The Israeli High Court of Justice rejected on Tuesday a petition filed by the Israeli Peace Now movement demanding the government to evacuate six illegal settlement outposts installed on private Palestinian property in the occupied West Bank.
The appeal demanded Israel to evacuate the illegal outposts of Givat Hadegel, Mitzpeh Asaf, Maale Rechavam, Mitzpeh Lachish, Givat Hapirion, and Mitzpeh Yitzhar, but high court justices said that evacuation “is up to the government based on its own security and operational considerations.”
Brigadier General Kamil Abu Rukon, head of the so called Civil Administration Office in the West Bank, said that his office is engaged in an operation to map all illegal building in the territories, including outposts. The “Civil Administration Office” in the occupied West Bank is run by the Israeli army”.
The mapping operation, which will be completed in September, is part of a larger plan for eliminating illegal outposts in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli prosecution said during the court that the Israeli government should not deny its duty to evacuate illegal outposts but it will give the new government the needed time to formulate its strategies and policies.
