The question of dismantling the outposts erected at the top hills of the West Bank gained a lot of interest and media coverage whereas the efficiency of this dismantling process was never achieved. Since the Aqaba summit till today, only 8 outposts were dismantled according to Peace Now fieldworkers, while 12 new outposts were erected 4 of which were dismantled. So the settlers reached to maintain the same number of outposts in the Occupied West Bank and even developing the infrastructure of some existing outposts.
The Israeli Knesset took a decision on the 22 of July 2003 to dismantle all 'unauthorized' outposts. While in reality no real action was taken by the Israeli army to dismantle those illegal colonial spots- according to the international law that should take no more than one hour for each to be dismantled. However, the Israeli bulldozers rush to the site if the military order to demolish a Palestinian house and raze all what is above this Palestinian sign of existence.
According to Peace Now, the number of newly erected outposts is 8 which remained from the 12 newly erected outposts after the Aqaba summit by the 3rd of June 2003. Those outposts are: Table 1: Outposts established after Aqaba summit 3rd of June 2003 and still exist
|
Outpost name
|
Location |
# of structures |
Photo |
|
1 – Hill Imbalin |
South East to Ma'aleh Michmas |
1 container |
 |
|
2 – Hill 777 |
West to Kochav Hashahar |
1 container |
 |
|
3 – Kochav Hshahar South |
Hill South to Kochav Hashahar |
1 container |
 |
|
4-
|
Hill Southeast to Kochav Hashahar |
1 container |
 |
|
5 – Hill # 804 |
East to Shvut Rahel |
8 containers ( inhabited) |
 |
|
6 – Ofra Southeast |
Southeast to Ofra |
1 container |
 |
|
7 – Hill 652 |
West to Bat A'in |
1 container |
 |
|
8 – NT 840 ( Jabal Tantur) |
Hill between Shilo and Elit |
2 containers ( not inhabited) |
 |
The other outposts that were established after the Aqaba summit and then dismantled are the following outposts:
Table 2: New outposts established after the 3rd of June 2003 and dismantled
|
|
Outpost name |
Location |
Number of structures |
Photo |
|
1 – Skali |
600-700m East Elon Moreh |
1 container |
 |
|
|
2 – Rechalim East |
South to Rechalim |
1 container |
 |
|
|
3 – Revava West |
West to Revava |
1 container |
 |
|
|
4 – Giva't Ariel |
South to Yetzhar |
Container |
||
In addition, some of the existing outposts in the West Bank are submitted to infrastructure works in order to connect them with electricity services such as Neve Daniel Outpost North in Bethlehem district and Gilad Farm Outpost that was supposed to be dismantled is having additional 4 containers.
The Road map plan proposed by the USA and the Quartet stresses on freezing all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories-OPT-of the West Bank and the Gaza strip, during the time that these activities are increasing daily. As a result, the violations to the Road Map by the Israeli side are taking place daily. In addition, all colonial and settlement activities are illegal according to the international law and the fourth Geneva Convention which mentions that the occupying power is not allowed to transfer a part of its population into the occupied territories.
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
