Yesterday, the 21st of May, "Breaking the Silence" appealed to the High Court through attorney Michael Sfard, an urgent appeal against the IDF and Hebron police policy, who have benn barring for over a month the organization's entrance to Hebron for the sake of tours, and apprehending the tour guides. The new Brigadier General of Hebron, General Udi Ben Muha decided around a month ago that the tours guided by the organization weekly for over three years will be stopped from now on, and gave orders to expel from the city any member of the organization.
This decision comes after an escalation of Israeli settler violence towards the tour guides in the last couple of months: Throwing of eggs ands stones, damage to property, and even physical abuse have become the regular reception waiting for the groups touring the city. During all those incidents the police and military didn't do a thing to stop these acts and to uphold law against the settlers, and now the settlers are even being rewarded: blocking of tours.
After the many attempts to hold a dialogue between the organization through Michael Sfard and representatives of the military and police failed, the organization understood that it has no choice but to seek a solution by legal means.
Yehuda Shaul, Co-founder of BTS: "The current policy of stopping the tours is an infringement of the right to free speech and freedom of movement by the authorities whose role is to make sure these rights are manifested. This phenomenon should worry Israeli citizens regarding the future of Israeli democracy. We hope the High Court will prove to be a defender of human rights and won't back this policy of silencing."
Attorney Michael Sfard: "The Hebron Police have become the executive wing of the Hebron Settlers, and we cannot accept this kind of politicization of the law."
