Israel evicts hardline settlers from West Bank outpost

ISRAELI police began evicting dozens of hardline Jewish settlers from a wildcat outpost yesterday, just hours after unveiling plans for 3 000 new homes in other West Bank settlements.

The announcement of new settler homes was the fourth since US President Donald Trump took office less than two weeks ago having signalled a softer stance on Israeli settlement building.

It was seen as a sop to supporters of the Amona outpost, where hundreds of police officers moved in to carry out the evictions after the high court determined the homes were built on private Palestinian land.

The operation marked the end of months of attempts by government hardliners to legalise the outpost near Ramallah.

There had been fears of violence after hundreds of sympathisers of the settlers slipped past army roadblocks on foot and lit tyres around the outpost.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said there were about 3 000 officers in and around Amona to move the 42 families.

He estimated that a further 600 people who were not from the outpost had arrived for the eviction.

“We’re hoping that things will go relatively calmly and quietly. We’re ready to respond if necessary to any violence,” he said.

It was, however, reported later that officers were attacked by anarchists with materials that made their eyes burn, noting that a number of officers were lightly injured and treated at the scene.

Youths confronted the police with chants such as “How will you feel tomorrow after you evacuate a Jew from his home?” and “Today it’s me, tomorrow it will be you”, as police began evacuating them from the area.

Earlier, some women holding children left their homes, as youths barricaded themselves inside.

Protesters said they would not leave willingly but that they would not resort to violence. “We won’t be going, they’ll have to take us,” Amona resident Rivka Lafair, 19, said.

Far-right lawmaker Moti Yogev, whose Jewish Home Party is part of Israel’s governing coalition, joined the settlers in a show of solidarity.

The international community considers all Jewish settlements on occupied Palestinian land as illegal and regards their construction as the biggest obstacle to a peaceful settlement of the conflict.