Israeli minister of settlement affairs Tzachi Hanegbi has pledged to have dozens of settler outposts in the occupied West Bank legalized before outgoing US president Donald Trump leaves the White House in January.
Addressing the Knesset last night Hanegbi said he received premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s approval to discuss the matter with minister of civil and social affairs at the war ministry Michael Biton.
“I’m pleased to announce for the first time that we agreed that together we will formulate a draft resolution for the government to promote all legal moves at our disposal in order to [legalize West Bank outposts]” Hanegbi was quoted as saying by Times of Israel.
Hanegbi affirmed that the proposal would be advanced while Trump is still in office.
Responding to Hanegbi’s announcement Yamina leader and Knesset member Naftali Bennett said this would be a historic achievement but stressed that “the only test will be in the implementation.”
The Jewish council of settler mayors said the announcement was “exciting news for anyone for whom the issue of Israeli settlement in [the West Bank] and the Jordan Valley is close to his heart.”
