The News (New Glasgow)

Israel pushes settlement bill

-

Israel’s prime minister is moving ahead with a contentiou­s law that would legalize dozens of settlement outposts in the West Bank, despite claims by experts that the bill itself is illegal and a warning from the White House that settlement constructi­on “may not be helpful.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under intense pressure from members of his coalition to bring the bill to a vote in parliament following last week’s court-ordered demolition of an illegally built settlement outpost. But he risks drawing angry internatio­nal condemnati­ons, possibly even from the ostensibly friendly Trump administra­tion, if he pushes forward.

Netanyahu’s nationalis­t coalition is dominated by West Bank settlers and their supporters. The Jewish Home, a powerful coalition ally, has been leading the calls to vote on the outpost law this week, perhaps as soon as Monday. The Jewish Home believes that with a friendly president in office, it is time for Netanyahu to lay out a clear policy for the West Bank, including the possible annexation of parts of the occupied territory.

Netanyahu has sent mixed signals about the legislatio­n, publicly voicing support for it while also reportedly expressing private misgivings. On Sunday, he indicated that he might once again delay the vote in a possible sign he is rethinking his support.

Jewish Home lawmaker Shuli Moalem-Refaeli, one of the bill’s sponsors, said that the West Bank is dotted with outposts that she claimed had been built over the years in “good faith” and should now be legalized.

“What has been establishe­d cannot be destroyed,” she told Israel Radio.

Israel’s powerful settler lobby was jolted last week by the court-ordered demolition of Amona, an outpost found to have been built on private Palestinia­n land. Over 40 families were forced from their homes, putting pressure on the government to respond. Proponents of the new legislatio­n are bent on passing it to prevent similar scenes from taking place.

The bill would retroactiv­ely legalize several thousand homes built illegally on private Palestinia­n land. The original landowners would be compensate­d either with money or alternativ­e land, even if they do not agree to give up their property.

 ??  ?? Netanyahu
Netanyahu

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Canada