In a move that both violates Israeli law and likely amounts to Israel abrogating its commitment to limit the rate of settlement expansion, a group of settlers has built a new outpost in the occupied West Bank over the past two weeks, according to anti-settlement NGO Peace Now.
The new outpost was built near the existing Geva Binyamin settlement, on state-owned land, but outside of the settlement’s security fence. No permits were issued to authorize the construction, though likewise Israeli forces do not appear to have tried to prevent the construction.
Though most settlement expansion is based on ideology, either religious or nationalist, or both, Peace Now believes that in this case, the outpost is an economics issue, with the people who constructed it apparently drawn to the idea of getting free land to build housing on.
Though legally speaking such outposts are supposed to be demolished, the current far-right government is so deeply beholden to the settler movement that it is next to impossible for courts to compel the government to do anything about them, and retroactive legalization tends to follow int he long run.
It is very predictable – the Israeli Government blesses the illegal settlement but warns sternly, “No More”. Which is the cue for the settlers to steal more land and erect another illegal settlement. At which time, the Israeli Government blesses that but warns sternly, “No More”. It is a simple dance. Everyone knows the tune, the steps, the bullshit.
“[M]ost settlement expansion is based on ideology, either religious or nationalist, or both…”
Well past time the American public, which sustains the hoax State Israel, stops thinking of these “illegal settlements” as distinct from Israel itself. All settlement expansion is no more and no less than the expression of Zionism –which is “both” ideology and religion. (Because this is Antiwar, whose message boards are are policed by a nitwit, the religion shall not be mentioned.) Israel is itself an “illegal settlement.” And “settlement activity” will never end as long as there is an “Israel.” Why? Because the Zionist is familiar with history. The Zionist knows and understands that all successful colonialism requires the utter extirpation of the indigenous clan, tribe, race, supplanted by the usurper population. Did Zionist not rise out of the great colonial failures of Europe precisely when it became fully clear that they would all fail?
Anyone who entertains the notion of a “Palestinian State” as long as there is an Israel has rocks in the head,