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Israel Approves Another Wave of West Bank Settlement Construction Israel Approves Another Wave of West Bank Settlement Construction
(about 3 hours later)
AMONA, West Bank — Israel approved 3,000 more housing units in the occupied West Bank late Tuesday, the largest number in a wave of new construction plans that defy the international community and that open a forceful phase in the country’s expansion into land the Palestinians claim for a future state. AMONA OUTPOST, West Bank — In a huge acceleration of new settlement construction plans, Israel approved thousands more housing units in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, defying international pressure and launching a forceful new phase of Israeli expansion into land the Palestinians claim for a future state.
Emboldened by the new Trump administration and internal battles at home, Israel announced plans for the new units in about a dozen settlements a week after approving 2,500 homes in the West Bank and 566 in East Jerusalem. The announcement called for 3,000 more settler housing units in the West Bank, roughly doubling two earlier proposed construction plans that brought harsh international condemnation in recent days. Together, the moves have been a significant triumph for conservative politicians who have pressed for more aggressive expansion of settlements, and for the more drastic step of full annexation for some areas.
“We are in a new era, where life in Judea and Samaria goes back to its normal and proper course,” the defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said in a statement, using the biblical name for the West Bank.“We are in a new era, where life in Judea and Samaria goes back to its normal and proper course,” the defense minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said in a statement, using the biblical name for the West Bank.
The timing of the announcement seemed to be driven at least in part by concerns among some Israelis over settlement activity elsewhere: The Israeli Army issued a warrant dated Monday giving 48 hours’ notice for the court-ordered evacuation of the unauthorized settler outpost of Amona, after years of wrangling. But the announcement on Tuesday also seemed to be timed to soothe hard feelings among that same political constituency as thousands of soldiers and police converged early Wednesday on the unauthorized settlement outpost of Amona to evacuate it, days ahead of a court-ordered deadline for its demolition and after years of legal wrangling.
On Wednesday, about 3,000 soldiers and police officers began an operation to evacuate residents of the settlement, which has about 40 families but is supported by many more activists. While young activists barricaded themselves inside some trailer homes and tried to resist the evacuation, settler leaders appeared more intent on exacting a price for it. The new building plans were one way of minimizing any benefit to the Palestinians on whose privately owned land the outpost was constructed.
And perhaps the biggest move still lies ahead: The Israeli Parliament is scheduled to vote next week on legislation that would retroactively legalize scores of other settlement homes and outposts built on private Palestinian land and prevent any future evacuations and demolitions.
The promotion of the settlement project signals an Israeli government emboldened by the new Trump administration, which has so far indicated that it will be more sympathetic to Israeli positions after years of constraints imposed by Washington.
The latest plans for the new units in about a dozen settlements came a week after Israel approved 2,500 homes in the West Bank and 566 in East Jerusalem.
World leaders have denounced the settlements in the West Bank, home to an estimated 400,000 Israelis, arguing that they are choking off the hopes for an agreement on two states — one for Palestinians, one for Israelis.World leaders have denounced the settlements in the West Bank, home to an estimated 400,000 Israelis, arguing that they are choking off the hopes for an agreement on two states — one for Palestinians, one for Israelis.
In December, the United Nations Security Council denounced settlement building — a position that the United States tacitly supported in the waning days of the Obama administration.In December, the United Nations Security Council denounced settlement building — a position that the United States tacitly supported in the waning days of the Obama administration.
“This is a government of settlers that has abandoned the two-state solution and fully embraced the settler agenda,” said Husam Zomlot, strategic affairs adviser to Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority.“This is a government of settlers that has abandoned the two-state solution and fully embraced the settler agenda,” said Husam Zomlot, strategic affairs adviser to Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority.
Mr. Trump seems not to share former President Barack Obama’s opposition to the settlements. Whereas the Obama administration expressed regular criticism of them, Mr. Trump has said nothing about the new construction and his administration has shown signs of tightening ties between the two countries.Mr. Trump seems not to share former President Barack Obama’s opposition to the settlements. Whereas the Obama administration expressed regular criticism of them, Mr. Trump has said nothing about the new construction and his administration has shown signs of tightening ties between the two countries.
The settlement announcement came hours before the beginning of the operation to evacuate Amona. The Israeli government had been working to conduct the evacuation without bloodshed, and hundreds of police officers, wearing police caps and blue fleece jackets but carrying no weapons, moved into position on Wednesday morning. About 3,000 soldiers and police officers took part in the operation to evacuate Amona, where about 40 families who lived in the outpost were joined by hundreds of supporters.
About 2 p.m., the police began evacuating settlers, ripping up makeshift barricades and smashing the windows of trailers used by activists. The government had been working to conduct the evacuation without bloodshed, and hundreds of Israeli police officers, wearing police caps and blue fleece jackets but carrying no weapons, moved into position.
As officers tried to gain entry to one house, residents responded by throwing some kind of liquid, and one man screamed, “You are supposed to protect us, not break into our homes.” At about 2 p.m., the police began evacuating settlers here in Amona, ripping up the makeshift barricades and smashing the windows of trailers used by activists.
Ayelet Videl, 35, who moved from Jerusalem nine years ago, said she had packed a few bags, but not the entire house. She was waiting for a final order to leave, and left later in the day. As the police tried to gain entry to one house, residents responded by throwing some kind of liquid, and one man screamed, “You are supposed to protect us, not break into our homes!”
“I didn’t believe this terrible thing would happen,” said Ms. Videl, who had sent her four children, all born in Amona, to their grandparents’ house. “This is our land, this is our forefather’s land. For 50 years they’ve been related to it in a confused way. They should have declared sovereignty over it.” Ayelet Videl, 35, who moved to the windy, hilltop outpost from Jerusalem nine years ago, said she had packed a few bags, but not the entire house. She was waiting for a final order to leave, and left later in the day.
Despite the evacuation, settler leaders said the day’s events represented a minor setback in what they see as a larger battle. Shilo Adler, the head of the Yesha Council, which represents settlers in the area, said he felt that the transition to a Trump administration was an opportunity to spread settlers, actions that had been delayed in the Obama era. “I didn’t believe this terrible thing would happen,” said Ms. Videl, who had sent her four children, all born in Amona, to their grandparents’ house in central Israel. “This our land, this is our forefather’s land. For 50 years, they’ve related to it in a confused way. They should have declared sovereignty over it.”
Ms. Videl’s husband, Hillel, had to be carried out by security forces.
Despite the evacuation, settler leaders said the day’s events represented only a minor setback in what they see as a larger battle. Shilo Adler, the head of the Yesha Council, which represents settlers in the area, said he felt that the transition to a Trump administration was an opportunity to spread settlers that was delayed in the Obama era.
“Now is the time. Now we have a historical time to build in all of Judea and Samaria,” he said, adding, “Take this very bad story, and think what we can do now, like after the rain.”“Now is the time. Now we have a historical time to build in all of Judea and Samaria,” he said, adding, “Take this very bad story, and think what we can do now, like after the rain.”
By midafternoon, the police had reported at least 10 injuries from objects being thrown at them and said that 20 “rioters” had been arrested. By midafternoon, the police had reported at least 10 injuries from objects being thrown at them, and said that about 20 people described as rioters had been arrested.
The announcement on Tuesday for the new settlements could help ease the pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under investigation on several fronts and is trying to push back against politicians further to the right. The education minister, Naftali Bennett, is pressing for legislation — not yet fully embraced by Mr. Netanyahu — to take the drastic step of the first annexation of a settlement, Ma’ale Adumim, just east of Jerusalem.The announcement on Tuesday for the new settlements could help ease the pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under investigation on several fronts and is trying to push back against politicians further to the right. The education minister, Naftali Bennett, is pressing for legislation — not yet fully embraced by Mr. Netanyahu — to take the drastic step of the first annexation of a settlement, Ma’ale Adumim, just east of Jerusalem.
Mr. Netanyahu is also pushing for legislation that would retroactively legalize scores of settlement homes and outposts built on privately owned Palestinian land. Israel’s attorney general has said that the bill is illegal and that he would refuse to defend any challenges in court. Speaking in the parliament on Wednesday as the outpost evacuation got underway, Mr. Bennett said of Amona: “We lost the battle, but we are winning the campaign for the land of Israel.”
Mr. Netanyahu is also pushing for contentious legislation that would retroactively legalize the illegal outposts, though he originally opposed it. Israel’s attorney general has said that the bill is unconstitutional an contravenes international law, and that he would refuse to defend any challenges in court.
“Instead of making peace with the Palestinians, Prime Minister Netanyahu and his cabinet spend time making peace with the settlers, which at the end of the day, is their preferred partner for the future of the Jewish state,” said Mitchell Barak, a pollster and political consultant.“Instead of making peace with the Palestinians, Prime Minister Netanyahu and his cabinet spend time making peace with the settlers, which at the end of the day, is their preferred partner for the future of the Jewish state,” said Mitchell Barak, a pollster and political consultant.
Mr. Zomlot said that Mr. Netanyahu was using this time of political transition in the United States to test how the new administration’s stance might differ from that of Mr. Obama. The Israeli prime minister is to meet with Mr. Trump in Washington on Feb. 15. Mr. Zomlot said that Mr. Netanyahu was using this time of political transition in the United States to test how the new administration’s stance might differ from that of Mr. Obama. The prime minister is to meet with Mr. Trump in Washington on Feb. 15.
There are already signs that Mr. Trump intends to be more sympathetic to Israel’s claims: He appointed as ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who opposes a two-state solution and has supported settlements.There are already signs that Mr. Trump intends to be more sympathetic to Israel’s claims: He appointed as ambassador to Israel David Friedman, who opposes a two-state solution and has supported settlements.
Mr. Trump has also promised to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem — a move that Palestinians and Arab leaders have denounced as de facto recognition of Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem after capturing it from Jordan in the 1967 war. Mr. Trump has since said the move requires further study.Mr. Trump has also promised to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem — a move that Palestinians and Arab leaders have denounced as de facto recognition of Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem after capturing it from Jordan in the 1967 war. Mr. Trump has since said the move requires further study.
Nonetheless, Mr. Zomlot said his “working assumption” was that the Trump administration would ultimately fall more in line with past American administrations, which have seen two states as the only solution.Nonetheless, Mr. Zomlot said his “working assumption” was that the Trump administration would ultimately fall more in line with past American administrations, which have seen two states as the only solution.
“We are looking forward to working with this administration to find a formula for peace — the ultimate deal, as Trump called it,” he said.“We are looking forward to working with this administration to find a formula for peace — the ultimate deal, as Trump called it,” he said.