The Temporary International Presence in Hebron has a long record of misconduct resulting in repeated complaints submitted to the Foreign Ministry, Israel Hayom has learned.
The Temporary International Presence in Hebron, or TIPH, is a civilian observer mission that was established in the wake of the 1994 Cave of the Patriarchs massacre, in which Jewish terrorist Baruch Goldstein killed 29 Muslim worshippers and wounded 125 others as they gathered for a prayer service inside the holy site.
The TIPH mission, which comprises personnel from Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey, was originally established at the behest of the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority, with aim of monitoring and recording any violation of international humanitarian law.
Recently, however, a growing number of complaints have alleged that the observers are systematically and violently targeting the Jewish community in Hebron.
According to security officials, TIPH has been overstepping its mandate by providing tours to foreign diplomats in the city. The tours, they say, are biased against Israel.
Israel Defense Forces official have also alerted on multiple occasions that the observer force is privy to classified Israeli operations in Hebron and occasionally interferes with the IDF's activity with their presence.
These latest revelations come amid ongoing calls to end TIPH's mission due to its perceived anti-Israel bias. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said recently that "it is unclear why we even need such a force that is not neutral."
Shaked said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should raise this issue at the next Diplomatic-Security Cabinet meeting.
Netanyahu has pledged to make a decision on the issue by the end of December.
