Defense Minister Ehud Barak had ordered the military to submit the demolition program
by the time he left for the United States on June 1, Middle East Newsline reported. Barak was expected to
meet senior U.S. officials from the administration of President Barack Obama
at a time of change in Israeli relations with Washington.
On June 1, as Barak arrived in the United States, a force of several
hundred Israeli police officers stormed Jewish communities in the northern
West Bank. There were no reports of resistance.
On May 27, the army and Border Guard conducted a joint exercise that
simulated an attack on an unauthorized Jewish community in the West Bank.
The border police stormed the community while reserve army units conducted
perimeter defense.
The exercise was comprised of a blue force and red force. The red force,
representing Jewish resisters, threw bottles toward the attacking border
guard units.
"Border Guard units in Judea and Samaria [West Bank] routinely train for
all scenarios and missions they encounter, ranging from terrorism to crime
to riots and more," the Border Guard said in a statement. "The concerned
training session is part of the same annual training program."
But officials acknowledged that the Defense Ministry has been
coordinating plans to destroy up to 22 unauthorized Jewish communities in
the West Bank by August 2009. They said the operational plans were drafted
by the military's Central Command, responsible for the West Bank, and would
be relayed to Barak.
Military sources said the plans by Central Command called for Border
Guard and special police troops to storm Jewish communities slated for
destruction. They said the operation to evict an estimated 2,000 Israelis
would involve at least two stages and last between one and two weeks.
"We are expecting violence from some of the settlers," the source said.
