The synagogue building in Mitzpe Ziv, near Ma’ale Hever in the Mount Hebron Regional Council, was set on fire during Shabbat and burned to the ground by Arabs, for the third time. The observatory was erected in memory of two graduates of the Walnut Regiment, Yehuda Ben Yosef and Yoav Doron, who were accidentally killed by a soldier in 2003.
In recent years, buildings on the site have been set on fire several times by Arabs and subsequently restored by residents of Mount Hebron, the Amna settlement movement and the council.
Sergeant Avi Desta, commander of the fire brigade that worked at the site, said: “We found many tires that were apparently thrown inside in order to create a strong combustion in the building. In addition, the holy books and the arrangements that were in place were damaged by the fire, the ark that was in the place was also burned, but fortunately there was no Torah scroll inside. “
The head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, Yochai Damari, said that it shocked me to think about the proximity of the cases of two Egoz graduates who were killed about twenty years ago in IDF fire, and about the desecration of their memory this week. “
This is an event that cannot pass in silence. “They throw stones at our vehicles, they erect illegal structures in Area C, they uproot olive trees and seedlings and also burn synagogues. We need to restore our deterrence here and quickly, sovereignty is not just measured in providing traffic reports, sovereignty is measured in controlling the area. Calls on the security forces to investigate the fire and the desecration and the burning of holy books and prayer books. It is a must to get to the operations. This is a hate crime that could turn into a terrorist incident for everything and more In this country in this area and we will continue to preserve the memory of the fallen who commanded us life. “