This week, B'Tselem is publishing a report describing the continuing effort of Israel to expel the Palestinians who live in caves in the southern Hebron hills. The residents were expelled in 2000 and then received an order from Israel's High Court of Justice allowing them to return to their homes until their legal petition is heard. Since then, the residents have been living with the threat of expulsion hovering over their heads.

The report describes the lives of the residents under the intimidation of a group of particularly violent settlers who live nearby. These settlers have continually attacked the Palestinians and damaged their property. The police do little to enforce the law against the settlers, and the army does even less. In some cases, soldiers have even assisted settlers in committing their violent acts.

In addition, on a few occasions, the army destroyed the residents' farmland by driving tanks and other armored vehicles onto the fields. Furthermore, the Civil Administration prohibits the residents from building in their villages, even construction to provide a proper water supply and to meet other basic needs.

The report's findings raise the concern that Israel is attempting to gradually wear down the residents and get them to leave the area, an achievement they have not yet been able to attain in court.

In the report, B'Tselem protests the attempted expulsion and Israel’s current policy toward the residents, which severely infringe their human rights and flagrantly breaches international law. B'Tselem calls on the government of Israel to cancel the eviction orders currently pending against the cave residents; instruct the army and police to protect the cave residents and to seriously enforce the law against violent settlers; and compensate Palestinians whose land and personal property were damaged by settlers, the army, or the Civil Administration.