The Israeli Peace Now movement on Saturday warned of the repercussions of the Israeli government’s legalization of Havat Gilad settlement outpost located south of Nablus city in the West Bank.
The Movement said in a report on Saturday that since the incident on 9th January 2018 when the Israeli settler Raziel Shevach was killed by Palestinian gunmen the Israeli war minister Avigdor Lieberman has pushed for the authorization of the illegal outpost of Havat Gilad to which Shevach belonged.
Rather than conducting a serious examination on how to rectify the security and political burden that settlements and outposts place on Israelis the report added Lieberman prefers to exploit this situation to appease the right-wing base and support their one-state agenda.
Peace Now stressed that it would be a grave mistake to officially recognize Havat Gilad outpost for several reasons.
First it would further undermine the possibility of reaching a two-state solution. Havat Gilad is located deep inside the West Bank about 20 km away from the Green Line and is wedged in between some Palestinian villages near Nablus. Israel would have to evacuate the outpost in any future two-state solution.
Second according to Peace Now Legalizing the outpost will lead to the establishment of a new settlement.
Third it would reward criminals. Havat Gilad was founded by dozens of families who decided to establish “facts on the ground” by building houses themselves in violation of Israeli law (not to mention international humanitarian law) without a plan or permit on lands they did not own.
Fourth it is a heinous exploitation of the murder of Shevach the Israeli Movement added. The Israeli government has repeatedly exploited such incidents to entrench occupation and apartheid in the West Bank even though it is clear to all that a future Palestinian state is to be established there.
