Netanyahu: ‘We support settlements all the time’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday stressed that his government supports settlements all the time, promising to allow settlers evicted from Palestinian houses in Hebron to return.

Israeli media reported him saying that his government supports settlements, especially at the current time.

“The government supports settlement at any time, especially now when it is under terrorist assault and is taking a courageous and determined stand in the face of terrorist attacks.”

On Thursday, tens of illegal Jewish settlers squatted in two Palestinian houses in Hebron, claiming they had legally bought them from their owners.

Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon ordered them to be forcefully evicted on Friday due to their use of the houses without the needed approval of the political and security authorities.

Netanyahu said: “As soon as the procedures regarding the purchase are approved, we will allow the two homes in Hebron to be populated, as indeed occurred in similar instances in the past.”

“The process of checking is starting today,” he said at the cabinet meeting.

“We will do it as quickly as possible. If, in any case, it is not completed within a week, I will see to it that the cabinet receives a status report.”