Majority of House Democrats urge Netanyahu to remove fence around Israeli community of Carmel
A majority of House Democrats urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 31 to order the removal of a barbed-wire fence erected by residents of the Jewish community of Carmel, arguing that it prevents children from the nearby Bedouin village of Umm Al-Kheir from reaching their school.The letter, signed by 111 House Democrats and led by Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), describes the Carmel residents as “extremists from the nearby settlement of Carmel,” who, for over three months, “have maintained a barbed wire fence blocking the path that the children of Umm Al-Kheir use to travel to their school.”The lawmakers accuse the Israel Defense Forces of providing protection for the action, which they say “is a violation of the fundamental right to an education.”The IDF has stated that Carmel residents erected the fence within the community’s municipal boundaries and that…
On July 31, 111 House Democrats, led by Reps. Jamie Raskin, Rosa DeLauro, Sean Casten, and Sara Jacobs, urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to remove a barbed-wire fence erected by residents of the Jewish community of Carmel. The lawmakers contend the fence blocks children from the nearby Bedouin village of Umm Al-Kheir from reaching their school, calling it a “violation of the fundamental right to an education.” They also claim an alternative route poses “significant security risks” and “roughly doubles the distance.”
“continuing down the path of settler extremism will further degrade Israel’s international standing and relationship with the United States”
Conversely, Israeli officials state the fence is within Carmel’s municipal boundaries and a safe alternative route exists that does not pass through Carmel. Eliram Azulay, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, demonstrated a 70-second alternative route and accused Umm Al-Kheir residents of misrepresenting the situation. Carmel residents installed the fence due to repeated unauthorized crossings and a 2022 funeral procession displaying Hamas flags within their community. The Mount Hebron Regional Council also asserts Umm Al-Kheir is an illegal outpost, with Israel’s Civil Administration issuing demolition orders for 13 structures in the village.
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