The families living in Mitzpeh Avichai, near the city of Kiryat Arba in the Hevron region, managed to rebuild a number of homes on Thursday within a few hours of their total destruction. The homes were demolished the night before.
The story began at 1:30 a.m. Thursday, when security forces arrived unannounced in the outpost and proceeded to demolish three houses. Residents of Mitzpeh Avichai accused police of destroying the buildings without official authorization to do so.
One family, a couple with two children, was given only five minutes to leave their home, residents reported. The family was removed from the building by force and their belongings thrown on the ground outside, then the building was demolished.
Land of Israel activists published a notice Thursday accusing new Judea and Samaria commander Avi Mizrachi of “continuing with the destructive policies set forth by his predecessor, Gadi Shamni.” Outposts that are destroyed will be rebuilt, they announced, in accordance with the biblical verse “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad” (Exodus 1:12).
The process of demolition and reconstruction was documented by residents of the Hevron region, and the pictures were placed on the Eretz Yisrael – Mamshichim U'b'gaon (“Land of Israel – Continuing with Pride”) website.
A home in Mitzpeh Avichai, prior to Thursday's demolition
The home is destroyed
The family's belongings are thrown on the ground outside
A Mitzpeh Avichai resident watches the demolition while cradling his child
Newly homeless, a child sleeps next to the ruins of Mitzpeh Avichai
On Thursday morning, the families prepare to begin anew
Three-year-old Nahala assists in the reconstruction of her home
All photos courtesy of “Eretz Yisrael – Mamshichim U'b'gaon.”