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U.S. OPPOSES ISRAEL EFFORT TO LEGALIZE SETTLER HOMES ON PRIVATE PALESTINIAN LAND
PanARMENIAN.Net
October 13, 2011 - 21:12 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States said Wednesday, October 12 that
it opposed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's plan to examine the
legality of settler homes on privately owned Palestinian land.
"We oppose any effort to legalize settlement outposts, which is
unhelpful to our peace efforts and would contradict Israeli commitments
and obligations," a statement from the U.S. State Department said.
The U.S. said it did not recognize the "legitimacy of continued
Israeli settlement activity."
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave a nod in the direction of
right-wing politicians, including many members of his party, when he
agreed on Tuesday to create a committee to examine the legal status
of settler homes on privately owned Palestinian land.
News that he might back away from his strict policy that all such
structures be removed was bitterly attacked by the Left and hailed
as a victory by the Right. The latter has long lobbied hard for the
government to move toward legalizing the outposts.
Right-wing politicians are concerned about a number of pending
demolitions of unauthorized settler homes, including at the Migron
and Givat Assaf outposts.
B'Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the
Occupied Territories, said such a move would make the government an
"accomplice in land theft."
Minister of Culture and Sports Limor Livnat, who lobbied for the
committee at Sunday's Likud ministerial meeting, said, "This is
a brave and important decision." The move comes during an intense
effort by the Middle East Quartet to bring the Palestinians back to
the negotiating table. The Palestinians has said they will not talk
with Israel until it ceases settlement activity.
The international community has long expected Israel to remove the
100 West Bank outposts, many of which were started by settlers who
believed that they could eventually be legalized.
Under the 2002 road map, the government is expected to remove some
24 outposts constructed after former prime minister Ariel Sharon took
office in March 2001, The Jerusalem Post reported.
PanARMENIAN.Net
October 13, 2011 - 21:12 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States said Wednesday, October 12 that
it opposed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's plan to examine the
legality of settler homes on privately owned Palestinian land.
"We oppose any effort to legalize settlement outposts, which is
unhelpful to our peace efforts and would contradict Israeli commitments
and obligations," a statement from the U.S. State Department said.
The U.S. said it did not recognize the "legitimacy of continued
Israeli settlement activity."
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave a nod in the direction of
right-wing politicians, including many members of his party, when he
agreed on Tuesday to create a committee to examine the legal status
of settler homes on privately owned Palestinian land.
News that he might back away from his strict policy that all such
structures be removed was bitterly attacked by the Left and hailed
as a victory by the Right. The latter has long lobbied hard for the
government to move toward legalizing the outposts.
Right-wing politicians are concerned about a number of pending
demolitions of unauthorized settler homes, including at the Migron
and Givat Assaf outposts.
B'Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the
Occupied Territories, said such a move would make the government an
"accomplice in land theft."
Minister of Culture and Sports Limor Livnat, who lobbied for the
committee at Sunday's Likud ministerial meeting, said, "This is
a brave and important decision." The move comes during an intense
effort by the Middle East Quartet to bring the Palestinians back to
the negotiating table. The Palestinians has said they will not talk
with Israel until it ceases settlement activity.
The international community has long expected Israel to remove the
100 West Bank outposts, many of which were started by settlers who
believed that they could eventually be legalized.
Under the 2002 road map, the government is expected to remove some
24 outposts constructed after former prime minister Ariel Sharon took
office in March 2001, The Jerusalem Post reported.