Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar gave his backing to the Homesh yeshiva Tuesday and stated that he supports the regulation of yeshiva so in can stay in its current location.
In an interview with Ynet, Sa'ar said that the recent murder of Yehuda Dimentman meant the government should not evacuate the yeshiva now so as not to present a reward for terrorism.
"There is an extremist terrorist organization here that murdered, and things may be interpreted, if the yeshiva is evacuated, as an achievement for that terrorist organization," he said.
“I’m for settlement and I’m for the law, there’s no conflict between the two. The yeshiva, if they have classes there, does not constitute a new settlement," Sa'ar said. "From time to time the question has arisen of whether we should establish a new settlement there or not, but it’s never been decided."
It was reported yesterday that Defense Minister Benny Gantz is seeking to relocate the Homesh yeshiva to the nearby community of Eviatar.
Representatives of the yeshiva rejected the proposal, saying: "We will never leave Homesh. We will not negotiate a withdrawal from Homesh, and no such appeal was made, and if such an appeal was made it would be rejected immediately. We returned to Homesh to correct injustice and disgrace."
They added, "There can be no reward for terrorism, the very talk of displacement and a five-year retreat after 15 years of settlement - they are a reward for terrorism, which will not happen."