Netanyahu Moves to Dismantle Settler Outposts

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the removal of unauthorized settlement outposts in the West Bank, two sources familiar with the situation said on Sunday.

The order applies to outposts built by settlers without official approval from the Israeli government, according to the sources. There are roughly 100 such outposts, according to the Ynet website. They typically consist of prefabricated housing units and are home to a small number of settlers. Israel has sometimes demolished such structures in the past, but has also retroactively legalized others, allowing them to receive state funding.

The UN and most governments consider all Israeli settlements illegal under international law and regard the West Bank as occupied territory under military control. Israel maintains that it is disputed territory rather than occupied territory.

There are 340 settlement outposts and 146 settlements in the West Bank officially recognized by the Israeli government, according to the Israeli organization Peace Now, which criticizes settlement expansion and advocates for a two-state solution.

Netanyahu ordered the move in response to pressure from the United States, Israel's closest ally, sources said. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Saturday labeled violent settlers as terrorists and called for strict punishment.

Last month, Israeli settlers surrounded Palestinian homes in one of the local villages, including the home of a Palestinian-American. The army subsequently forced them out of the area.

(Reuters, sak)