Netanyahu bows to US pressure, orders mass demolition of outposts in Judea, Samaria – report

Under pressure from the Trump administration and following heavy criticism from Ambassador Mike Huckabee, Prime Minister Netanyahu reportedly orders the demolition of Jewish outposts across Judea and Samaria.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the demolition of a number of unauthorized Jewish outposts established in parts of Judea and Samaria following intense pressure from the Trump administration, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Sunday.

Israeli officials cited in the report said that the directive was issued as a direct result of American pressure on Jerusalem to curtail outpost expansion into Areas A and B in Judea and Samaria and to rein in what has been described as “settler violence” against the Arab population.

Under the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, Israel maintains total security and civil authority over Area C, which constitutes roughly 60% of Judea and Samaria, while the Palestinian Authority has both security and civil control over Area A, which spans some 18% of the area.

The remaining 22% is administered jointly by Israel and the PA as Area B, with the IDF responsible for security and the PA handling civil affairs.

The orders mark a significant intervention by Netanyahu at a time of rapid growth in Jewish communities and agricultural farms across Judea and Samaria and follow weeks of unusually public American pressure.

The Israeli government estimates that there are currently some 100 unauthorized Jewish outposts across Judea and Samaria, of which 15 to 20 are located in Area A or B.

“There are clear instructions from the National Security Council to evacuate outposts, certainly those that are in Area B,” officials familiar with the directive said.

“What worries the prime minister most right now is the American administration, which is very concerned that what is happening in Area B will expand,” one source said.

Israeli security personnel periodically carry out demolition of unauthorized outposts in Judea and Samaria, with several such operations conducted over the past few weeks.

One recent case involved the removal of settlement activists who had established a makeshift outpost on Jabal Ayn Ayna, a contested hilltop in Samaria.

The outpost was set up near several illegally built Arab structures inhabited by residents of the nearby village of Qusra, leading to accusations that the settlement activists were besieging the Arab outpost on Jabal Ayn Ayna.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced the settlement activists as “terrorists” and said that the US had directly requested Israel remove them.

“The United States Embassy in Jerusalem is deeply involved, and the IDF and Israeli police came at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this,” Huckabee said at the time.

As a result of the pressure, Netanyahu has also ordered ministers in his government not to publicly criticize IDF commanders involved in the outpost demolitions.