Israel unwilling to remove structures near illegal settlement

The Israeli authorities are unwilling to remove structures near the illegal settlement of Amona, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Ramallah, Quds Press reported on Friday. Quoting Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, the report said that the occupation authorities are ignoring previous pledges made when the structures, which are temporary residential homes, were installed.

#LandAppropriation

The authorities installed these structures on a hilltop to accommodate settlers evacuated from the nearby settlement of Amona, which the Israeli high court declared to be illegal because it was built on private Palestinian land. However, the structures were not inhabited, explained Haaretz, so the Israeli authorities have not removed them.

Video story: Israeli forces finalise Amona outpost evacuation remove protestors

The Palestinian owners of the land are now concerned that the buildings will stay there indefinitely because the Knesset (parliament) has approved a law allowing the construction of Israeli settlements on private Palestinians land following the high court ruling regarding Amona, which was built in 1997.

#RegularisationBill

Last month, the Israeli cabinet approved the construction of a new settlement for the Jewish settlers evacuated from Amona. The same cabinet session also gave the go ahead for the confiscation of 997 dunams (222 acres) of Palestinian land in Ramallah for settlement purposes, Israeli media reported.