As the Likud-led government prepares to dismantle some illegal outposts in the West Bank, some members of the coalition expressed deep dissatisfaction with the anticipated move. Reportedly, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister- and Labor Chairman- Ehud Barak agreed to withdraw some of the illegal outposts at Barak’s discretion. The U.S. government repeatedly pressured Israel to halt settlement expansion and the dismantling of the illegal outposts, announced shortly after the Netanyahu-Obama meeting, likely represents the result of additional pressure from the White House.
One Likud Knesset member described the evacuations as a “manhunt” while Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that evacuations should only occur following any peace agreement, not as a prerequisite. Lieberman defended his stance by noting that both Israelis and Palestinians develop illegal outposts and the government should enforce the law equally, by either cracking down on both settlements or none.
While Lieberman’s point does have some validity, any two-state solution, advocated by the United States and Europe, would result in Palestinian control over the West Bank. Any Jewish settlements would require evacuation regardless and Palestinian outposts would remain as part of the future Palestinian state. Therefore, all settlements, but particularly the illegal outposts, aggravate any peace plans and continuously create unnecessary tension within the territories.
