Ahead of Havat Gilad ‘legalisation’, Israel settlers urge approval for 24 outposts

Ahead of this Sunday’s expected approval by the Israeli government of the retroactive “legalisation” of Havat Gilad settlement outpost, Israeli settlers are urging authorities to take similar steps in the case of 24 additional outposts.

Speaking with Arutz Sheva yesterday, senior settler official Shilo Adler praised the anticipated transformation of Havat Gilad from an illegal outpost to an official settlement as a “historic event”.

Adler urged the Israeli authorities to take similar steps with other settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank.

“The Israeli government has to take an initiative,” he said. “There is a rare window of opportunity here with a right-wing government and a lack of a Palestinian peace partner and with American support.”

Read: Netanyahu vows to turn illegal outpost into official settlement by next week

“We are in the midst of a time period which I do not know if we will ever have again,” he added.

On Wednesday, Israel’s Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman announced via Twitter that Havat Gilad will be “legalised” on Sunday.

“We promised and the decision to normalize Havat as a full-fledged community will be brought to the cabinet for approval this Sunday,” he tweeted.

All Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem are illegal under international law.