Despite Netanyahu’s opposition, coalition politicians vow to resettle north Samaria

Politicians from within the government coalition are pushing legislation that would make it possible to resettle northern Samaria. 

By: World Israel News Staff

Despite opposition from the prime minister, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked vowed Sunday to push legislation that would cancel Israel’s pullout from northern Samaria.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was expected to block a vote on the law in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation.

The bill, which enjoys support within the Likud and Jewish Home parties, would enable Israel to resettle territories in Samaria from which Israel evacuated Israeli citizens as part of the 2005 disengagement from Gaza and North Samaria.

Over the past 13 weeks, Shaked, head of the Ministerial Committee and member of the Jewish Home party, has tried to bring the bill to a vote, but Netanyahu has repeatedly prevented it from happening.

Shaked said that passage of the legislation would be a step toward rectifying “the shame of the disengagement.”

Netanyahu’s rationale for blocking the legislation is reportedly his concern that if passed the law would disrupt relations with the Trump administration, which is attempted to advance a peace plan dubbed “the deal of the century.”

The areas from which Israel pulled out in 2005 remain under full Israeli military control.

The head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, said that the prime minister’s repeated veto of attempts to pass the legislation was “a scandal.”

Rightwing activists have vowed to launch a campaign to get the legislation passed.