We agreed] to leave the current site without violence or physical resistance, in keeping with the decision that the community made.”

The declaration followed a demand by the High Court of Justice Wednesday for a formal declaration by all Amona residents that they would abide by the terms of the compromise agreement before the Court would agree to a State request to delay the eviction of residents from the current site for 45 days. Earlier Thursday, local media reported that some residents had changed their minds and would not formally commit to evacuating the site without physical resistance, but Inbar called the reports “lies.”

The Court originally ruled that the outpost must be evacuated by December 25.

Residents added that they expect the State to stand by its commitments to build new buildings for Amona residents, as well as the rest of the commitments that are outlined in the agreement.