Israeli Army Begins Dismantling First Populated West Bank Outpost

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 20, 2003

Israeli Army Begins Dismantling First Populated West Bank Outpost

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The Israeli army troops and police began Thursday morning to dismantle the Mitzpe Yitzhar settlement outpost, although the Israeli High Court ordered to postpone the evacuation, Israel Radio reported.

The underway evacuation encountered some resistance from the Jewish settlers, among them two were hurt by the army's jeep and some others were arrested, according to the report.

The Mitzpe Yitzhar settlement outpost is located near the West Bank city of Nablus and is the first populated outpost Israel wouldremove from the West Bank since the Aqaba summit.

Earlier in the day, the High Court issued a temporary injunction delaying the evacuation and asked the army to provide a preliminary response by the noon, in order that the court can decide whether toapprove the evacuation.

The army and police began Wednesday night their preparation for the planned evacuation of the populated outpost. The army has also listed another 19 outposts, including five inhabited positions thatare slated for evacuation.

The Jewish Settlements Council has called on settlers to assist in the resistance to the evacuation, but said no violence will be used against soldiers and police.

During a meeting with settlement leaders on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the pressure exerted by the UnitedStates forces him to make the decision on evacuating the settlementoutposts, as part of effort to push the US-sponsored roadmap peace plan forwards.

In the past two weeks after the Aqaba summit, at which Sharon promised to remove all illegal West Bank outposts, the Israeli armyhas dismantled some 10 outposts, but all of them were empty.

There are reportedly some 100 illegal outposts, which are viewedas the rudiment of "legal" settlements, have been built in the pasttwo years by far-right Jewish settlers in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Over 200,000 Jewish settlers live in some 150 settlements in theWest Bank and Gaza Strip, where the Palestinians want to establish their future independent state, as blueprinted in the roadmap for peace in the region.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Israel starts dismantling settler outposts

Israeli Army Arrests Islamic Jihad Leader in Jenin

US Wants Participation of South Korea, Japan in DPRK Nuclear Talks ( 8 Messages)

China Builds World's Longest Trans-oceanic Bridge ( 9 Messages)

Trial Navigation via Three Gorges Ship Lock Begins ( 2 Messages)

Dialog: Focus on US Global Military Deployment ( 3 Messages)