however, shimon peres was defeated in the next prime ministerial elections, and in march 1997 police surrounded the mosque and representatives from ila removed copies of the quran and prayer rugs and once again sealed the entrance of the mosque. the conflict was carried to the court in acre, where the uprooted villagers contended that the government action was contrary to israel's "law of preservation of holy places". the ila challenged the villagers right to pray there, and used the illegal eviction of 1951 and the demolition of the village in 1955 as arguments to bolster its claim:"the village of ghabisiyya was abandoned by its inhabitants and destroyed during the war for independence"... [the mosque..had stood].."lonely and neglected"..."and since it was in a run-down and unstable state that constituted a threat to the safety of those inside it, it was decided by the ministry of religions to seal it and fence it off.