Israeli Justice Minister, Haim Ramon, reported on Sunday that the evacuation of West Bank illegal settlements outposts will commence in a few weeks time, and that a ministerial committee is to pass on recommendations on ways to prevent establishment of more illegal outposts in the future.
Ramon stated that the ministerial committee is to find ways to prevent settlers from setting up new illegal outposts, and that it is scheduled to pass on its recommendations to the government in about a month-and-a-half, Israeli Ynetnews reported.
On Tuesday, the Defense Minister Amir Peretz said that Israel would work to clear illegal outposts as soon as possible.
Peretz has expressed his opinion on the matter a few times lately, and 10 days ago he said that illegal settlers and illegal settlement outpost “add no respect to Israel”.
The statements from Peretz came when he paid his first visit to the Central Command, accompanied by Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz and OC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Yair Naveh.
Peretz added that Israel must uphold its laws and evacuate the West Bank illegal settlement outposts as soon as possible. He also said that illegal outpost negatively affect Israel’s image internationally and on the diplomatic level.
Meanwhile, Ramon said on Sunday that representatives of Peace Now Movement and West Bank settlers are due to appear before a committee for enforcing law before it presents its recommendations.
“The committee will work to increase the enforcement of law in the territories to bring an end to the current situation”, Ramon stated, “It will determine ways to prevent the establishment of illegal outposts in the future”.
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Israel’s Defense Minister Amir Peretz are also members of the ministerial committee on illegal outposts.
Attorney Talia Sasson, who drafted the report on the West Bank illegal outposts, appeared before the committee on Sunday.
Israeli online daily, Ynetnews, reported that three weeks ago Peretz renewed the validity of an order to evacuate 12 illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank.
The list of outposts includes Ramat Gilad, Givat Asaf, Maale Rehavam, Mitzpeh Lachish, Givat Haroe, and Mitzpeh Yitzhar;
The original decree for those outposts expired in May.
In April 2006, the so-called Civil Administration Office that belongs to the Israeli army, mapped all the outposts in order to present the government with an evacuation plan.
The plan was revealed in an answer to a petition by Peace Now; the civil administration is scheduled to complete its work plan within a few months, the Ynetnews added.
