Israel Legalizes West Bank Outposts, Setting Up Court Fight

[Right_in_Virginia]

Israel Legalizes West Bank Outposts, Setting Up Court Fight
Bloomberg News, Jan 6, 2017, (Updated Jan 7, 2017) David Wainer and Michael Arnold

Israel’s parliament legalized unauthorized West Bank settlement outposts built on private Palestinian land, drawing international censure and setting up a court fight where the politically charged law may be overturned.

Palestinians saw another attempt to crush their dream of independence. The European Union postponed a Feb. 28 meeting with Israel meant to signify improved relations, the Haaretz newspaper reported. Jordan, traditionally a mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, denounced the law.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had tried to delay a vote until his White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump next week. Ultimately he allowed the vote to take place under pressure from pro-settlement forces in his government, in part because he knows the high court will strike the law down, according to an Israeli official close to the prime minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential matters. Parliament approved the bill in a 60-52 vote while Netanyahu was out of the country.

The law legalizes homes in unauthorized outposts across the West Bank -- many just a jumble of rusting mobile homes hastily towed to the sites -- and offers Palestinian landowners compensation. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit has said some of the bill’s provisions are illegal and he would not be able to defend them from challenges in the country’s highest court.


Read more:  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-06/israel-s-netanyahu-expresses-support-for-settlement-bill-vote

[Right_in_Virginia]

Israeli Parliament Votes to Retroactively Legalize West Bank Settlements
NBC News, Feb 6, 2017, Petra Cahill, Paul Goldman and Jon Schuppe

The Israeli parliament voted late Monday to retroactively legalize several thousand Jewish homes built in the West Bank, a move that could complicate what had seemed to be a warming relationship with the United States.

But the measure still faces steep obstacles, including legal challenges that could land it before Israel's Supreme Court, where the attorney general has said he will not argue in defense of it.

***

President Trump — considered more sympathetic to Jewish settlements than former President Barack Obama —warned Israel to stop the announcement of new settlements. The White House said new construction "may not be helpful" in achieving peace.

That admonishment marked the first public disagreement between Trump and Netanyahu, who plans to visit the White House Feb. 15.

***

Much of the international community, including the United Nations and the European Union, consider the settlements to be an illegal taking of land envisioned as a future homeland for Palestinians.

For more than two decades, U.S. foreign policy has been pushing for a negotiated peace deal —a "two-state solution" — that would include the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

During his presidential campaign, Trump said peace between Israel and the Palestinians could be achieved only through direct negotiations, indicating that he believes Israel shouldn't be allowed to act unilaterally.

The White House said last month that Trump emphasized "the deep and abiding" partnership between the two countries and that he "affirmed his unprecedented commitment to Israel's security." Those statements fueled speculation that Israel's hardline government would resume expanding settlements in Palestinian territory.

Netanyahu himself said last month that Trump's election presents "significant opportunities" for Israel.

More:  http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-votes-retroactively-legalize-west-bank-settlements-n717381

[geronl]

Trump declared himself neutral between the sovereign, democratic nation of Israel and the blood-sucking terrorists during the campaign, so the announcement from the White House was not unexpected to me.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Trump declared himself neutral between the sovereign, democratic nation of Israel and the blood-sucking terrorists during the campaign, so the announcement from the White House was not unexpected to me.

Serious question @geronl --- were you in a coma for all of 2016?

[geronl]

if the court says this is not part of Israel, then how does it claim jurisdiction?