Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this evening that he had taken preliminary steps to establish a new illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank to house settlers residing in Amona, on the same day as Israeli forces evacuating the illegal outpost faced violent resistance.
After years of court battles and months of delays, Israeli police forces carried out the evacuation of Amona today due to it being built on privately held Palestinian lands.
Hundreds of Amona residents and supporters have adamantly opposed the evacuation of the outpost, which is deemed illegal under both Israeli and international law.
Israeli news outlet Haaretz reported that Netanyahu had named a panel, which would reportedly include representatives from Amona, the Ministry of Defense, and the prime minister’s office, to push forward the establishment of a new settlement.
According to the Israeli paper, if carried to fruition, the plan would lead to the creation of the first new settlement officially established by the Israeli government in more than two decades.
Netanyahu’s announcement came hours after the Israeli Supreme Court overruled a plan to relocate the Amona settlers to plots of land nearby, which are also privately owned Palestinian property.
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