(Israeli) Government finances outposts to be dismantled under roadmap

Oct. 27, 2003
Government finances outposts to be dismantled under roadmap By MATTHEW GUTMAN

The Defense Ministry confirmed Monday that it has allotted at least eight unauthorized outposts the services normally provided to legal settlements.

Tens of similar unauthorized settlements were slated for demolition as little as three months ago under the all-but-abandoned road map for peace.

The confirmation came as the Knesset Finance Committee passed a bill that would divert about NIS 120 million to settlements and small towns along the seam-line bordering the West Bank.

In a letter to the residents of the outposts – some are populated by over 150 people – Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz's settlement advisor wrote that residents will receive state funding to build lighting and security systems.

Among the benefits will be a light security fence, a soldier posted as sentry at the outpost's entrance, and a generator to power floodlights around the outposts, wrote the advisor, Ron Schechner. As part of the new arrangement, the outpost's children will also be bused to municipal schools.

Schechner had earlier been approached on how to deal with the outposts, some of which have been choice targets for terrorists in recent months.

The move, explains the Defense Ministry, is not unusual. Shechner writes such a letter every three months, in order to provide updated security for certain settlements. The settlements include Pnei Kedem, Neve Erez, Mitzpe Kramim, Migron.

Defense Ministry sources deflected some of the flak over the controversial allocations, saying that Israel must provide security to its citizens, even if they put themselves in danger. However none of the outposts in questions was slated for evacuation.

Since Israel and the Palestinians agreed to the road map in June, settlers have managed to erect almost a new outpost for each one the IDF dismantled, said Dror Etkes, spokesman for the settlement watchdog group Peace Now.

Many of the outposts are located in a "gray zone" of sorts. They do not encroach on Palestinian urban areas, and are relatively close to clusters of larger settlements. Furthermore, the Defense Ministry says that "this has nothing to do with changing the status of the settlements. This is a lengthy process which requires the assent of several ministries and the Defense Minister himself."

Five of the eight outposts in question have petitioned their local municipalities for authorization to build permanent housing developments on the land.

Here is the Arutz 7 (settlers') take on the story:

Inside Israel

More Yesha Towns On The Map
15:39 Oct 27, '03 / 1 Cheshvan 5764

Defense Ministry 'approval" for eight new Yesha localities has brought the media and Peace Now together on a joint campaign.

Israel Radio's Yesha correspondent, Guy Kotev, acknowledged today that though it's "not pleasant to say, we in the media are on Peace Now's side in trying to uncover as much as we can about the way new settlements and towns in Yesha are built and recognized by the government." He said that all of Israel's recent governments, "including those headed by Peres, Rabin, Netanyahu, Barak, and the present one," are not up-front about the way they build and recognize new towns in Judea and Samaria.

The surprising statement came in light of a "scoop" in Yediot Acharonot today that the Defense Ministry had granted a form of permanent-status to several outposts in Yesha. Among the newly-approved areas are Migron, with some 30 families, situated atop the critical Highway 60 between Psagot and Michmas; Pnei Kedem, near Meitzad east of the Gush Etzion-Hevron highway; and N'vei Erez and Mitzpeh Kramim, near Kokhav HaShachar, between Ofrah and the Jordan Valley. Shirat HaYam in Gush Katif is also on the list, as is Haresha in the Dolev-Talmon bloc.

Ron Shechner, who, as Settlement Affairs Advisor to Defense Minister Mofaz, is signed on the document recognizing the outposts, explained: "This is a recognition of the fact that people who live in these places are entitled to basic services such as security and defense, lighting, children's nurseries, and the like. The fundamental question of the outposts' legality must still be decided by the government."

Israel Insider's take on the story:

Defense Ministry grants legal status to eight unauthorized outposts

By Ellis Shuman October 27, 2003

A view of an unauthorized outpost at Asehal, some 10 miles from Hebron. (AP)

The Ministry of Defense has granted "permanent township" status to eight unauthorized outposts on the West Bank, making them eligible for education and infrastructure budgets, media sources reported. Several of the outposts were candidates to be dismantled when Israel was implementing its obligations under the "road map" peace initiative.

"We need to give the minimum services to these people who are on the ground, especially for security and education," Ron Shechner, senior advisor to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on settlements, told Israel Radio.

According to a Defense Ministry document, signed by Shechner, the status of eight previously unauthorized outposts would be changed to that of an "independent settlement," entitled to the government budgets. The list of outposts includes Mitzpe Kramim, Pnei Kedem, Neve Erez, Migron, and Asehal.

Interviewed by Yediot Aharonot, Shechner said the Ministry of Defense "document does not determine whether the places are legal or not, or whether they should be evacuated. That will be decided by the political leadership."

Hebron Hills council head, Zvi Bar-Hai, was quoted by Israel Radio as saying that the change of status was aimed at providing security arrangements for the communities and would not preventing future dismantling.

But according to Yediot Aharonot, Bar-Hai said that the new status proved that "the Ministry of Defense agrees to the legitimacy of the communities... Their residents would no longer be bothered every time the subject of dismantlement is raised," he said.

In April, National Infrastructure Minister Yosef Paritzky (Shinui) said he was considering disconnecting illegal outposts from the Mekorot Water Company and the Israel Electric Corporation electricity grid. The new status granted to eight outposts would ensure that they get electricity, kindergartens and other services, media sources reported.

According to the terms of the internationally drafted "road map," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's government is obliged to freeze settlement activity in general and dismantle around 60 outposts in the West Bank which were established since Sharon came to power in March 2001.

In the first weeks after the "road map" was announced, Israeli troops dismantled a number of unauthorized outposts, which were subsequently reoccupied by settlers.

The government has said that Israel would take no further action to implement the "road map" plan until the Palestinians fulfilled their obligation to dismantle the terrorist organizations.

"According to the 'road map,' [Israeli is] expected to dismantle these outposts. Instead what we are seeing is that they are being integrated," Dror Etkes, of Peace Now's Settlement Watch program told AFP.

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