Authorities announced today that pre-fabricated housing units will be erected in Hebron to house a group of some 80 religious Jews who want to re-establish the defunct Jewish community in that West Bank Arab town. The would-be settlers had been living in rented hotel quarters in Hebron since Passover. On Sunday they were moved to the Military Governor’s compound. The housing units are expected to be built within two months.
The move indicates that the Government may be yielding to pressure by Orthodox elements and groups advocating the retention by Israel of Arab territories occupied in last June’s war. While the Government has permitted the para-military Nahal to establish settlements in the Sinai, Golan Heights and elsewhere, the Hebron settlers are the first civilians to remain in former Arab territory.
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