Ron Shechner, Settlement Affairs advisor to Israeli Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz, resigned on Wednesday over implications in assisting in the construction of illegal settlement outposts.
Shechner is accused of giving orders to executive bodies to assist in constructing illegal outposts. He claimed that the orders were originally given by Israeli Defense Minister himself, while Mofaz did not even know about these orders, Israeli online daily Haaretz reported.
Former senior state prosecutor Talia Sasson submitted report on illegal outposts in March 2005, to the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, and recommended firing Shechner, after accusing him of misleading the “World Zionist Organization”, by telling its settlement department that the outposts received government authorization.
Also Sasson’s report accused Shechner, of overriding his authority, and of authorizing activities he knew were in violation to the law.
Following the report, Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz demanded to have Shechner removed from his position.
Shechner, held the position of advisor to the Israeli defense Minister for the past three years.
Yet, decreasing the number of illegal outposts in the West Bank, which was recommended by the Sasson report, has not been implemented yet.
Haaretz reported last week that the government did not carry out the recommendation to fire Shechner; the Israeli Defense Ministry said that Mofaz had not yet made a decision regarding this issue.
