Israel postpones demolition of illegal outpost, as settlers score major victory

[azurnoir]

The settlers won a victory on Wednesday: The destruction of the Givat Assaf illegal outpost will be postponed by half a year. The settlers will continue discussions this morning with Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauser and representatives of the State Prosecutor's Office on the justification for the postponement.

The High Court of Justice has been dealing with the case of Givat Assaf since 2007. At the time, Peace Now petitioned the High Court, asking for the court to order the demolition of six illegal outposts, including Givat Assaf. At first the state argued that it was conducting negotiations with the residents of the outposts to evacuate them willingly, which never happened. Later, after the High Court issued a temporary injunction against the outposts, the state claimed the evacuation was a matter of priorities

After a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in February this year, the government decided to change direction: The outposts on state-owned land will be made legal while those on private Palestinian-owned land will be evacuated by the end of this year.

The state was supposed to inform the High Court by November 1 on its progress in either legalizing the outposts, or on the preparations to dismantle them. Over the past two months, enormous political pressure was put on Netanyahu to prevent the demolition. Netanyahu initially wanted to establish a committee of legal experts to examine how to legalize the outposts on private land, but retreated from the idea following steadfast opposition from Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-postpones-demolition-of-illegal-outpost-as-settlers-score-major-victory-1.394664

[saras]

1. +1 for the settlers, -10 for the rest of the world

[holdencaufield]

2. I'm unclear...

...on precisely HOW housing in Israel and the territories directly effects the rest of the world as you claim.

Yes, I understand that people are "concerned" about it and there will be protests and a lot of nasty things about Israel. But, my questions is -- What EXACTLY is the actual direct impact on the rest of the world?

There are currently 11 conflicts around the globe that incur greater than 1,000 deaths a year (source Wikipedia list of ongoing military conflicts) and neither Israel nor the Palestinians are involved directly or indirectly in any of them.

So, I'm really unclear why you believe the entire world is effected by this particular court decision. Perhaps you could elucidate?

[riverwalker]

3. and with all those conflicts

around the world, only ONE has it's own forum here. Never could figure that out.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

5. Feedback loop.

In the vast majority of conflicts, nearly all DUers are on one side, so discussions turn into echo chambers and die out.

The reason that I/P generates so much more discussion (to put it politely) is that there are significant numbers of people who hold left-wing views on other issues on either side.

You'll see the same thing in R/T and the gungeon - other issues where DU is divided.

[Scurrilous]

4. Rabbi Yosef to Netanyahu: Don't raze outposts

Shas' spiritual leader meets settler leaders, promises to support their efforts to prevent outpost evictions

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4145910,00.html

<snip>

"Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef said Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must under no circumstance raze illegal outposts set to be demolished.

Rabbi Yosef made the statements during a meeting with settler leaders and rabbis from Migron, Amona and Givat Yosef. Interior Minister Eli Yishai also participated in the meeting.

During the meeting, the settlers implored Rabbi Yosef to help them prevent the demolition of their outposts. The Shas leader promised to help them in their efforts."

[bemildred]

6. Planned West Bank demolitions send ripples through Netanyahu's coalition

The 18th Knesset is back to work. In a single week the Knesset members and government ministers from the coalition have brought in the following toxic harvest: a proposed law that would shackle non-profit human rights organizations and leftist organizations; a proposal for legislation to change the makeup of the committee for the selection of judges so the government will have a majority on it; a proposal for legislation to hold a "hearing" for judgeship candidates before the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, which is headed by MK David Rotem of Yisrael Beiteinu, one of the parliamentarians most hostile to the judiciary; a proposal for a law to prevent Balad MK Hanin Zuabi from running again for Knesset, and a coalition move to shut down Channel 10.

This is not simply a right-wing agenda. This is the agenda of Yisrael Beiteinu and of the lunatic nationalist wing of the Likud, for whom "Menachem Begin" is a Jerusalem highway or the father of the nudnik Likud cabinet minister who is "throwing sand in the eyes of the public" (according to Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made this coalition and now he has to sleep with the Constitution, Law and Justice committee in Yisrael Beiteinu's hands. This session of the Knesset comes on the eve of the primaries in the Likud. On Monday of this week the Likud Knesset faction once again devoted its entire meeting to the question of the retroactive approval, legalization or moving of illegal outposts in the West Bank. Netanyahu opened the discussion with a statement to the press in which he announced that only what is legal will be built. "Bravo," said Minister without Portfolio Benny Begin.

http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/planned-west-bank-demolitions-send-ripples-through-netanyahu-s-coalition-1.394961