Report: Israel plans to legalize, expand outpost

[babylonsister]

Report: Israel plans to legalize, expand outpost

By MATTI FRIEDMAN – 10 hours ago


JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli government has formulated plans to legalize 60 existing homes at an unauthorized settlement outpost in the West Bank and allow the construction of 240 other residences, an Israeli group said Tuesday.

Such a move would flout a U.S. demand for a settlement freeze. It would also bolster the claim by Palestinians that the unauthorized outposts are intended to permanently seize land they want as part of their future state.

The plans were approved by Israel's defense minister, Ehud Barak, and filed with authorities in April, according to Bimkom, a private Israeli group that specializes in planning issues.

The Defense Ministry had no immediate comment.

The outpost, known as Water Reservoir Hill, is just several hundred meters (yards) from an established Israeli settlement, Talmon, not far from Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian government.

It is one of more than 100 wildcat settlements that have been erected without official government approval but typically with the cooperation of government agencies.

"This is important because it shows that Israel is not only not evacuating outposts, but is turning them into what it considers legal settlements and expanding areas of control in ways that harm Palestinians," said Alon Cohen-Lifshitz, an architect at Bimkom.

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http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ioi_0jtO9RjMwPNRoXNCndRPRq3gD9908KUG0

[Crunchy Frog]

1. This is why I favor a single state.

It's obvious to me that Israel is not going to leave anything from which a viable Palestinian state can be created. People living in the same area should have the same rights and citizenship.

[safeinOhio]

2. I'd go with the one person one vote

with freedom and justice for all. If one wants a religious state, it should be the size of the Vatican.