Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday vowed that his government would authorize the illegal outpost of Havat Gilad at its February 4 meeting.
According to the Jerusalem Post, this will “mark the fourth time since Netanyahu took office in 2009 that his government transformed an existing outpost into a new settlement”.
Israel's settlements: 50 years of land theft — explained https://t.co/BKSyLd0ekx pic.twitter.com/TuKV908yVa
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 29, 2018
In 2012, the paper noted, the government authorized three outposts as new settlements: Bruchin, Rehalim and Sansana. In 2017, meanwhile, “the government also created the first entirely new settlement in over 20 years, called Amihai”.
Havat Gilad is an unauthorized settler outpost near Nablus, in the occupied West Bank. Calls for its “legalization” followed the killing of one of its residents in a January 9 drive-by shooting.
The next 24 hours are crucial – tomorrow evening TUESDAY 30th January the Seanad will vote on the Bill to BAN PRODUCTS from Israel’s illegal settlements in #Palestine. You need to contact your TDs and Senators to urge them to support the Bill! https://t.co/k0LK627j2j
— IPSC (@ipsc48) January 29, 2018
All Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, both official and unofficial, are considered illegal under international law.
Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has already approved the move, and Netanyahu had been expected to advance a vote at yesterday’s weekly meeting.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
