Israel celebrates its 60th Independence Day by constructing new Israeli outposts in the West Bank
On May 8, 2008, Haaretz the Israeli daily newspaper reported, that group of the Jewish right- wing organization 'Land of Israel Faithful', will march towards several locations in the West Bank in an attempt to rebuild five settlements' outposts at the day Israel celebrates its 60th Independence Day. Theseoutposts were dismantled and evacuated several times in the past few months but the Israeli settlers kept going back to the targeted areas and rebuild them under the protection of the Israeli Occupation Army until the time they are evacuated again. Below is a list of the Israeli outposts to be reconstructed:
|
|
Israeli Outpost |
Location |
|
1. |
Shvut Ami |
Near Kedumim settlement in Salfit Governorate |
|
2. |
Givat Ha'Or ('Hilltop of the Light') |
1.5 km south of Beit El settlement in Ramallah Governorate |
|
3. |
Netzer |
Near Alon Shvut settlement in Bethlehem Governorate |
|
4. |
Maoz Esther (Esther's Stronghold) |
Near Kochav HaShachar in Ramallah Governorate |
|
5. |
Gevory Hevron |
Between Hebron and the Ibrahime Mosque |
Sources: www.eretzil.org/
Haaretz Daily Newspaper
Map 1: List of Israeli outposts to be reconstructeed
Israel celebrates its 60th Independence Day by constructing new Israeli outposts
The right- wing organization also announced that they are in preparation phase to set up another eight new outposts on the hilltops of Palestinian Occupied Territory, most of which at the southern part of the West Bank. The targeted locations to establish the new outposts are:
|
|
Israeli Outpost |
Location |
|
1. |
Rekhes Migron (Ramat Migron) |
East of Migron outpost |
|
2. |
Kida Rekhes- Orot |
Near Shuvut Rachal settlement |
|
3. |
Giv'at Hanate'ot |
South of Hebron Mountain |
|
4. |
Rekhes Ma'a lot Halhul |
South of Karmi Zur settlement |
|
5. |
Rekhes Ha'etm |
Near Efrat settlement in Gush Etzion settlement bloc |
|
6. |
Rekhes Mavseret Adumim |
E-1 Area |
|
7. |
Rekhes Kol Zion |
Near Shilo settlement |
|
8. |
Rekhes Sala' |
Between Havat Gil'ad outpost and Yitzar Settlement |
Sources: www.eretzil.org/
Haaretz Daily Newspaper
Map 2: Locations of new outposts
The Israeli settlers' defiance policy to establish illegal outposts only encouraged by the Israeli government and the Israeli Army who provide the settlers with the means and tools to execute their plans, in addition to the fact that they (the settlers) operate under the protection of the Israeli Army. In fact, this is not the first time the Israeli settlers plan to construct new Israeli outposts as every now and then they announce that they are preparing to resettle the outposts that were previously evacuated from the Gaza Strip in August 2005. According to the analyses conducted at the Applied Research Institute- Jerusalem, the number of the Israeli outposts in the occupied West Bank territory stands at 220.
The Israeli Outposts Evacuation Game
According to an agreement signed between the Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the Yesha Council, the latter will peacefully evacuate several numbers of illegal Israeli outposts in the West Bank at the time the Yesha council would add new neighborhoods to existing Israeli settlements' blocs. This means that there will be more expansions and new bids for new housing units to be constructed in the Israeli settlements, at the time that the international community calls upon Israel to freeze all settlements' related activities; including expansions, outposts, in order to give peace a chance to prevail.
Prepared by
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
