Excavator used by IDF confiscated in Gush Etzion

The Honenu legal aid organization has contacted the Civil Administration demanding the immediate return of an excavator and tools allegedly taken from a couple living in the community of Gefen Ami in Gush Etzion during an operation by security forces last Wednesday. According to the organization, the confiscated excavator had previously been used by the IDF for many months during the fighting in the Gaza Strip. Its owner is a reservist who has served more than 800 days since the beginning of the war.

At the center of the affair are Adi and Ma'ati Kolani, residents of the community. Adi works as a renovation contractor and heavy equipment operator. During his reserve service, he participated in regional defense operations in Judea and Samaria, as well as operations in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. In addition, both spouses volunteer as ambulance drivers and paramedics with Magen David Adom (MDA). The incident occurred against the backdrop of disturbances in the area surrounding the community.

On Wednesday, Arabs from the village of Beit Ummar entered the community, threw stones toward its access road, and clashes developed in the area. During the incidents, concerns were also raised about a possible infiltration into the residential area. At the time, Adi was involved in securing the community. Later that evening, the couple heard noises near their home. When they went outside to investigate, they reportedly saw dozens of Border Police officers operating at the scene.

According to the couple, one of the officers was already sitting in the driver's cab of their excavator, which was parked near their home, preparing to drive it away. Meanwhile, other officers were loading equipment belonging to Adi, which he uses to earn his livelihood, onto their vehicles. According to Honenu, the items taken included circular saws, three power screwdrivers, a leaf blower, and additional tools, with a combined value estimated at tens of thousands of shekels.

The couple attempted to find out why the equipment was being taken and what legal grounds justified the action, but they claim they received no satisfactory explanation. They further alleged that the officers did not present any confiscation orders. According to their account, the officers referred them to the commander of the regional brigade. When they contacted him, he reportedly responded that the operation had been carried out "because of what happened in the village."

The excavator was driven from the scene to a military base near the community of Karmei Tzur. Honenu claims that the excavator was defective and unfit to be driven, and that moving it under its own power could cause serious damage. Another detail concerning the circumstances of the confiscation relates to the military's previous use of the excavator. According to the couple, the excavator was requisitioned twice for IDF service through the Defense Ministry during the war and was used by troops in the Gaza Strip for extended periods.

After it was returned from operational service, the couple had to invest thousands of shekels in repairs. Following the numerous mechanical problems discovered after its most recent deployment, they decided to sell it. The sale was scheduled to take place on Thursday morning, just hours after the excavator was taken from their home. The allegations extend beyond the confiscation of equipment. According to Honenu, as the security forces were leaving the community, officers ordered Ma'ati Kolani to move a vehicle that was blocking the excavator's path.

When she asked to look for the vehicle's key, she was detained by the officers. The organization claims that she was released only several hours later and was forced to walk home alone from a nearby intersection after dark. Following the incidents, attorney Azriel Pikar of Honenu's Civil Department contacted the Civil Administration, demanding the return of the excavator and all other equipment taken from the couple. In his letter, Pikar emphasized the excavator's previous use during the war and the fact that the additional tools are essential to Adi's livelihood.

"The excavator belonging to my client was requisitioned for an extended period of IDF service through the Defense Ministry. My client made the equipment available to the state out of a desire to assist the war effort and contribute as much as he could during the difficult period the country was experiencing," he wrote. He further stated: "My client is a renovation contractor by profession, and the tools taken during the incident are the professional tools he uses to carry out his regular work.

"This is a serious and outrageous incident in which, instead of showing appreciation to residents who dedicate their lives to the security of the state, the authorities choose to harm them and take away their work tools and personal equipment. "It is unacceptable that a person who has served hundreds of days in the reserves, contributed his excavator to the IDF during the war, and is also involved in saving lives should find himself subjected to such harassment by the security forces."

The attorney made clear that the organization intends to pursue legal action to secure the return of the property. "We demand the immediate return of the equipment, and we will use every legal means available to us to prevent the recurrence of serious incidents of this kind."