Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Sunday morning signed "evacuation orders" for three "inhabited settler outposts" in the West Bank, bringing to nine the number of "outposts" that Sharon and Mofaz have "ordered" to be dismantled.
The "outposts" expected to be removed are Givat Ha'roeh, inhabited by 13 families living in permanent houses, Yitzhar South which has six families and Mitzpeh Yitzhar, also known as Bachelors' hill, in which one family and a number of bachelors are now living.
The "outposts" that received "evacuation orders" previously are inhabited "outposts" Tal Binyamin, Havat Maon and Ginot Aryeh, near Ofra, and the uninhabited "outposts" of Hazon David, near Hebron, West Bat Ayin and Havat Shaked, near Yitzhar, located in Nablus area.
Until now, none of the illegal "outposts" have been removed due to appeals submitted by settlers to the military and High Court of Justice.
It should be noted that the Israeli withdrawal and freeze on settlement expansion is a condition set by the so-called Road Map for peace, which envisages a Palestinian state by the year 2005.
The recent Israeli announcements of dismantling illegal outposts for settlers was considered by the Palestinian National Authority as no more than "a smokescreen."
“It is just a smokescreen to show the world that the Israeli government is responding to the international legitimacy,” a recent Palestinian declaration said. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
