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Netanyahu limits ‘settlement’ building, ceding to Trump’s request

Israel’s security cabinet agreed to restrict construction in Judea and Samaria, according to Trump’s position, with an exception granted to the former residents of Amona.

According to an agreement reached Thursday night by the security cabinet, Israel will restrict construction in Judea and Samaria to within the existing communities, with an exception made for the former residents of Amona, who will be relocated to a new site.

The decision was made as a gesture to the Trump administration, which is hoping to broker a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. President Donald Trump’s special representative for international negotiations, Jason Greenblatt, has been meeting with both sides over the past three weeks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement Friday morning, saying that “out of consideration to President Donald Trump’s position, Israel will take necessary steps to minimize the expansion of developed area beyond the footprint of existing settlements in Judea and Samaria and exhibit considerable restriction, to allow the progression of the peace process. Israel will build within the existing developed area, as much as possible.”

Furthermore, “In areas where this is not possible, Israel will build along the existing development line. In areas where neither of these possibilities are feasible, due to legal, security, topographical or additional concerns, Israel will allow building in proximity as close as possible to the existing development line.”

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No unauthorized construction will be permitted, Netanyahu said.

At the same time, the former residents of the community of Amona in Samaria will be given a new location near Shilo – the first new “settlement” since 1993 – according to a previous commitment made by Netanyahu. They were evacuated following a ruling by Israel’s High Court of Justice, saying it had been built on private Palestinian property, although no evidence was provided by the claimants.

By: World Israel News Staff